County of Arrival Records - Naturalization Records Pt. 4 Ok - you've searched all the federal and state censuses (if applicable). They have given you a time frame for your ancestor's immigration. You've checked the naturalization laws that pertained to that specific time period. You think you're ready to search all the records. Now what? It's a good idea to have a list of all addresses where your ancestor lived for the time frame for naturalization. Why? Unless you're researching an unusual name, you're going to have a few 'hits'. Considering the sheer number of Irish immigrants into New York City and the boroughs, how many Patrick Kelly's or John Murphy's were there? A lot! Since the petitioner had to give his address, this will help you weed out the wrong hits. So you have a list of addresses for your time frame and occupations gleaned from the censuses, you're ready to go. Now, to determine what court he could have naturalized in! Prior to 1906, an immigrant could naturalize in any court that handled naturalizations. There were quite a few! Here is a general breakdown of the different courts -- and the level they were at -- that processed naturalizations in the New York City area: 1674-1784 Mayor's Court: This was a New York City court that handled all civil matters. 1691-1847 Court of Common Pleas: Located in each city and county, they handled all civil matters. This court was replaced by the county court. In New York City, Common Pleas was abolished in 1895 and replaced by the supreme court. 1691-present Supreme Court: A county level court with jurisdiction over all matters, including naturalizations. The clerk of the county court is also the clerk of the supreme court. 1821-present Circuit Courts: A county level court that handles all civil matters. 1823-1847 Court of Chancery: A state level court that had jurisdiction over all civil matters, including naturalizations. 1847-present County Courts: County level courts for major trials. US District Court for the Southern District of New York: Federal level court US Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York: Federal level court NEXT: Where to find the court records