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Illinois, a key destination for immigrants settling the American Midwest, holds extensive citizenship and naturalization records. Before 1906, naturalizations were granted by various courts—county, circuit, and superior—especially in Cook County (Chicago). Early records can be fragmented but often include declarations of intention and petitions, with personal and migration details. Post-1906 records from federal courts offer greater consistency and detail, including full family information. Chicago’s role as an immigration hub means that Illinois records reflect diverse groups—Germans, Poles, Italians, Eastern Europeans, and more. Passport applications, though issued federally, sometimes reference Illinois-based applicants. For genealogists, these records reveal the paths to citizenship and the vibrant immigrant narratives that shaped Illinois communities.
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Immigration & Travel
Citizenship, Passport and Naturalization
- US Naturalization Record Index, Northern Illinois, 1840-1950 1,491,656 records
- Illinois, Northern District (Eastern Division), Naturalization Index, 1926-1979 547,281 records
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