If your immigrant ancestor came here pretty early in the nation’s history, such as prior to 1850, you may need to look at additional records to find their nation and town of origin. Wills and probate records are good sources, as are tax lists, land sale records, and deeds. You can also look at their neighbors, and the records they left behind. It was common back then for people from the same town in a foreign country to immigrate together or close together, and then live near each other once they got here. If you can’t find a mention of your ancestor’s origin anywhere, look at their neighbors’ records, because those neighbors might be relatives, friends, or neighbors from the home country and town, and your ancestor and their place of origin might be mentioned in their records.
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