Between 1821 and 1850, more than 161,000 individuals arrived at the port of Boston from foreign ports, and their names were recorded in official Boston passenger lists. These Massachusetts immigration records offer an important glimpse into early U.S. immigration history. In the 1800s, passenger ship manifests like these were among the most reliable sources of information about new arrivals to the United States, alongside federal census records. If you’re researching immigrant ancestors, these detailed ship arrival lists from Boston provide a valuable starting point.