About the Data

This is NOT a complete listing of every “Bauerschmidt” that has ever entered the U.S. It is, however, the most complete listing of Bauerschmidt immigrants that you can find in one place. The database currently contains the names of 130 “Bauerschmidts” that entered the U.S. between 1752 and 1944. Each of these entries has been personally checked. There are no dead ends or false leads here. If an immigrant is listed, the database will tell you the ship's name, port of entry and date of arrival as well as the national archives and/or LDS microfilm number that contains this passenger list.

NOTE: The database will not tell you where your ancestor was born or lived in europe unless this was recorded on the passenger list. Unfortunately, it usually wasn't. Sorry, but it cannot create information that does not exist.

Sources of Information

This database was compiled using the soundex indexes for the ports of Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, the index for the Hamburg passenger lists and the reconstructed Bremen passenger lists. It also contains all Bauerschmidts listed in the German Immigrants to America series by Filby and Glazier through volume 67. If you have checked these sources yourself, then you know that most German immigrants came to the U.S. through the port of New York between 1847 and 1897 for which no index exists. Fear not! This database also includes many names gleaned from personal review of the New York passenger lists during those years. So even if you have searched everywhere else, you may still find your ancestor here.

How to use the Database

You can search by port and year of entry. You MUST enter a target year for a valid search. It is usually faster to search by specific ports. You don't need to know the exact year; just use your best guess. The database will be searched for all years after your guess. Last names are not required since most spellings are phonetic anyway (they reflect how the captain of the ship spelled them, not how your ancestors did). Be forewarned that Johann, George, Wilhelm and Margaret were very common names and have multiple entries. The database will display all entries that match your criteria. If you are interested in a particular individual, you will need to call up their family group to see whether any other Bauerschmidt immigrants were traveling with them. This is highly recommended, since often the only way to tell whether it is really your ancestor is to try to match the entire family.

The database can only provide potential matches. It is up to you to verify whether or not this is really your ancestor. The database cannot provide you with any more information than is contained in the passenger lists.

The age in the result set is always reported as an approximation, particularly for 18th and 19th century passenger lists. An age which is blank means that the age wasn't listed in the original record or was not present. An age of zero means an infant less than the age of 1.

The Filby Ref column indicates the volume number (and sometimes page number) for the German Immigrants to America series by Filby and Glazier. If left blank, it means that particular ship is not one of those indexed by the series.

Updating the Database

If you have information on Bauerschmidt immigrants that are not listed in this database, please send me an e-mail with the pertinent information and it will be added to the database once the information has been verified.

Missing Data

Before you panic, try variant spellings of their first name. Database entries appear as they are recorded on the passenger lists, so there may be more than one spelling (e.g., Johann, Johannes, Katherine, Katherina, Margretha, etc.). Even if you still can't find them, don't give up; this just means that you will have to do a little research on your own. Go to need help page to find out the fastest way to conduct your own search of passenger lists.