Massachusetts, U.S., Crew Lists, 1917-1943

This database is an index to crew lists (not passenger lists) of vessels that arrived at Gloucester, Massachusetts between 1918 and 1943 and New Bedford, Massachusetts between 1917 and 1943. In addition to the index, the names found in the index are linked to actual images of the crew lists, copied from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm series T941 and T942.

Information contained in this index varies according to the type of form used and the amount of information recorded about each crew member. The information that is included in this index where it is available includes:

• Given name and surname of crew member
• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity or nationality
• Last Residence
• Birth date
• Birthplace
• Port of departure
• Port of arrival
• Date of arrival
• Name of vessel

Additional information such as the crew member’s position on the ship, where and when he joined the vessel’s crew, or a physical description of him may also be listed and can be ascertained by viewing the corresponding image. Many of the bulleted items listed above may be used to search the index in the search template above.

The microcopies of the crew lists found at NARA are arranged chronologically by arrival date of vessel. If you do not wish to search this database using the search template, the images may be browsed following the chronological arrangement. To browse the images first select the “Year” in which you would like to search, followed by the “Month”, and finally the “Ship Name”.

To learn about researching in passenger records consult John P. Colletta’s book, They Came In Ships (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993).