Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Use microfilm copy of the Arlington County   (Va.) Abstract of Reports of Aliens, 1801-1832, Arlington County   Reel 52.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Arlington County   (Va.) Abstract of Reports of Aliens, 1801-1832. Local Government Records Collection, Arlington County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

The microfilm was created by the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division.

Historical Information

Arlington County   was originally named Alexandria County  . It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County   that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County  . By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county   to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly passed 16 March 1920, the county's   name was changed to Arlington, the name of the Custis family mansion (the home of Robert E. Lee  ), which is located in the county  .

The Naturalization Act, passed by Congress in 1790, made citizenship possible for any "free white person" of "good character" who had lived in the United States for at least two years.

Scope and Content

Arlington County   (Va.) Abstract of Reports of Aliens to the clerk of the circuit court of the District of Columbia for the County   of Alexandria, 1801-1832, contains the names of aliens who arrived at the town of Alexandria with the intention of residing in the United States. Each entry contains the date of the report, the full name of the person reported, sex, place of birth, age, nation, place of allegiance or citizenship, condition or occupation, place of actual or intended residence, and name of person who made the report (usually the same as the person reported). There are entries for 126 individuals reported between 1801 and 1832. Place of birth includes Africa, Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica, Scotland, Great Britain and Ireland, Russia, Poland, France, Germany, and Italy. Place of birth sometimes includes a locality or city as well as the country.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Arlington County   (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Aliens--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Immigrants--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Naturalization--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Occupations--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .

Geographical Names:

• Alexandria (Va.)--History--19th century.
• Arlington County   (Va.)--History--19th century.
• Washington (D.C)--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Registers (lists)--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .
• Vital statistics records--Washington (D.C.)--Alexandria County  .

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Washington (D.C.) Circuit Court.