Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

A portion of Arlington County's loose naturalization records, 1803-1870, are digitized and available through the Naturalization Records Digital Collection on the Library of Virginia website. Please use digital images.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Arlington County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1802-1886, undated. Local government records collection, Arlington County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

Loose records came to the Library of Virginia in a 2011 transfer of court papers from Arlington County under the accession number 24121 and a 2008 transfer of court papers from Arlington County under the accession number 43962.

Processing Information

One box of naturalization records, 1803-1870, was processed and indexed for the purpose of inclusion in the Library of Virginia's Naturalization Records Digital Collection. A second set of naturalization records, 1802-1886, undated, were processed and indexed at a later date and are housed separately with other Arlington County court records.

Encoded by L. Travis: April 2012; updated by M. Long: February 2025.

Historical Information

Context for Record Type: Beginning in 1795, a person could declare their intent to become a citizen at any time and in any place after they arrived in the United States. Prior to the Naturalization Act of 1906, the naturalization process primarily occurred in local and state courts. Declarations of intent were the record by which an applicant for U.S. citizenship declared their intent to become a citizen and renounced their allegiance to a foreign government. This document typically preceded proof of residence or a petition to become a citizen by two or more years.

Locality History: Arlington County was originally named Alexandria County. Alexandria County was named for the town of Alexandria, which in turn was named for John Alexander, an early owner of the tract in Fairfax County on which the town was located. 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. An urban county, Arlington contains no incorporated towns or cities. The county courthouse is in the county.

Scope and Content

Arlington County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1802-1886, undated, consists of loose naturalization records filed in the local court. Naturalization records may include affidavits, reports for naturalization, declarations of intent to become United States citizens, and notices of application for admission of citizenship. The reports are narrative accounts made by applicants summarizing their journey to the United States. The declarations of intent record the person's name, place of birth, age, country of previous citizenship, renunciation of allegiance and fidelity to the nation of which the person is currently a citizen, and the date the intention was sworn. Affidavits, signed by those who knew the applicant and could vouch for their loyalty to the United States, may also be filed with the reports and declarations.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Related Material

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Abstract of Reports of Aliens, 1801-1832 at the Library of Virginia.

Additional Arlington County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Adjunct Descriptive Data