Tips for Visiting Ellis Island

[ldn324]

DH and I are taking a day trip into the city (NYC) and we are visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I've never been to Ellis Island and I was just wondering if anyone had tips on how you could possibly find your ancestors. I imagine there are guides to help point you in the right direction? My problem is that I have very little to no information - basically just surnames and that they would have come from Ireland, Scotland or England. Is that enough to possibly find ancestors?

[Tick-Tock]

You actually can try searches through the Ellis Island Foundation on the Internet (Google Ellis Island and you'll see the site). You can search just by last name if that's all you have (though you may end up having to go through a lot of records if it's a common name).

We really enjoyed the Ellis Island museum. They do a great job of personalizing the immigrants' experience. Have a good visit!

[MsMin]

I found it hard b/c many times there are several ppl w/ the same name. I didn't know our family names were that popular. I found about 10 men w/ the same name as my great grandfather and I wasn't sure the exact year he arrived and his exact age. Get what ever info you can find before you leave. I agree w/ TickTock go to the site now and try to find it and when you get there you will know were to look. We enjoyed out visit there.
Good Luck

[Belle619]

Not sure if this is what you may have meant, but if you are looking for their names on the wall (which you have to pay to have added) there are computers in the main building that will guide you to where you need to walk outside. Each pannel with names is numbered, so it is relatively easy to follow.

Bring a digital camera if you have one - the pictures of the names came out really nicely with ours.

[PrincessEmmasMommy]

Also, if you find your name, you can make a rubbing of it with a paperless crayon and paper. This could be really cool to frame.

My best advice is go very early! We were in Battery Park on Friday (where you leave from the city to the islands) and the line was so long at around 10:30/ 11:00. If you can, the Jersey side makes it a lot easier to access both islands. I reccomend this if you have a rental car or a ride to Liberty State Park.

Have fun!
Jen

[ldn324]

My best advice is go very early! We were in Battery Park on Friday (where you leave from the city to the islands) and the line was so long at around 10:30/ 11:00. If you can, the Jersey side makes it a lot easier to access both islands. I reccomend this if you have a rental car or a ride to Liberty State Park.

Have fun!
Jen

We had considered going in from the Jersey side, but since we had other plans in the city, we drove directly to Battery Park (we're only about an hour and a half drive anyway). Unfortunately, when we got to Battery Park, it was about 10:30 and there was an hour wait to get on the ferry and about 30 minute wait to buy tickets. We thought about getting there earlier and buying our tickets online but "shoulda" really didn't get us anywhere We scrapped the plans for the day, headed over to Chinatown and spent the entire day there. We go into the city at least 5-6 times a year, so next time we will go about it with a more wise approach

Thanks for the tips everyone!

[Melanie]

Sorry you didn't make it over to Ellis Island today, but sounds like you had a fun day regardless.

Can I just wholeheartedly second going from Jersey if that's a possibility? What a timesaver!