Passenger List Collections
Some of the Passenger List at The GG Archives. | GGA Image ID # 23268e4e8f
Introduction
The GG Archives preserves one of the largest private collections of steamship passenger lists, numbering nearly 2,000 documents spanning the 1880s through the 1960s. These fragile ephemera are more than souvenirs — they are historical records of migration, ocean travel, and cultural life across the Atlantic.
Over half of these passenger lists have been fully transcribed and digitized, making them accessible to researchers, genealogists, students, and historians worldwide. Each list offers unique insights into who traveled, where they sailed, and the maritime traditions of the period.
What Passenger Lists Reveal ✨
Names & Social Networks – Passenger rosters often list families traveling together, servants accompanying households, or communities migrating in groups.
Cultural & Social History – Passenger lists highlight clergy, academics, entertainers, politicians, and military officers — providing a cross-section of society.
Art & Ephemera – Beyond names, these lists were often beautifully designed with illustrated covers, fleet information, and track charts, making them prized as collectible souvenirs.
Maritime Heritage – Many lists included fleet data, regulations, and details about the ship and company, offering rare context for maritime history.
How the Collection Is Organized 📂
To help readers and researchers navigate this immense collection, the GG Archives has organized passenger lists in several ways:
By Steamship Line – Cunard, White Star, Hamburg-America, Anchor Line, and dozens more.
By Ship Name – Explore multiple voyages of famous liners such as the Aquitania, Leviathan, or Queen Mary.
By Year of Voyage – Browse chronologically to see changing designs, classes, and passenger demographics across decades.
Why These Lists Matter 🧭
For Genealogists – A valuable tool to trace ancestors, family travel patterns, and social connections.
For Historians – Context for migration trends, transatlantic diplomacy, and cultural exchange.
For Educators & Students – Primary source material to explore immigration history, design, and social life at sea.
For Collectors – Highly prized ephemera that blend graphic design, maritime history, and personal storytelling.
Explore More
👉 Browse Passenger Lists by Year
👉 Explore Passenger Lists by Steamship Line
📚 Teacher & Student Resource
Many of our FAQ pages include essay prompts, classroom activities, and research guidance to help teachers and students use GG Archives materials in migration and maritime history studies. Whether you’re writing a paper, leading a class discussion, or tracing family history, these resources are designed to connect individual stories to the bigger picture of ocean travel (1880–1960).
✨ Educators: Feel free to adapt these prompts for assignments and lesson plans. ✨ Students: Use GG Archives as a primary source hub for essays, genealogy projects, and historical research.
📘 About the Passenger List FAQ Series (1880s–1960s)
This FAQ is part of a series exploring ocean travel, class distinctions, and the purpose of passenger lists between the 1880s and 1960s. These resources help teachers, students, genealogists, historians, and maritime enthusiasts place passenger lists into historical context.
- Why First & Second Class lists were produced as souvenirs.
- How class designations like Saloon, Tourist Third Cabin, and Steerage evolved.
- The difference between souvenir passenger lists and immigration manifests.
- How photographs, menus, and advertisements complement list research.
👉 Explore the full FAQ series to deepen your understanding of migration, tourism, and ocean liner culture. ⚓
📜 Research note: Some names and captions were typed from originals and may reflect period spellings or minor typographical variations. When searching, try alternate spellings and cross-check with related records. ⚓
Curator’s Note
For over 25 years, I've been dedicated to a unique mission: tracking down, curating, preserving, scanning, and transcribing historical materials. These materials, carefully researched, organized, and enriched with context, live on here at the GG Archives. Each passenger list isn't just posted — it's a testament to our commitment to helping you see the people and stories behind the names.
It hasn't always been easy. In the early years, I wasn't sure the site would survive, and I often paid the hosting bills out of my own pocket. But I never built this site for the money — I built it because I love history and believe it's worth preserving. It's a labor of love that I've dedicated myself to, and I'm committed to keeping it going.
If you've found something here that helped your research, sparked a family story, or just made you smile, I'd love to hear about it. Your experiences and stories are the real reward for me. And if you'd like to help keep this labor of love going, there's a "Contribute to the Website" link tucked away on our About page.
📜 History is worth keeping. Thanks for visiting and keeping it alive with me.
