Superman Creator, Joseph Shuster, Among More Than 4 Million Names Added to Largest Online Collection of U.S. Immigration Records

PROVO, UTAH – March 28, 2007 –  Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online resource for family history, today announced the addition of the first and only online collection of more than 4 million names of individuals who crossed the U.S.-Canadian border between 1895 and 1956. These historical records are the latest addition to Ancestry.com’s Immigration Records Collection, which also includes more than 100 million names from the largest online collection of U.S. passenger lists, spanning 1820 to 1960.

An often-overlooked, but major U.S. immigration channel, the U.S.-Canadian border typically offered easier entrance to the United States than sea ports such as Ellis Island. This new collection includes immigrants who first sailed to or settled in Canada before continuing to the United States as well as U.S. and Canadian citizens crossing the border.

“Everyone has their unique family story – not all our immigrant ancestors came to America on board a ship,” said Megan Smolenyak, Chief Family Historian for Ancestry.com. “This collection represents a significant opportunity for people whose ancestors had Canadian roots or entered the country via Canada to trace their footsteps back in time.”

Ancestry.com transcribed the names in the collection from more than 1 million documents, some containing passport-type photos of immigrants. The records were culled from more than 100 land-ports of entry, from Washington to Maine. Among the busiest ports of entry on both sides of the border were Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Detroit, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto.

The border crossings also contain a surprising number of nationalities with Russians, Italians and Chinese among the most common nationalities of people crossing the U.S.-Canadian border.

Among notable border crossers is Superman creator, Joseph Shuster. Born in Toronto, Shuster moved to the United States as a child, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen. His 1941 return to Canada, crossing at Buffalo, NY, is documented in the Ancestry.com collection.

About Ancestry.com
With 23,000 searchable databases and titles, Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information. Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by providing them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own unique family trees. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc, a leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including MyFamily.com, Rootsweb.com, Genealogy.com, and Family Tree Maker.  In total, The Generations Network properties receive 9.6 million unique visitors worldwide and over 380 million page views a month (© comScore Media Metrix, February, 2007).

Media Contacts

Julia Burgon
Coltrin & Associates (for Ancestry.com)
212-221-1616 ext. 124
[email protected]

Tola St. Matthew-Daniel
Coltrin & Associates (for Ancestry.com)
212-221-1616 ext. 101
[email protected]