Decoding Manifests Without the Myths

Officials matched names to ship lists created at departure ports. Later variations often stem from clerks, schooling, and personal choices.

Reading Tips

• Note the column headers — they’re your map.
• Compare ages across records, not just names.
• Hunt for siblings/cousins on adjacent lines.
• Check the end‑of‑page detention list for outcomes.

Myth busting: “Name changed at Ellis” is rarely accurate; follow the paper trail across multiple documents instead.