Naturalisation

Naturalisation by act of Parliament grew out of the process of denization, but granted full rights of citizenship. The process was expensive, but by the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries an act could naturalise whole groups of people rather than just one individual. These acts were private acts and not published. They are held in the House of Lords Record Office. Some are enrolled on the Parliament Rolls in C 65 and there are copies of private acts recorded in Chancery under writ of certiorari in C 89. Many have been listed by the Huguenot Society in Denization and Naturalization of Aliens in England, 1509-1603 (Huguenot Society, vol VIII) and Letters of Denizen and Acts of Naturalization for Aliens in England, 1603-1800 (Huguenot Society). Lists of denizations and naturalisations from 1801 are available in the Open Reading Room.

The process of naturalisation was simplified by the Naturalization Act 1844. Aliens intending to settle in Britain could petition the Home Secretary by presenting a memorial stating age, occupation, place of birth (sometimes just the country, but usually a town or village), and duration of residence. The memorial was accompanied by testimonials from British citizens who could vouch for the applicant, and sometimes a police report on the applicant and whether they were law abiding. A further act of 1870 created a minimum period of residence of five years before an application could be made. These naturalisation papers can be found in the Home Office series HO 1 up to 1871, in HO 45 from 1872 to 1878, and in HO 144 from 1879 to 1933. There are Home Office name indexes to these in the Open Reading Room. Naturalisations from 1844 to 1935 can now be searched for on the online catalogue.  Later surviving papers are in HO 405 from 1934 to 1948 and are indexed in the catalogue.

If the application was successful a certificate of naturalisation was issued and the applicant was required to take the oath of allegiance shortly thereafter. Copies of certificates can be found enrolled on the Close Rolls in C 54 from 1844 to 1873. Duplicate certificates from 1870 to 1987 are in the series HO 334. There are indexes to the certificates up to 1980 in the Open Reading Room.

Naturalisation papers from 1923 are closed, but you can request a review of a file to have it opened.