Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1910

The Wilson Line of Hull Steamship Aaro at the Pier in Trondhjem, Norway Harbor, 1910. GGA Image ID # 20593772db

Passenger lists for 1910 represent the souvenir list provided to the passengers of each cabin class (and other classes). Many of these souvenir passenger lists have disappeared over the years. Our collection primarily covers North American and European ports and ports in Australia and South Africa.

Our collection contains samples of passenger lists produced and printed by the steamship lines. These lists are often used to illustrate family history books for immigrants from this period.

Coveted by collectors and genealogists, souvenir passenger lists often offered beautiful graphical covers and information not found in official manifests because they focused on the journey rather than the destination.

Passenger Lists By Year Continued

«
• 1909
• 1910
• 1911
»

Please help us make our passenger list collection more complete. We would appreciate a digital copy if you have an 1910 souvenir passenger list. Please email us at history@ggarchives.com.

Recap and Summary of the Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1910 Index Page

The Ellis Island Passenger Lists for 1910 offer a fascinating snapshot of transatlantic and global migration, luxury ocean travel, and commercial shipping during the early 20th century. This collection highlights the increasing prominence of European migration to the U.S., Canada, and South America, as well as the continued competition among major shipping lines like Cunard, White Star, Hamburg-Amerika, and Norddeutscher Lloyd.

As the Titanic was being constructed (with a launch scheduled for 1911), other major liners like Lusitania, Mauretania, and Campania dominated the seas, offering both speed and luxury for first-class passengers while providing essential transport for thousands of immigrants from Europe.

 

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Notable Highlights from the 1910 Passenger Lists

 

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1. SS Minnehaha (Atlantic Transport Line) – 5 February 1910

• Route: Southampton to New York
• Passenger Class: First Class
• Commander: Captain Sydney Layland
• Significance:
  • One of the main cargo-passenger ships of the Atlantic Transport Line.
  • Later torpedoed during WWI in 1917.

 

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2. RMS Campania (Cunard Line) – 16 July & 24 September 1910

• Route: Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
• Passenger Class: Second Cabin / Saloon
• Commander: Captain R. C. Warr
• Significance:
  • One of Cunard’s most famous pre-Lusitania ships.
  • Reconverted as an aircraft carrier in WWI, before sinking in 1918.

 

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3. RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania – Absent but Relevant

• While no Lusitania or Mauretania voyages appear on this list, both ships were operational and dominant in 1910.
• Cunard’s flagship liners continued to set speed records across the Atlantic.

 

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4. SS President Lincoln (Hamburg-Amerika Line) – 24 July 1910

• Route: Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Boulogne-sur-Mer
• Passenger Class: First and Second Cabin
• Commander: Captain Hahn
• Significance:
  • A key immigrant transport ship bringing German, Polish, and Eastern European passengers to the U.S.
  • Would later be seized during WWI and used as a U.S. troop transport before being sunk by a German U-boat.

 

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5. RMS Victorian (Allan Line) – 28 October 1910

• Route: Liverpool to Québec and Montréal
• Passenger Class: Second Cabin
• Commander: Captain Edmund Outram
• Significance:
  • Reflects Canada’s increasing role in immigration as thousands moved from Europe to Québec and Ontario.
  • Allan Line would later be absorbed into the Canadian Pacific Line.

 

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6. SS Friedrich Der Grosse (Norddeutscher Lloyd) – 19 May 1910

• Route: Genoa to New York via Naples, Palermo, and Gibraltar
• Passenger Class: Cabin
• Commander: Captain R. Dahl
• Significance:
  • Massive Southern European migration continued to the U.S., with ships like this bringing Italian, Greek, and Spanish immigrants.
  • Would be seized by the U.S. during WWI and renamed USS Huron.

 

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7. RMS Teutonic (White Star Line) – 14 September 1910

• Route: Southampton and Cherbourg to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
• Passenger Class: First Class
• Commander: Captain R. W. James
• Significance:
  • One of White Star’s most important ships before the Titanic era.
  • Used as an armed cruiser during WWI.

 

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8. SS Brandenburg & SS Cassel (Norddeutscher Lloyd) – November 1910

• Routes: Bremen to Philadelphia & Galveston
• Passenger Class: Cabin
• Commanders: Captains H. Morgenstern and H. Vogt
• Significance:
  • Growing German and Scandinavian migration to Texas and the Gulf Coast.
  • Galveston was a key entry point for German immigrants in America.

 

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9. SS Nieuw Amsterdam & SS Ryndam (Holland-America Line) – September & December 1910

• Route: Rotterdam to New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer
• Passenger Class: First and Second Cabin
• Commanders: Captains A. Roggeveen & P. Van Den Heuvel
• Significance:
  • The Dutch and Belgian migration movement remained strong, with Rotterdam as a hub.

 

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Historical Context – Major Trends and Events of 1910 That Impacted Travel

 

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1. The Final Years Before Titanic’s Launch

• White Star and Cunard rivaled each other for supremacy in luxury and speed.
• Titanic was under construction, set to launch in 1911, changing transatlantic travel forever.

 

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2. Expanding Immigration and the U.S. Peak Migration Era

• 1910 was a record year for European immigration to the U.S., particularly from:
  • Italy, Greece, Poland, and Eastern Europe (seeking better economic opportunities).
  • Ireland and Scandinavia (with routes via Queenstown and Rotterdam).
  • Germany (via Hamburg-Amerika and Norddeutscher Lloyd).

 

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3. Growing Importance of Canadian Immigration

• Ships to Québec and Montréal saw increased activity, as Canada became a major alternative to U.S. migration.
• Allan Line and Canadian Pacific Railway actively promoted migration to the Canadian Prairies.

 

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4. Expansion of Steamship Classes – More Affordable Travel

• The growth of Second Cabin accommodations reflected the rising middle-class travelers and wealthier immigrants.
• Ships like SS Saxonia, SS Campania, and RMS Ivernia offered better second-class experiences, making transatlantic voyages more appealing.

 

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5. Transpacific and South American Migration (Though Not Represented Here)

• Migration to Argentina and Brazil grew, though fewer records from this year show South American-bound voyages.

 

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Final Thoughts

The Ellis Island Passenger Lists for 1910 showcase a world on the brink of major change. The last peaceful years before WWI saw steamship travel reaching its peak in luxury, migration, and industrial expansion.

Key takeaways:

• Mass migration to North America reached its zenith.
• White Star and Cunard continued their fierce rivalry.
• Titanic was under construction, set to redefine ocean travel in just two years.
• The final years of unrestricted immigration before stricter U.S. policies emerged.

1910 was a critical year in the history of ocean liner travel, setting the stage for the Titanic era, war, and the eventual decline of steamship migration.