Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1913

Passenger lists for 1913 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

«
• 1912
• 1913
• 1914
»

Please help us make our passenger list collection more complete. We would appreciate a digital copy if you have an 1913 souvenir passenger list. Please email us at history@ggarchives.com.

Recap and Summary of the Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1913

The Ellis Island Passenger Lists for 1913 document a significant period in transatlantic and global steamship travel, as the industry adjusted to new safety regulations introduced after the Titanic disaster of 1912. This year saw increased safety measures on ocean liners, continued mass migration to North America, and the rise of Canadian ports as immigration entry points. The lists highlight major shipping lines, such as Cunard, White Star, Hamburg America, and Holland-America, which continued to dominate transatlantic travel.

 

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Notable Highlights from the 1913 Passenger Lists

1. TSS Rotterdam (Holland-America Line) – 5 April 1913

• Route: Rotterdam to New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer
• Class of Passengers: First and Second Cabin
• Commander: Commodore G. Stenger
• Significance:
  • A major liner for Dutch immigrants traveling to the U.S.
  • Rotterdam remained a key departure point for Central and Eastern European emigrants.

 

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2. RMS Empress of Britain (Canadian Pacific Railway) – 18 April 1913

• Route: St. John, NB to Liverpool
• Class of Passengers: Second Saloon
• Commander: Captain Jas. A. Murray
• Significance:
  • A key vessel in the Canadian Pacific fleet, reflecting Canada’s growing role in transatlantic migration.
  • The use of St. John, New Brunswick, as a departure point indicates how immigrants were being diverted from the U.S. to Canada.

 

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3. RMS Laconia (Cunard Line) – 10 June 1913

• Route: Liverpool to Portland, ME, and Boston via Queenstown (Cobh)
• Class of Passengers: All Classes
• Commander: Captain W. R. D. Irvine
• Significance:
  • One of several Cunard ships serving New England, an alternative entry point to New York.
  • Laconia would later be torpedoed during World War I in 1917.

 

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4. TSS Sant Anna (Fabre Line) – 17 June 1913

• Route: New York to the Mediterranean via Naples and Marseilles
• Class of Passengers: Cabin
• Commander: Captain François Pavy
• Significance:
  • A lesser-known but important route, carrying passengers between America and Mediterranean Europe.
  • Fabre Line specialized in Italian and French immigration.

 

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5. RMS Laurentic (White Star Line) – 24 June 1913

• Route: Liverpool to Québec and Montréal
• Class of Passengers: Second Class
• Commander: Captain J. Mathias, Lt. R.N.R.
• Significance:
  • One of many ships carrying passengers to Canada, reflecting a policy shift toward using Canadian entry points instead of Ellis Island.
  • The Laurentic would later serve in WWI and sink after hitting two mines in 1917.

 

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6. RMS Carmania (Cunard Line) – 2 August & 23 September 1913

• Route: New York to Liverpool & Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
• Class of Passengers: Saloon
• Commander: Captain James Clayton Barr
• Significance:
  • A regular liner on the Liverpool–New York route, used by both wealthy travelers and immigrants.
  • Would later serve as an armed merchant cruiser during World War I.

 

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7. SS Haakon VII (Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskap) – 15 July 1913

• Route: Newcastle to Trondheim via Stavanger and Bergen
• Class of Passengers: Not Stated
• Commander: Captain Van Severen
• Significance:
  • A regional Scandinavian route, showing strong Norwegian emigration to the U.S.

 

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8. SS Merion (American Line) – 27 August 1913

• Route: Liverpool to Philadelphia
• Class of Passengers: Cabin
• Commander: Captain J. Beattle Hill
• Significance:
  • Philadelphia was a key alternative to Ellis Island for European immigrants.
  • Merion would later be converted into a British decoy warship during WWI.

 

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9. RMS Victorian (Allan Line) – 10 September 1913

• Route: Liverpool to Québec and Montréal
• Class of Passengers: Second Class
• Commander: Captain John Williams
• Significance:
  • Another example of the shift toward Canadian immigration routes.
  • The Allan Line was one of the most important carriers of immigrants to Canada.

 

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10. SS Carpathia (Cunard Line) – 4 November 1913

• Route: Fiume to New York via Trieste, Patras, Messina, Naples, Almeria, and Gibraltar
• Class of Passengers: Saloon
• Commander: Captain William Prothero
• Significance:
  • Famous for rescuing Titanic survivors in 1912.
  • Continued serving Mediterranean immigration routes, reflecting the influx of Balkan and Southern European migrants to the U.S.

 

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11. SS Grosser Kurfürst (North German Lloyd) – 8 November 1913

• Route: Bremen to New York
• Class of Passengers: First Class and Second Cabin
• Commander: Captain M. Dietrich
• Significance:
  • Represented Germany’s strong presence in transatlantic migration.
  • Would later be converted into a WWI troopship.

 

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12. RMS Cretic (White Star Line) – 22 November 1913

• Route: Genoa to Boston via Naples and Azores
• Class of Passengers: First Class
• Commander: Captain F. B. Howarth
• Significance:
  • A major liner for Italian migration to the U.S.
  • Boston was emerging as an important immigration hub, particularly for Italians and Portuguese migrants.

 

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Key Historical Trends in 1913 That Affected Ocean Travel

1. Post-Titanic Safety Reforms

• New maritime laws took effect in 1913, requiring all ships to carry enough lifeboats for every passenger.
• Wireless radio regulations mandated 24-hour radio operations, improving distress signal response.
• Passengers were more cautious about choosing well-established liners with strong safety reputations.

 

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2. The Growing Role of Canada in Immigration

• More passenger lists show ships traveling to Québec and Montréal instead of New York.
• The Canadian government actively recruited immigrants, making it a popular alternative to the U.S.
• Ships like RMS Laurentic, RMS Victorian, and TSS Ausonia served these Canadian routes.

 

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3. Increase in Southern and Eastern European Migration

• The lists include ships sailing from Italy, the Balkans, and Russia.
• Examples include SS Carpathia (from Fiume) and SS Cretic (from Genoa and Naples).

 

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4. The Transatlantic Shipping Rivalry

• Cunard, White Star, Hamburg-America, and Holland-America continued competing for dominance.
• The RMS Carmania, RMS Laconia, and SS Grosser Kurfürst were among the major liners of the year.

 

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Conclusion – 1913 as the Last Year of Peaceful Transatlantic Travel

• 1913 was the final full year before World War I disrupted global travel.
• Immigration remained at an all-time high, with the shift toward Canada becoming more apparent.
• New safety regulations made ocean travel more secure, restoring confidence after Titanic.
• Shipping lines were still focused on luxury and efficiency, unaware that war would soon transform the industry.

By the end of 1913, transatlantic travel had reached its peak, just before the onset of global conflict.