Ellis Island Never Changed Names

The familiar story of Ellis Island officials shortening or anglicizing immigrants' names is a myth that did not become prominent in published literature until around 1970. Officials at Ellis Island did not record arriving immigrants' names because authorities in Europe or other departure points had already entered them on ship manifests. Inspectors merely checked those manifests and questioned passengers, while immigrants who later changed their names generally did so themselves. The 1974 film "The Godfather Part II" helped popularize the myth by showing young Vito Andolini renamed Vito Corleone by an Ellis Island official.

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