1871 - Emigrants to New York listed as originating from Germany

[Deb Gosa]

I am inquiring as to why in 2 instances, 2 different Swedish relatives, one in May, 1871 and a family in June, 1871, coming through the Port of New York, why they are listed as originating in Germany and being German? They left from the harbor of Göteborg .  The ships, Nevada and France, went from Liverpool to New York.

[Britt Börjesson]

Hej Deb,
i have found the same. Absolutely Swedish families, one of them arriving with ship France from Liverpool just as yours, beeing listed as Germans. The only reason I can find out is that the people who worked at Castle Garden perhaps became tired of their work sometimes; thousands and thousands of tired, dirty people who had been travelling for weeks passed each day, few of these were able to answer even simple questions in English. Swede, Dane, German - who could tell the difference? Looking about the same, sounding about the same.  
Have you read the article from 1870 about a day in Castle Garden? It's available at http://www.theshipslist.com/pictures/castlegarden1.htm
 
Hälsningar,
Britt

[Thomas Vikander]

Deb,
Britt certainly offers us a very good plausible explanation.
 
After endless weeks at sea staring at the horizon, the passengers would experience quite the stress upon arrival. No doubt they, like most immigrants not familiar with English, would tend to say yes to any questions in order to appear agreeable,  accepting, and cooperative.
So if a few Swedes in a large group of Germans were being processed, and the Germans were getting through without a hitch,  the Swedes would likely reply with the same answers.
I admit this is speculation on my part.
 
Some other thoughts:
 
Perhaps the Swedes had left their country under difficult legal circumstances and found it ever so convenient to submerse themselves amongst the Germans when the opportunity arose on a long voyage.
 
Perhaps the Swedes when they left Goteborg, sailed to a German port, from whence they were tallied and listed with Germans heading for the England and the ports with ships to America.  
When arriving in England, they could have been listed as Germans in transit. And upon eventual arrival at Castle Garden, it may have been easily said that they all originated in Germany. Especially so if the passenger manifest drawn up at Liverpool, and presented at Castle Garden, already indicated, Germany.
 
It would be fabulous to find and peruse that passenger manifest !
 
Thomas

[Judie Lundgren]

According to the passenger list for the SS City of Boston on Aug 7, 1865, all the passengers with Swedish names came from Germany, all the men were miners, and all the wives were named Mary! I think someone was either very tired or very lazy that day! Luckily, I was able to find my ancestors despite the strange list.
 
Judie