Is there a way to trace the history of when and who were the first settlers to c

Question:

Is there a way to trace the history of when and who were the first settlers to come to USA with my last name?

I want to look into history and find out about who had first come to this country with my last name

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: It depends. If they came in the 17th century, its a very small group of people. These names are all recorded on passenger manifests for the ships and the immigrant ports. If your people came after about 1820 it becomes more difficult as the numbers raise dramatically. You can start scanning the census. What do you know about them. Where are they from. Start with yourself and go backwards. Talk to your oldest living relatives. Join Ancestry or one of those. Remember that the first individual with your surname is not necessarily kin.