Contrary to a common belief, few ship passenger lists of the 17th century for the Middle Atlantic States have survived. Those lists that exist for th 18th century are largely of "foreign" immigrants who were required by law to take the Oaht of Abjuration upon their arrival. There are, of course, occasional lists of indentured servants, transported prisoners, or other specialty groups, but in each ship, coming to the colonies, there may also have been paying passengers of whom today we have no record.
This work contains articles and other related materials having to do with passenger lists and ships from the 17th century.
Taken from: Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr., Preface to Passengers and Ships Prior to 1684, (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970), v.