Research Advice Requested [View all]

At least two of my four sets of great grandparents came to this country from Lithuania and White Russia (Belarus). It appears that both great grandfathers either decided to re-invent themselves, starting with their names or some clerk at the dock couldn't translate/write their surnames accurately.

My Question: How do you even begin to find their names on shipping manifests if you don't know their original names? Without their names, even the year they emigrated is up for grabs. The census has different years.