England Emigration and Immigration: Difference between revisions

Emigration records are records of people leaving England. Immigration records are records of people entering England. Passenger lists, permissions to emigrate, records of passports issued, lists of transported prisoners, or registers of assistance to emigrate often contain genealogical information. These records may contain the name, age, occupation, destination, place of origin or birthplace, ship, and date of arrival. Names of fellow passengers may help construct family groups or provide hints on place of origin or destination.  

 

<br>Beginning in 1606 people emigrated from England to countries such as the United States, India, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Emigration increased after 1815 when it became a means of poor relief. Emigration also increased during gold rushes in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. Emigration from England peaked in the 1880s.  

 

 

 

 

 

There was no systematic, official method of emigrating from England. The following types of emigrants account for most persons who left England:  

 

'''Free emigrants'''. Beginning in 1606 emigrants left England to promote trade or set up military outposts and way stations for merchant ships. Later free emigrants sought opportunities in a new land or fled poverty or oppression in England.  

 

'''Assisted emigrants'''. From 1815 to 1900, qualified emigrants received passage money or land grants in the destination country as an alternative to receiving poor relief.  

 

'''Transported prisoners'''. From 1611 to 1870, more than 200,000 criminals were conditionally pardoned, exiled, and transported to penal colonies. Before 1775, more than 50,000 prisoners were sent to America—primarily to Virginia and Maryland. From 1788 to 1869, more than 160,000 prisoners were sent to Australia.  

 

'''Military personnel'''. Upon discharge, soldiers serving overseas were offered land or other inducements to settle in the colony where they were serving. This was common practice in Australia from 1791, Canada from 1815, and New Zealand from 1844.  

 

'''Latter-day Saints'''. About 1840, converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints emigrated to the United States. Most settled in Utah. For further information, see [[Utah Genealogy|Utah]].  

 

 

=== Records of English Immigrants in Their Destination Countries  ===

 

[[Image:British Ships at Deptford. Site of the first Royal Dockyard.jpg|thumb|right|356x232px]]Usually you will find the best information about your immigrant ancestor in the country he or she immigrated to. You may find the name, place of origin, occupation, and age of the immigrant. Knowing an approximate date and port of arrival or ship name will probably help you search immigration records.

 

Naturalization records in the destination country may also be an excellent source for determining your ancestor’s place of origin. See the "Naturalization and Citizenship" section of the destination country. Most immigration records at the Family History Library are listed in the&nbsp;Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

 

 

'''United States'''. Immigrant lists, or ships’ passenger lists, are the main source of information on those arriving in the United States. More than 1,000 lists are indexed in an ongoing series by:

 

Filby, P. William. ''Passenger and Immigration Lists Index''. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1981–. (Family History Library book {{FHL|291926|title-id|disp=973 W32p}}. BYU Family History Library Book '''CS 68 .P36 1981 vol.1''', also available as an online resource updated in 1999 in the Harold B Lee Library.)

 

 

Filby, P. William. ''Passenger and Immigrations Lists Bibliography, 1538–1900''. Second Edition. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1988. (Family History Library book {{FHL|291926|title-id|disp=973 W33p}} 1988.)

 

The library has post-1820 passenger lists for most U.S. ports. Most are indexed. For further information, see the [[United States Emigration and Immigration]].

 

 

'''Canada'''. From 1815 to 1850 Canada was the primary destination of English emigrants. Over 650,000 there. Military settlers and Loyalists (Americans loyal to the Crown during the American Revolution) account for nearly 200,000 English settlers in Canada. Before 1900 most immigrants arrived in Quebec City or Halifax.

 

Passenger lists into Canada are rare before 1865. Microfilm copies of lists from 1865 to 1900 are at the Family History Library. See [[Canada Emigration and Immigration]] for further information.

 

'''Australia'''. Australia was founded as an English penal colony in 1788. Immigration records vary by state in content and coverage. Some list the immigrant’s birthplace, residence in England, and education; his or her mother’s maiden name and parents’ names; and his or her father’s name, occupation, and residence. Some records are indexed. You might find the ship and arrival date in death certificates or published sources. Copies of most pre-1900 records are at the Family History Library. Look in the&nbsp;Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

 

 

AUSTRALIA, [STATE] - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

 

'''South Africa'''. The British took South Africa from the Dutch in 1795. The&nbsp;English settled in South Africa mostly after 1820 when a&nbsp;group of 3,675 British subjects settled in eastern Cape Province in that year. These settlers are well documented. A memorial museum that has genealogies of their descendants is located at:

 

Albany Museum<br>Somerset Street<br>Grahamstown 6140<br>South Africa <br>Web site''':''' [http://www.am.org.za/ http://www.am.org.za/] &nbsp;

 

 

*[http://www.southafricansettlers.com/ SouthAfricanSettlers.com]:&nbsp; The&nbsp;South African Settlers web site provides an&nbsp;excellent online database (free) search for immigrants who settled in South Africa from the British Isles&nbsp;during especially the 19th century, particularly those who went in 1820, but also many who arrived before and after that year. Information for this database has been drawn from a variety of outstanding records&nbsp;and&nbsp;compiled sources including Settler files at the Albany Museum and Cory Library in Grahamstown, South Africa (see above); South African Death Notices (DN); Colonial Office papers (CO); and the International Genealogical Index (IGI, now at new.FamilySearch.org)

*[http://www.1820settlers.com/ 1820Settlers]:&nbsp; this web site is a compilation of user-contributed data (free) with many families mentioned

*[http://www.genealogyworld.net/robin/1820.html GenealogyWorld] has also data online for the 1820 settlers to South Africa

 

 

 

SOUTH AFRICA, [PROVINCE] - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

 

'''New Zealand'''. The English began colonizing New Zealand in 1840. Immigration records usually give settlement details and the wife’s and children’s names and ages. Most immigrants received assistance from either the New Zealand Company or from a government or church association formed to encourage immigration. Microfilm copies of many of these records are at the Family History Library. Look in the&nbsp;Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

 

 

NEW ZEALAND, [PROVINCE] - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

'''Other Records'''. The Public Record Office has many other records that refer to emigrants. Of particular importance are the "poor law union" papers, which among many other things include some records of poor- relief emigration from 1834 to 1900. These records are at the Public Record Office, class MH 12. For information on other emigration records at the Public Record Office, use the Kew Lists. (See the "[[England Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]".