Mayflower Pilgrims and Colonists

Massachusetts

Mayflower Pilgrims and Colonists

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On 6 September 1620 the ship Mayflower departed Plymouth, England carrying 102 passengers, 74 males and 28 females, many of whom were “Separatists” from the Church of England. They sited land on 9 November. Although they had a patent to settle in Virginia, with winter approaching and rough seas, they abandoned their destination and sailed into Cape Cod bay. Sickness and starvation took the lives of half the colonists the first year. Surviving families left a posterity estimated today to be in the millions.

Many individuals living in the United States can trace their ancestors to the Mayflower. For a list of passengers with descendants click here.

For a list of resources that can help you trace your Mayflower ancestors click here.