Scotland Emigration and Immigration
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Online Databases
- Immigrant Ancestors Project
- Scottish Immigration Database, index, incomplete.
- Passenger Lists of Ships leaving Scotland
- 1576-1793 Papers relating to the Scots in Poland, 1576-1793, e-book
- 1610-1626 Grants of denization to Irish settlers from Scotland: 1610-1616
- 1628-1828 Ships from Scotland to America, 1628 - 1828, Vol 2 ($)
- 1628-1828 Ships from Scotland to America, 1628 - 1828, Vol. 3 ($)
- 1650-1775' Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations, 1650-1775, index, ($).
- 1680-1830 Directory of Scots in the Carolinas, 1680-1830, index, ($).
- 1774-1775 Emigrants from Scotland to America, 1774 - 1775 ($)
- 1818 Ships "Curlew" and "Jane"; 1818 Voyages
- 1818 Brig Sophia:from Greenock 26th July 1818, to Quebec and Montreal 8th September 1818
- 1850-1879 Lyttelton shipping lists, 1850-1879 List of assisted emigrants who came to New Zealand in 1866 aboard the ship "Bombay", list of assisted and free passengers on the ship "Blue Jacke", lists of persons whom the Canterbury Association authorized to embark for Canterbury, New Zealand. Passengers came to New Zealand principally from England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany.
- 1852-1857 List of emigrants, 1852-1857 Ships sailing from Liverpool, Glasgow, Cambletown and Plymouth, and calling at various Australian ports.
- 1858-1870 Ireland and Britain, Transatlantic Migration from North America, 1858-1870 - indexes of passenger lists from United States to England and Ireland
- 1863-1901 Glasgow, Scotland, Crew Lists, 1863 - 1901 ($)
Introduction
Emigration and immigration records are records of people leaving (emigrating) or coming into (immigrating) Scotland. Records include:
- passenger lists
- permissions to emigrate
- records of passports issued
- list of transported prisoners
- registers of assistance to emigrate
These records may contain:
- name
- age
- occupation
- destination
- place of origin or birthplace
- date and ship of arrival
- names of fellow passengers, which may help construct family groups or provide hints on place of origin or destination
General BackgroundBeginning in the seventeenth century, Scottish people began emigrating to the United States, India, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and elsewhere in the British Isles. Emigration increased in the mid-eighteenth century as a result of political unrest and again after 1815 as a means of poor relief, particularly from the Highlands. The British government did not bother to document emigrants leaving its shores until the Passenger Act of 1803. Even after that, the records were very incomplete. The Colonial Land and Emigration Commission (1841 to 1872) and the Board of Trade (1873 on) kept records of departing emigrants, but the records have been destroyed up to the 1890s. Emigration from ScotlandThere was no systematic, official method of emigrating from Scotland. The following types of emigrants account for most persons who left Scotland.
British Records of EmigrationTo search emigration records effectively, it can help to know the approximate date of emigration, the name of the ship, the type of or reason for emigration, or the emigrant’s previous residence in Scotland. If you know the ship’s name, you might find additional details on the ship, including ports of embarkation and arrival in:
For lists of Scottish-American wills proved in England, see:
Records of Scottish Emigrants in Their Destination CountriesSince so few British immigration sources exist, you may need to search the emigration records of the country your ancestor moved from to Scotland. Usually, it is easier to find information about your immigrant ancestor in the country he or she immigrated to. You may find the emigrant’s name, place of origin, occupation, and age. 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 be an excellent source for determining your ancestor’s place of origin. Search this Wiki for "Naturalization and Citizenship" and the name of the destination country. The FamilySearch Catalog lists most of its immigration records in the Locality Search under:
United States
Argyll Patent - New YorkIn the mid 18th century, the governor of New York colony sought settlers from Britain. Captain Lauchlin Campbell, from Islay, Argyllshire, Scotland, transported over 470 individuals in 1738, 1739, and 1740 from Islay on his ship Happy Return. The records of the land they finally received are found in the documents of the Argyll Patent. On the Washington County, New York, United States, US GenWeb site is a map of the Argyll Patent. The land was located along the Hudson River. A list of the emigrants may be accessed on the NYGenWeb website. More information about this colony can be found:
Argyll Colony - North CarolinaA group of individuals from Argyllshire settled in the Cape Fear area of North Carolina. Information about these emigrants can be found on NCPedia. CanadaScottish people settled in Canada during the early 1800s, but few pre-1865 passenger lists exist. Before 1900, most immigrants arrived at Quebec City and Halifax. The Family History Library has copies of passenger lists from 1865 to 1900. See the Canada Research Outline for more information.
Online Passenger ListsThese websites contain online passenger lists from Scotland to Canada:
North AmericaMany books have been published about Scottish emigrants to North America. Some of these are:
You can find bibliographies of published passenger lists in:
AustraliaAustralia was founded as an English penal colony in 1788, but many free people also emigrated to Australia. Immigration records vary by state in content and coverage. Some list the immigrant’s birthplace, residence in Scotland, and education; his or her mother’s maiden name; 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. The Family History Library has many pre-1900 records. To find them, use the Locality Search of the catalog under:
See also:
New ZealandThe British 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. The Family History Library has many of these records. You can find them by looking in the Locality Search of the catalog under:
Immigration to ScotlandImmigration into Scotland has included people from elsewhere in the British Isles and from Continental Europe. Specific immigrant groups include:
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