Ireland and Britain, Transatlantic Migration from North America - FamilySearch Historical Records

England Ireland Northern Ireland Scotland Wales

What is in This Collection?
The Passenger Act of 1852 introduced the regulation of the carriage of passengers by sea and put in force a requirement for "the Master of every Ship bringing Passengers into the the United Kingdom from any Port or Place out of Europe shall ... deliver to the Emigration Officer ... [a list of] the Names, Ages, and Callings of all the Passengers embarked (LXXXVIII)."

This index was created from data compiled by James P. Maher, and published on Compact Disc in 2004 as Returning home : transatlantic migration from North America to Britain & Ireland 1858-1870.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:


 * Person's name
 * Age
 * Gender
 * Marital status
 * Occupation
 * Nationality


 * Ship's name
 * Port of departure
 * Departure date
 * Port of arrival
 * Arrival date

Collection Content
This collection contains record of 29,162 male passengers and 12,974 female passengers. Sixty percent of the passengers were English (19%), Irish (20%), and Scottish (21%). Of the remaining forty percent most had no nationality recorded. Only one percent were identified as American.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add the new information to your records
 * Use the information to find the person in other records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of his name
 * Try searching by surname only

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Ireland.
 * Ireland Guided Research
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Related Collections

 * Returning home : transatlantic migration from North America to Britain & Ireland 1858-1870

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.