genealogy

 

1. FindMyPast

   • Website: findmypast.co.uk
   • Offers extensive records for UK emigration, including passenger lists, migration records, and ships' manifests.
   • Focuses on British and Irish ancestry and includes U.S.-bound emigration records.

2. The National Archives (UK)

   • Website: nationalarchives.gov.uk
   • Hosts detailed passenger records, such as outbound passenger lists (1890–1960).
   • Also includes colonial records, such as those documenting migration to America during the 17th–19th centuries.

3. ScotlandsPeople

   • Website: scotlandspeople.gov.uk
   • Focused on Scottish ancestry, this site includes parish registers, wills, and emigrant records.
   • Searchable database includes individuals who emigrated from Scotland, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries.

4. Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild (ISTG)

   • Website: immigrantships.net
   • Offers free access to transcriptions of passenger lists for various ships, including those bound for the U.S.

5. British Newspaper Archive

   • Website: britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
   • Search historical newspapers for advertisements or articles about ship departures and emigrants.

6. Ancestry.co.uk

   • Website: ancestry.co.uk
   • Includes a wide range of passenger lists, migration records, and even details from colonial America.
   • U.K.-specific records may provide insights into emigrants' journeys.

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Specialized Scottish and English Resources

1. Highland and Island Emigration Society

   • Website: highlandhistory.com
   • Contains records related to Scots who emigrated during the Highland Clearances.

2. Ulster Historical Foundation (for Northern Irish ancestors)

   • Website: uhf.org.uk
   • Some Scots-Irish emigrants are included in their databases, particularly those who moved through Ulster.

3. TNA's Colonial Office Records

   • Available at The National Archives, records related to migration and settlement in America, especially during the colonial period.

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Tips for Searching Passenger Records

• Know the Date Range: Many passenger lists become more detailed starting in the 19th century, but colonial records (1600s–1700s) may be more fragmented.
• Check Parish Records: Sometimes, church records in England or Scotland note families preparing for emigration.
• Explore Local Archives: County or regional archives in areas your ancestors lived may have emigration or port records.
• Cross-Reference U.S. Records: Use arrival records (e.g., Ellis Island or U.S. Naturalization Records) to narrow down possible ships or ports of departure.
• Surname Variations: Be mindful of spelling variations, especially in older records.