Emigration

Records of emigration to the British colonies and the United States can be found in a number of series. Early registers of passengers survive in the Exchequer series E 157, Registers of Licences to pass beyond the seas from 1634 to 1677. These relate to people going to New England, the West Indies and other American colonies. A few Treasury Registers covering 1773 to 1776 survive in T 47. There is a card index to these in the Open Reading Room. They relate mainly to people travelling to the Americas, but also include people travelling to Europe. Passenger lists do not commence until much later.

Colonial Office Records

Emigration Original Correspondence in CO 384, covers 1817 to 1896 and contains letters from settlers or would be settlers intending to go to British North America (Canada), Australia, the West Indies and other territories. Land grants and applications for grants can be found in CO 323, Original Correspondence from 1689 to 1952, and in two series of Entry Books, CO 324 from 1662 to 1872, and CO 381 from 1835 to 1872. Other records can be found under each colony. The Entry Books for each colony often contain details of grants of land.

Land and Emigration Commission

Established in 1833, the Land and Emigration Commission provided free passages and land grants to emigrants. The Entry Books in CO 385 covering 1814 to 1871, and the Commission Papers in CO 386 from 1833 to 1894 contain lists, letters and correspondence of potential settlers.