Find your ancestors in Early emigration from Britain 1636-1815

What can these records tell me?

Each result provides you with a transcript and image of the original records.

  • First name(s)
  • Last name
  • Birth year
  • Age
  • Occupation
  • Year
  • Event date
  • Ship name
  • Ship departure port
  • Destination
  • Residence
  • Town
  • County
  • Country
  • Piece description
  • Year range
  • Archive reference
  • Archive

Depending on the type of document, the images of the original records may include additional details such as marital status, former residence, and nationality of settler.

Please note that those traveling to the Americas were emigrating; most of those traveling to the near continent were on business or leisure trips.

Discover more about these records

Included in this collection are the following pieces from The National Archives (TNA):

  • AO 3/144 – List of settlers enrolled for Canada under the government regulations at Edinburgh, 1815
  • CO 1/8 – America and West Indies, colonial papers, 1634-1635: early passenger list to New England – ‘Francis’ of Ipswich at folios 100-102, ‘Elizabeth’ of Ipswich at folios 103-105, and ‘James’ of London at folios 184-185
  • CO 1/9 – Privy Council and related bodies: America and West Indies, colonial papers – Early passenger lists to New England 1636-1638
  • CO 324/55 – Persons naturalised in American colonies 1740-1761 – Described by the TNA catalogue as ‘Colonial Office and Predecessors: General Entry Books, Series I. Entry Books, Series I: Commissions, Instructions, Petitions, Grants, Orders in Council, Warrants, Letters, etc. Names of persons naturalised in the American colonies’.
  • CO 324/56 – Persons naturalised in American colonies 1761 – Described by the TNA catalogue as ‘Colonial Office and Predecessors: General Entry Books, Series I. Entry Books, Series I: Commissions, Instructions, Petitions, Grants, Orders in Council, Warrants, Letters, etc. Names of persons naturalised in the American colonies’.
  • E 140/167/6 – Gravesend register: list of passengers who passed through port of London from March to October 1669
  • T 47/9 – Weekly emigration returns to New World 1773-1774
  • T 47/10 – Weekly emigration returns to New World 1774-1775
  • T 47/11 – Weekly emigration returns to New World 1775-1776
  • T 47/12 – Emigration returns from Scotland to America 1774-1775