PART II EMIGRANT PERSPECTIVE
Total free population – 27,489,461. Birthplace unknown – 51,883. Total Foreign-born –- 4,136,175. And Ireland’s numerical domination of US Foreign-born residents increased from 4.8% to 5.86% of the total US population between 1850 and 1860. The 1860 breakdown of US Foreign-born Residents was: Irish –- 1,611,304 (38.94%). German –- 1,301,136 (31.05%). English –- 431,692 (10.44%). British American –- Born in the US – 23,301,403. 249,970 ( 6.05%). French – 109,870 (2.66%). Scottish –- 108,518 (2.63%). Swiss – 53,327 (1.29%). Welsh – 45,763 (!.11%). Norwegian – 43,995 (1.09%). Chinese – 35,565 (0.86%). Holland – 28,281 (0.68%). Mexico – 27,466 (0.66%). Sweden – 18,625 (0.45%). Italy – 10,518 (0.26%). The US 1860 Census also compared the numbers of foreign-born US residents to those remaining in their European home countries. The proportion of Irish who departed Ireland was quite spectacular, and statistics for other European countries were somewhat surprising: Ireland -1 in America- 5 remaining British America -1 in America- 12 remaining
Wales -1 in America- 23 remaining Scotland -1 in America- 27 remaining Germany -1 in America- 33 remaining Norway -1 in America- 34 remaining England -1 in America- 42 remaining Holland -1 in America- 108 remaining Sweden -1 in America- 187 remaining Denmark -1 in America- 248 remaining Papal States -1 in America- 298 remaining France -1 in America- 325 remaining Belgium -1 in America- 478 remaining Sardinia -1 in America- 3,560 remaining
A fascinating statistical breakdown derived from Census data. Readers are left to draw whatever conclusions they may; but there can be no doubt of the relative magnitude of Irish emigration in comparison to other European countries The second highest proportional migration was from BNA to the US before 1860, and is easily overlooked, while the German second-largest US immigrant group is fifth in this analysis and seems less impressive. Scandinavia and Italy had very little impact on the USA before 1860. The 1850 US Census documented a foreign-born Irish majority in the Northeast USA, close to their probable northeast ports of disembarkation; Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Where were those emigrants in 1860? The 1860 Census for Irish foreign-born residents: Boston - 45,911. Massachusetts - 185,434. New York City - 203,740. New York State - 498,074. Philadelphia - 95,548. Pennsylvania - 201,939. Maryland (Baltimore) and Louisiana (New Orleans) were considered Southern states and recorded fewer foreign-born Irish residents)
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