Approximately three fifths of the emigration from the United Kingdom to America arrived in the 19th century. The remainder came through Ellis Island between 1900 and 1924. Arrivals from the U.K. began to increase in the mid-1840's with the Irish Famine that led to very high mortality rates, rising prices and unemployment and a massive outflow of Irish population to the U.S. In the post-Famine period, England's industrial revolution progressed and emigration continued to grow between the prosperous 1850's and the mid-1890's.

This series on Emigration from the United Kingdom to America concentrates on U.K. emigration in the period 1870-1897, listing migrants from the U.K. who arrived in New York. The original passenger lists transcribed by shipping agents and ship's officers and filed by all vessels entering U.S. ports have been used in the preparation of Emigration from the United Kingdom to America. Presented in chronological order by each ship's date of arrival, these passenger lists provide the names of ships, ports of departure, and arrival and debarkation dates. The researcher can also locate data regarding a person's age, sex, and occupation, as well as village of origin and destination when reported.

An important feature of Emigration from the United Kingdom to America is the extensive surname index of ships' passengers included in each volume. These indexes, containing approximately 3 million names for the period 1870-1897, will greatly facilitate the task of finding an ancestor's family name, especially when the exact date or port of arrival in the United States is unknown. In addition to the passenger lists and name indexes, Emigration from the United Kingdom to America includes an introduction to the history of the U.K. migratory movement to the U.S. This series is an invaluable reference work for anyone interested in studying family history or in genealogical research.