Irish Emigrant Selection Analysis During the Age of Mass Migration

This dataset supports a replication study examining how Irish emigrants compared to those who stayed behind during the Age of Mass Migration (1850-1913). The analysis finds emigrants were disproportionately from poorer farming and less literate households, with negative selection intensified by established migrant networks. The dataset is provided by author Dylan Shane Connor for the Journal of Economic History.

Use Cases

• Replicate econometric models analyzing the relationship between migrant networks and emigrant selection using historical Irish data.
• Examine the correlation between household economic indicators (e.g., farming status, literacy) and emigration decisions during the 1850-1913 period.
• Study geographic variation in emigration rates and their association with pre-existing migrant networks in Irish communities.
• Analyze historical patterns of negative selection among Irish emigrants compared to the non-migrant population.

Strengths

• Dataset is directly tied to a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Economic History, ensuring academic rigor.
• Focuses on a defined historical period (the Age of Mass Migration, 1850-1913) with a high-emigration case study (Ireland).
• Examines specific, analytically interesting features such as household farming status, literacy levels, and migrant networks.

Limitations

• Specific data structure (rows, columns, file formats) is unknown, complicating assessment of analytical scope and preprocessing needs.
• As a replication package, the dataset may be tailored for specific econometric models, limiting generalizability for other research questions.
• Historical data from 1850-1913 may have inherent gaps, measurement inconsistencies, or survivorship bias common to archival sources.

Provenance

Source

Dylan Shane Connor, ICPSR Harvested Dataverse.

Collection Method

Archival data compiled for academic replication; specific collection methods are not detailed.

Time Range

Covers the Age of Mass Migration, 1850-1913.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-02-27.

Geography

Ireland.