Arguably, the most recognized mass emigration in modern history are the Irish during the Great Potato Famine. While not as large as other migrations, the effect it had on the overall population of an entire country stands unique in recent times. Hundreds of thousands of Irish fled their homes, peaking at around 200,000 a year for both1849 and 1850. Emigrants fled to many different parts of the world, but the New World, received more than any other destination. Ports in Canada and the American Colonies were flooded with immigrants. A rare multi-volume set of books titled The Famine Immigrants listed the port of arrival for many of these migrants. Volume V of the set covers Irish immigrants to arrive at the port of New York between October 1849 and May 1850.
The passenger lists found in The Famine Immigrants are arranged by ship and date of arrival in New York, and each person is identified with respect to age, sex, occupation, and family relationships where such was indicated in the original manifests. Additionally, every volume boasts of an extensive index containing all of the passenger names in the text.
In the period covered in this volume, October 1849-May 1850, about 60,000 Irish men, women, and children arrived in New York, and all of the data located on them is provided, and their names are all indexed.
Family Root Publishing is selling its remaining hardback copies of The Famine Immigrants, Volume V—Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-1851 for only $22.50. “Very limited numbers of this volume are available. This is the only volume still available in the hardback printing. When it goes into soft cover only, it will sell for $75.00.”