Between 1500 and 1820, an estimated 2.58 million Europeans migrated to the Americas, namely from the British Isles, Portugal, Spain, France and Germany. Until the mid-1600s, the majority of European migrants were from the Iberian Peninsula, as Portugal and Spain had a 150 year head start over other European powers when building their overseas empires. However, by the end of the century, more settlers from the British Isles had emigrated to the New World than from Spain or Portugal; the majority of which migrated to British colonies in the Caribbean as indentured servants or prisoners. The 18th century also saw migrants from other European nations begin to migrate en masse, particularly those from France and the German states, although migration from the British Isles and Portugal remained at the highest levels.
In comparison to the almost 2.6 million Europeans migrants, it is estimated that over 8.6 million Africans were forced across the Atlantic during this time period, as part of the transatlantic slave trade. The first half of the 19th century saw the demise of the transatlantic slave trade, which was followed by an influx of white migration to the Americas from across Europe; this contributed heavily to reversing demographic trends and making those with African ancestry an ethnic minority in most American countries today.
Number of migrants who arrived in the Americas from select countries in Europe between 1500 and 1820
(in 1,000s)
It is estimated that 5,000 migrants from "Other" European countries migrated to the Americas between 1760 and 1820.
*Britain likely includes migrants from Ireland, although this is not specified in the source.
**Germany was not a unified country during these years, therefore this data likely refers to migrants from all German--speaking regions of Europe between 1700 and 1820; the source description makes specific mention of Swiss migrants in this case.
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Encyclopedia.com. (September 25, 2020). Number of migrants who arrived in the Americas from select countries in Europe between 1500 and 1820 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 25, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1150676/european-arrivals-in-the-americas-by-country-and-time-period-1500-1820/
Encyclopedia.com. "Number of migrants who arrived in the Americas from select countries in Europe between 1500 and 1820 (in 1,000s)." Chart. September 25, 2020. Statista. Accessed August 25, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1150676/european-arrivals-in-the-americas-by-country-and-time-period-1500-1820/
Encyclopedia.com. (2020). Number of migrants who arrived in the Americas from select countries in Europe between 1500 and 1820 (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 25, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1150676/european-arrivals-in-the-americas-by-country-and-time-period-1500-1820/
Encyclopedia.com. "Number of Migrants Who Arrived in The Americas from Select Countries in Europe between 1500 and 1820 (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 25 Sep 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1150676/european-arrivals-in-the-americas-by-country-and-time-period-1500-1820/
Encyclopedia.com, Number of migrants who arrived in the Americas from select countries in Europe between 1500 and 1820 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1150676/european-arrivals-in-the-americas-by-country-and-time-period-1500-1820/ (last visited August 25, 2024)
Number of migrants who arrived in the Americas from select countries in Europe between 1500 and 1820 (in 1,000s) [Graph], Encyclopedia.com, September 25, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1150676/european-arrivals-in-the-americas-by-country-and-time-period-1500-1820/