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To the New World and Back Again: Return Migrants in the Age of Mass Migration

Author

Listed:
  • Ran Abramitzky
  • Leah Boustan
  • Katherine Eriksson

Abstract

The authors compile large data sets from Norwegian and US historical censuses to study return migration during the Age of Mass Migration (1850–1913). Norwegian immigrants who returned to Norway held lower-paid occupations than did Norwegian immigrants who stayed in the United States, both before and after their first transatlantic migration, suggesting they were negatively selected from the migrant pool. Upon returning to Norway, return migrants held higher-paid occupations relative to Norwegians who never moved, despite hailing from poorer backgrounds. These patterns suggest that despite being negatively selected, return migrants had been able to accumulate savings and could improve their economic circumstances once they returned home.

Suggested Citation

  • Ran Abramitzky & Leah Boustan & Katherine Eriksson, 2019. "To the New World and Back Again: Return Migrants in the Age of Mass Migration," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 72(2), pages 300-322, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:72:y:2019:i:2:p:300-322
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lara Bohnet & Susana Peralta & João Pereira dos Santos, 2022. "Cousins from Overseas: The Labour Market Impact of a Major Forced Return Migration Shock," CESifo Working Paper Series 9971, CESifo.
    2. José Antonio García‐Barrero, 2024. "From circular to permanent: The economic assimilation of migrants during Spain's rural exodus, 1955–73," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 77(3), pages 765-795, August.
    3. Giuliano, Paola & Tabellini, Marco, 2020. "The Seeds of Ideology: Historical Immigration and Political Preferences in the United States," IZA Discussion Papers 13268, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Michele Valsecchi & Ruben Durante, 2020. "Internal migration and the spread of Covid-19," Working Papers w0276, New Economic School (NES).
    5. Alan Fernihough & Cormac Ó Gráda, 2025. "Across the Sea to Ireland: Return Atlantic Migration before the First World War," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 29(1), pages 49-67.
    6. José Antonio García-Barrero, 2025. "Determinants of seasonal circular migration during Spain’s rural exodus, 1955–1973," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 19(2), pages 521-557, May.
    7. Timothy J. Hatton, 2025. "The Economic Demography of Intercontinental Migration," CEH Discussion Papers 04, Centre for Economic History, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    8. Guo, Yuequan & Zhao, Jiannan, 2025. "Internal Migration, Political Efficacy, and Political Participation in Autocracies: Evidence from China," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue OnlineFir, pages 1-29.
    9. Ran Abramitzky & Leah Boustan & Katherine Eriksson & James Feigenbaum & Santiago Pérez, 2021. "Automated Linking of Historical Data," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 865-918, September.
    10. Xinyi Zhao & Samin Aref & Emilio Zagheni & Guy Stecklov, 2022. "Return migration of German-affiliated researchers: analyzing departure and return by gender, cohort, and discipline using Scopus bibliometric data 1996–2020," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 7707-7729, December.
    11. Abramitzky, Ran & Boustan, Leah & Catron, Peter & Connor, Dylan & Voigt, Rob, 2021. "Refugees without Assistance: English-Language Attainment and Economic Outcomes in the Early Twentieth Century," SocArXiv 429jp, Center for Open Science.
    12. Marina Gindelsky, 2019. "Testing the acculturation of the 1.5 generation in the United States: Is there a “critical” age of migration?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 31-65, March.
    13. Bohnet, Lara & Peralta, Susana & Pereira dos Santos, João, 2025. "Cousins from overseas: How the existing workforce adapts to a massive forced return migration shock," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    14. Diogo Baerlocher & Gustavo Cortes & Vinicios Sant'Anna, 2024. "Finding Home When Disaster Strikes: Dust Bowl Migration and Housing in Los Angeles," Working Papers 2024-05, University of South Florida, Department of Economics.
    15. Lee, Jongkwan & Peri, Giovanni & Yasenov, Vasil, 2022. "The labor market effects of Mexican repatriations: Longitudinal evidence from the 1930s," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    16. Zhu, Ziming, 2022. "Like father like son? Intergenerational immobility in England, 1851-1911," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 117588, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Ran Abramitzky & Philipp Ager & Leah Boustan & Elior Cohen & Casper Hansen, 2021. "The Effect of Immigration on Local Labor Markets: Lessons from the 1920s Border Closure," Research Working Paper RWP 21-09, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    18. Uysal, Sezgin & Celebi, Ismail, 2024. "Emigration Dynamics and Transatlantic Voyage from Austria-Hungary to the U.S. between 1840 to 1910," SocArXiv 7vfxn, Center for Open Science.
    19. Ager, Philipp & Abramitzky, Ran & Boustan, Leah & Cohen, Elior David & Hansen, Casper Worm, 2019. "The Effects of Immigration on the Economy: Lessons from the 1920s Border Closure," CEPR Discussion Papers 14165, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    20. Laurent Bossavie & Çağlar Özden, 2023. "Impacts of Temporary Migration on Development in Origin Countries," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 38(2), pages 249-294.
    21. repec:osf:socarx:7vfxn_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Karen Clay & Ethan J. Schmick, 2020. "Early Life Shocks, Market Adjustments, and Black-White Inequality," NBER Working Papers 27101, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    23. Zhu, Ziming, 2022. "Like father like son? Intergenerational immobility in England, 1851-1911," Economic History Working Papers 117588, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    24. David Escamilla-Guerrero, 2020. "Revisiting Mexican migration in the Age of Mass Migration: New evidence from individual border crossings," Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(4), pages 207-225, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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