WIREDGOV

The UK incoming passenger lists for 1878 to 1960 (series BT 26) have been launched online by Ancestry.co.uk.

Digitised in partnership with The National Archives, the records contain information on both immigrants and tourists who arrived in the UK by boat before the onset of commercial flights. Millions of Britons will find they have an ancestor listed in the collection, many of whom fared perilous sea voyages to reach British shores.

The passenger lists are for people arriving in the United Kingdom from ports outside of Europe and the Mediterranean and may include: name of passenger, their birth date or age, port of departure, port of arrival, date of arrival and vessel name. It is free to search the website, but there is a charge for viewing the full entry and downloading images of the passenger lists.

With the launch of the documents online, Roger Kershaw from The National Archives said: 'The partnership between The National Archives and Ancestry.co.uk has allowed us to digitise and publish online what is in our opinion one of the most significant collections in British immigration history.'

Famous ancestors

Ancestors of famous living Brits have been discovered in the lists. 18 million men, women and children who came to the UK during the latter years of the British Empire are Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, Olympic boxer Amir Khan and Labour MP Diane Abbott.

As the most comprehensive UK immigration collection, the records also reveal information on tourists and those returning to the UK during the height of maritime travel. Famous names include Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Roger Moore, Elizabeth Taylor and Ronald Reagan.

Migration patterns

In addition to providing valuable information for family historians on individual passengers, the records provide a unique insight into immigration patterns at a time of great change. Much of the mass migration to the UK during the 80-year period the collection covers was in response to British colonies achieving independence. Under British nationality law, citizens of these new countries were able to move to the UK in their millions in search of prosperity and employment. In doing so, they helped shape the ethnically diverse Britain of today.

'These records are a vital resource for anyone wanting to trace their family's movements to the UK from around the world and reflect a period of huge economic and social change for Britain and its colonies during the twilight days of the British Empire,' commented Josh Hanna, Senior Vice President at Ancestry International.