The role of nationality-specific characteristics on the settlement patterns of late nineteenth century immigrants

Abstract

An extensive empirical literature has considered the settlement patterns in the United States of late 19th century European migrants. Migrants of different nationalities have been found to have displayed similar reactions to destination characteristics. Nevertheless, quantitative differences across the various nationalities' reactions have been found. This paper contends that these differences can be partially traced to the differences in the characteristics of the migrants themselves. These differences are categorized as (a) those dealing with the ability of the migrants to obtain reliable information, (b) those resulting from the occupational background of the migrant, and (c) those reflecting the motivation underlying the migration to America. A model of migrant settlement incorporating these factors is presented and estimated. The empirical results support the belief that the characteristics of the migrants partially account for the observed differences in observed behavior across the migrant nationalities.