Female Statistics

The 19th century saw a rapid influx of Irish immigrants, both male and female, to America. The 1840s, as a result of the Great Famine in which millions of Irish were forced to leave the country due to poverty, a severe lack of food, and the constant threat of death, experienced a particular peak in Irish immigration. According to the Library of Congress, 

"Between 1820 and 1860, the Irish constituted over one third of all immigrants to the United States. In the 1840s, they comprised nearly half of all immigrants to this nation. Interestingly, pre-famine immigrants from Ireland were predominately male, while in the famine years and their aftermath, entire families left the country. In later years, the majority of Irish immigrants were women" (1). 

Percentage of Female Immigrants from Ireland, 1852-1921

Immigration from Ireland did slow down after the 1840s, though there remained a continuous stream of immigrants to America. Interestingly, the proportion of female immigrants from Ireland, "...rose steadily until women were outnumbering men in the decades of the turn of the century"(2). This reflects the single female immigrant's decision to leave due to a lack of marriage opportunity or need to meet family in America. 

Alongside the ever increasing number of female immigrants was a change in the age structure of the women. Because the majority of immigrants, mainly female, tended to be single rather than families, a noticeable change in the age of immigrants arriving in America varied greatly from pre-famine immigration. "In the post-famine period the numbers of children under 14 among emigrants dips sharply, reflecting a drop in the numbers of families emigrating, these being replaced by individuals" (3). In addition to this drop in child immigrants, there was a significant rise in the number of young women aged 15 to 19 years, nearly doubling, which proves that the family was being replaced by young single people, namely young women (4).



Image Source:
1. Jackson, Pauline. "Women in 19th Century Irish Emigration". International Migration Review, 18, 1984, 1007. 

Sources:

1.Library of Congress. "Irish-Catholic Immigration to America". http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/irish2.html. Accessed on May 7, 2013.
2.. Jackson, Pauline. "Women in 19th Century Irish Emigration". International Migration Review, 18, 1984, 1006. 
3. Ibid, 1006. 
4. Ibid, 1006.