Within Families and Between Countries

Within Families and Between Countries: The Lifespan of US Immigrants Compared to Origin, Destination and Non-Migrant Siblings in Cohorts from 1850 to 1890

In this study, we explore the relationship between migration and lifespan for individuals born between 1850 and 1890 who migrated to the U.S. Using micro-level genealogical data from Familinx, our study compares the lifespans of European migrants to those of the U.S.-born white population, the non-migrant population in their countries of origin, and their non-migrant siblings. We employ sibling fixed effect models to investigate whether migrants enjoy survival advantages compared to their non-migrant siblings, considering that health and mortality are often clustered in families due to shared environments, genes, behaviors, resources, and household dynamics. 

We also examine differences in the migrant mortality nexus across the main migrant groups of the time. Consistent with prior research on historical US populations, we find a migrant mortality penalty compared to U.S.-born white individuals and a positive migrant effect compared to the origin populations and non-migrant siblings. Country-specific analyses reveal significant cross-origin differences in these effects. The overall negative effect compared to the U.S. population is predominantly driven by historically disadvantaged groups such as Irish and Eastern European migrants. Compared to the origin population and siblings, all groups except the Irish experience a mortality advantage.

Saverio Minardi is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Demography and Adjunct Professor of the Bio-demography Lab at the University of Bologna. He holds a PhD in Sociology and Social Research from the University of Trento. His research focuses on historical and contemporary social demography, social inequality and stratification, and the study of family structures and kinship.

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