Even if our ancestors didn't come over on the Mayflower, there's still a bit of merry old England in our heritage. We're not alone, millions of Americans have English roots. Unlike many ethnic heritages, we don't have to struggle with records in foreign languages. Some people start looking for famous ancestors or, especially hoping to find royal lines. Our ancestors did something extraordinary; They left their homes, possessions, families, friends and homeland forever to try to find a better life.
Most immigrants left England for economic reasons. A few immigrants left for religious reasons, such as the Pilgrims in 1620 and the Puritans who came to New England from 1629-1640. Some did not come by choice; for example, English prisons were cleared and convicts shipped to the American colonies. Some women and children were even kidnapped from the countryside or from the streets of cities such as London to provide labor in the colonies.
Even after the Revolutionary War, English immigrants kept coming to the former colonies in search of freedom and opportunity. English immigrants were the third-largest group of US newcomers, behind only Germans and Irish, in the 1830-1860 censuses, and surpassed the Irish in the 1870 and 1880 counts.
No matter when or where they arrived, whether they came to the wilderness or to a large city already settled with people from their homeland, our ancestors were pioneers. They all had incredible stories to tell.
Even the term "England" can be confusing. In 1536, King Henry VIII united England and Wales under the same system of laws and government. In 1707, Great Britain was formed when the Parliaments of the Kingdom of England and Wales and of the Kingdom of Scotland passed the Act of Union. In 1801, Ireland was united politically with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1921, most of Ireland separated from the United Kingdom. So today, Great Britain refers to England, Wales and Scotland, while United Kingdom refers to all of the above plus Northern Ireland.
Here are a few of the photos I've taken when I had layovers in London.
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