Beyond the Parent-Child Dyad: Linking Family Migration Histories and Lifetime Internal Migration in 19th-Century Netherlands

Andrea Colasurdo , Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

Family ties influence a wide range of demographic behaviors, including migration. While previous studies have extensively examined how kinship shapes migration events and patterns, less is known about how kin migration experience affects an individual’s likelihood of moving —and even less about the influence of the migration experience of kin beyond the parent–child dyad. Using historical family reconstruction data from Dutch archives (HSN-LINKS), we analyze the relationship between family migration histories and individual internal migration trajectories in 19th -century Netherlands. Our preliminary results indicate that having relatives with prior migration experience increases the likelihood of moving within the Netherlands. This association holds for all types of kin examined so far—parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles—and varies according to both the individual’s gender and the gender of their relatives. Although parental migration backgrounds are the strongest predictors, grandparents’ and aunts’ and uncles’ migration experiences also contribute significantly, especially among females. By analyzing family migration histories within a historical context, we highlight the important role of both close and extended kin migration experiences in shaping internal migration patterns. This study advances our understanding of the long-term effects of kin migration on individual mobility and the broader influence of extended family networks on demographic behavior. In the next steps, we will expand the analysis to cover other Dutch provinces and include additional kin, such as siblings and cousins.

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 Presented in Session 70. Flash Session New Data, Methods and Comparative Perspectives in Historical Demography