The Role of Migration History and Household Structure in Internal Migration: Evidence from the Netherlands, 1850-1940

Abstract

This study investigates the role of kin in shaping migration behavior, focusing on how the migration history of an individual’s parents, their own migration experience, and the presence of household members are associated with the individual’s likelihood and frequency of internal migration. Utilizing the Historical Sample of the Netherlands, which provides comprehensive migration histories of individuals from 1850 to 1940 and detailed information on the household composition at each address, we analyze internal migrations throughout the life course for multiple generations. Our findings suggest that individuals with at least one parent who had a migration background − defined as having migrated within the Netherlands − were more likely to move internally themselves, indicating the intergenerational transmission of migration behavior. Having migrated together with one’s parents earlier in life was also associated with a higher likelihood of migrating later on. Parents’ migration histories and individuals’ own migration experience with their parents were associated with a higher frequency of internal migrations made without parents. Finally, living with a spouse, at least one parent, or extended kin was associated with a lower likelihood of migrating. This work contributes to our understanding of migration patterns from a historical perspective, highlighting the long-term role of family networks and family migration experiences on individuals’ migration behavior.

* This article belongs to a special issue on “Migration Trajectories Across the Life Course”.