Modeling Residential Mobility in Montreal, 1860-1900

The author explains the household adjustment process by examining the effects of such factors as socioeconomic status, ethnicity and family situation in household mobility in late-nineteenth century Montreal. He suggests an underlying logic of household moves as adaptations to nineteenth century conditions of life. Using census records, property tax rolls, rental tax rolls (a.k.a. water tax), city directories, and civil records of marriages, baptisms, and burials, the author researched 1000 Montreal families - 300 English-speaking Protestant, 300 English-speaking (Irish) Catholic and 400 French-speaking Catholic - all bearing one of twelve surnames - one French Catholic name, one Irish Catholic name and ten British-origin Protestant names. He found that mobility in Montreal was high during the forty-years' period, with the Irish Catholic and French Catholic families most likely to have moved during these years (85% of the families),with Protestant families close behind (75% of the families). Out-migration from the city by the three groups was also high.

Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History

Vol. 31

no. 1

27-42

Winter 1998

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