This book explores the question of who New Zealand's Pakeha ancestors were. It presents and interprets the findings of a major statistical analysis of immigrants from the United Kingdom over a century and a half drawn from death registers and shipping records. The book looks at for the first time and in detail such issues as the geographical origins of the founding ancestors, their occupational and class background, their religions and their values. Did our forefathers and mothers come from particular areas of Britain, did they tend to practise certain occupations, were they Catholics or Protestants, working people or aristocrats? Using individual examples of immigrants and their families, vividly depicted in the many illustrations, this book makes a significant contribution to understanding the origins of New Zealand identity.

Author Biography

Leading historian JOCK PHILLIPS is the general editor of Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand and is the author of many books and articles. He is best known for his seminal study of Kiwi masculinity, A Man's Country? TERRY HEARN is an historical geographer currently involved in investigating Treaty of Waitangi claims and issues. He is the author of several books and many articles dealing with New Zealand's gold rush, environmental, and immigration history.