Emigrants
Like many European families, economic hardship, religious intolerance, or just the excitement of new horizons and opportunities offered by the outposts of the British Empire, or the open door policy of the USA, persuaded many Mastertons to seek their fortunes in the New Worlds. I have come across emigrants to the Americas, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand from the 19th century onwards.
But it wasn't just the lure of the Empire. Scots have long been willing to travel to do business and there are also some emigrants from Scotland to other European countries in earlier centuries. For example, the Mesterton family of Sweden and Finland originates from James Masterton (1625-89), shipper in Leith, who became Jakob Mesterton and married Kerstin Scrymgeour and later Petronella Schaeij and settled in Sweden. Ossian Mesterton's website has much more information on these Swedish and Finnish Mestertons, including a speculative addition to Victor A Noel Paton's genealogy.
Records of some Masterton emigrants from their home country.
Europe
Another early emigrant was Adam Masterton whose son James, born in Dendermont in Flanders in 1610, became professor of law at Leiden University in 1630.
Sweden
| Name | Age | Date | From | Ship | Port of Arrival | Final Destination |
Sources for images of ships: 1) Simplon Postcards The Passenger Ship Website
2) Clydebuilt