Emigration is when a person leaves a place, usually to live in another country. From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island was a major site for emigration. Millions of people left countries such as Ireland, Italy, Poland, and China to live in the United States.
First used in the 1640s, the noun emigration derives from the Late Latin word emigrationem, meaning "removal from a place." Emigration often happens when people leave their native country to seek a better life in another country. For example, maybe your great-grandparents left Ireland to settle in Albany, NY, where they worked for the railroad. Remember that emigration refers to leaving a country. Immigration refers to entering a new country.
