The Plantation of Ulster by Scots in the 17th century meant the migration and settlement of thousands of Scots in Ireland during that period. Most settlers were from the Scottish Lowlands, but some were Highlanders. Although Presbyterians were in the majority, a sizable minority were Episcopalians and a few Roman Catholics. Although most settled in Ulster, a number settled further south, including in Dublin. The emphasis of Scottish emigration changed in the 18th century, from destinations such as Ireland and the Netherlands, to North America and the Caribbean. This century also saw the rise of emigration from Ireland, notably the Scots-Irish to America.

The consolidation is designed to meet the requirements of family historians, genealogists, and academics as it identifies what is available to researchers and where it is located. Many of the entries are based on primary sources. The references identify the publication, volume and folio number, or the archive, and the documentary details. Research was based in sources in the National Records of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, the National Archives of the U.K., and the University of St. Andrews. Sources include wills, testaments, deeds, sasines, port books, rent rolls, family papers, burgess rolls, apprenticeship records, estate papers, church records, monumental inscriptions, university registers, contemporary journals, newspapers, government records, and various publications.