Summary: We study the health impact of the Great Irish Famine by comparing cohorts born during the Famine with those born immediately before and immediately after. We find evidence of selection in the countryside and scarring in the city.
Abstract: How do famines shape the health of survivors? We examine the long-term impact of the Great Irish Famine (1845–1852) on human stature, distinguishing between adverse scarring effects and the apparent resilience of survivors due to selection. Using anthropometric data from over 14,500 individuals born before, during, and after this famine, we find that selection effects were most pronounced in areas with the highest mortality rates. Individuals born in severely affected regions exhibited no evidence of stunted growth, indicating that the Famine disproportionately eliminated the most vulnerable. In contrast, stunting is observed only in areas with lower excess mortality, where selective pressures were weaker. These findings contribute to debates on the biological consequences of extreme catastrophic risks, demonstrating how selection effects can obscure long-term health deterioration. More broadly, our study provides a methodological framework for assessing selection in historical anthropometric research.
Keywords: famine, fetal origins hypothesis, anthropometrics, economic history, Ireland.
JEL Classification: I15, I32, J11, N33, Q54.
Cite this article: , , and ‘Scarring and Selection in the Great Irish Famine’, Economic History Review (2025), https://doi.org/10.1111/ehr.70013
Online Appendix: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1111%2Fehr.70013&file=ehr70013-sup-0001-SuppMat.pdf
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