I think this is an explanation that could only be come up with by the descendants of those who have emigrated.

Thinking here in Scotland, the people who emigrated were not necessarily the most able or genetically superior somehow. Often, they were simply the most desperate. People who were cleared off their farms by landowners, people who had no other options available to them but to roll the dice and go abroad to Canada or Australia or the USA.

Most folk don't want to emigrate, certainly not in the 19th century. It is a last resort that you do if you are out of options. But perhaps the most capable and able have other options to take advantage of?

I suggest your theory is probably very true for Asian Americans - the one's who came here are 'la creme do la creme'.

But not for Europeans. Europeans that came here were the poorest, the least educated, criminals, fringe religious types etc.. Europe was 100x more civilized than America during early history - why would anyone with any social status leave London in 1800 - to go and live a million miles away, a very, very hard, back-breaking life?

Well - those tenant farmers who could get cheap land and get out from under the thumb of their landlords etc..

But it's a good point.