During the 1800s people would hear about an area in the Great Lakes through brochures, newspapers, their churches, and from friends about a new area in the New World that was rich in jobs, had fertile soil and many opportunities for enriching their lives over what they had in their homeland. 

There are studies being done on these groups of various nationalities that often have information on emigration dates, birth towns, destination in the Americas etc. that can help you further your research. 

The groups with an online presence we have found:

Why Did They Go?  By Sture Torikka - A study of a group of people who are Finnish in origin but lived near the border in Sweden (Tornio Valley) that started to come to the Americas in the 1800s.  Most have birth town and dates, the date of migration, destinations with other facts included about them. 

The Cornish To Michigan Project - By Dick and June Ross - Their work studied mainly the Cornish that migrated to the Great Lakes areas for jobs in mining.  They have retired from research but have allowed their work to be put online.

Michigan Polonia - Excellent site with good suggestions and some files of the Polish who migrated to the Great Lakes area in Michigan.

Do you have a link that can go here?  Minnesota, Wisconsin, etc. have ethnic areas within them settled by different groups as does Canada.  If you have a link to include we would be glad to here.