Ethnic groups in London

{{Short description|Overview of ethnic groups in London}}

{{EngvarB|date=June 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

File:London_ethnic_demographics_from_1961_to_2021.gif

London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, has become one of the most ethnically diverse and multicultural cities in the world.

Greater London had a population of 8,899,375 at the 2021 census. Around 41% of its population were born outside the UK,{{cite web |title=International migration, England and Wales: Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/internationalmigrationenglandandwales/census2021#how-country-of-birth-and-passports-held-varied-across-england-and-wales |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=2 November 2022}} and over 300 languages are spoken in the region.{{cite web |title=Languages in London - Multilingual Capital |url=http://www.multilingualcapital.com/bilingualism-in-the-uk/languages-in-london/ |website=Multilingual Capital |publisher=Queen Mary University of London |access-date=28 July 2018}}{{Cite web|date=2005-02-13|title=CILT, the National Centre for Languages|url=http://www.cilt.org.uk/faqs/langspoken.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050213180755/http://www.cilt.org.uk/faqs/langspoken.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-02-13|access-date=2021-01-24}}

History and ethnic breakdown of London

File:Population_pyramid_of_London_by_ethnicity_in_2021.svg

File:Ethnic makeup of London over time in age groups.gif

For the overwhelming majority of London's history, the population of the city was ethnically homogenous with the population being of White British ethnic origin, with small clusters of minority groups such as Jewish people, most notably in areas of the East End. From 1948 onwards and especially since the Blair government in the late 1990s and 2000s, the population has diversified in international terms at an increased rate. In 2011, it was reported for the first time that White British people had become a minority within the city, establishing it was a majority-minority city within the country. In 2005, a survey of London's ethnic and religious diversity claimed that there were more than 300 languages spoken and 50 non-indigenous communities with a population of more than 10,000 in London.{{cite news |last=Benedictus |first=Leo |date=25 January 2005 |title=Every race, colour, nation and religion on earth |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/britain/article/0,2763,1395534,00.html |access-date=22 August 2009}}

class="wikitable sortable"

! rowspan="3" |Ethnic Group

! colspan="14" |Year

colspan="2" |1961 estimations{{Cite journal |last=Lee |first=Trevor R. |date=2010-06-30 |title=Immigrants in London: Trends in distribution and concentration 1961–71 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1369183X.1973.9975191 |journal=Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies |language=en |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=145–158 |doi=10.1080/1369183x.1973.9975191 |issn=1369-183X|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last=Collins |first=Charles |date=1971 |title=Distribution of Commonwealth immigrants in Greater London |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43617773 |journal=Ekistics |volume=32 |issue=188 |pages=12–21 |issn=0013-2942 |jstor=43617773}}

! colspan="2" |1971 estimations{{Citation |last1=Goodhew |first1=David |title=The Desecularisation of the City: London's Churches, 1980 to the Present |work=The Desecularisation of the City |pages=3–38 |year=2018 |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781351167765-1/desecularisation-city-london-churches-1980-present-david-goodhew-anthony-paul-cooper |access-date=2022-12-04 |doi=10.4324/9781351167765-1 |isbn=9781351167765 |s2cid=240171114 |last2=Cooper |first2=Anthony-Paul|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last=Jones |first=P. N. |date=1978 |title=The Distribution and Diffusion of the Coloured Population in England and Wales, 1961-71 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/622127 |journal=Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=515–532 |bibcode=1978TrIBG...3..515J |doi=10.2307/622127 |issn=0020-2754 |jstor=622127 |pmid=12157820|url-access=subscription }}

! colspan="2" |1981 estimations{{Cite book |author=Great Britain: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys|url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=HMSO |location=London |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}

! colspan="2" scope="col" |1991 census{{Cite book |author=Great Britain: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys|url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=HMSO |location=London |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}{{Cite web |title=1991 census - local base statistics - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/lbs91 |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}

! colspan="2" scope="col" |2001 census{{cite web |title=Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls |access-date=2021-09-07 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}

! colspan="2" scope="col" |2011 census{{Cite web |title=2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |access-date=2021-12-15 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}

! colspan="2" |2021 census{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

Number

!%

!Number

!%

!Number

!%

! scope="col" |Number

! scope="col" |%

! scope="col" |Number

! scope="col" |%

! scope="col" |Number

! scope="col" |%

!Number

!%

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

scope="row" |White: Total

!7,602,233

!97.7%

!6,901,596

!92.6%

!5,893,973

!86.6%

!5,333,580

!79.80%

!5,103,203

!71.15%

!4,887,435

!59.79%

!4,731,172

!53.8%

scope="row" |White: BritishNew category created for the 2001 census

|–

|–

|6,500,000

|87%

|–

|–

|–

|–

|4,287,861

|59.79%

|3,669,284

|44.89%

|3,239,281

|36.8%

scope="row" |White: Irish

|–

|–

| rowspan="4" |401,596

| rowspan="4" |5.4%

|–

|–

|256,470

|3.83%

|220,488

|3.07%

|175,974

|2.15%

|156,333

|1.8%

scope="row" |White: Gypsy or Irish TravellerNew category created for the 2011 census

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|8,196

|0.10%

|7,031

|0.1%

White: Roma

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|37,689

|0.4%

scope="row" |White: Other

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|594,854

|8.29%

|1,033,981

|12.65%

|1,290,838

|14.7%

scope="row" |Asian or Asian British: Total

!–

!–

!–

!–

!425,426

!6.3%

!690,031

!10.33%

!946,894

!13.20%

!1,511,546

!18.49%

!1,817,640

!20.8%

scope="row" |Asian or Asian British: Indian

|–

|–

|–

|–

|232,881

|–

|347,091

|5.19%

|436,993

|6.09%

|542,857

|6.64%

|656,272

|7.5%

scope="row" |Asian or Asian British: Pakistani

|–

|–

|–

|–

|59,440

|–

|87,816

|1.31%

|142,749

|1.99%

|223,797

|2.74%

|290,549

|3.3%

scope="row" |Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi

|–

|–

|–

|–

|41,792

|–

|85,738

|1.28%

|153,893

|2.15%

|222,127

|2.72%

|322,054

|3.7%

scope="row" |Asian or Asian British: Chinese{{#tag:ref|In 2001, listed under the 'Other ethnic group' heading.|group="Note"}}

|–

|–

|–

|–

|35,938

|–

|56,579

|0.84%

|80,201

|1.12%

|124,250

|1.52%

|147,520

|1.7%

scope="row" |Asian or Asian British: Other Asian

|–

|–

|–

|–

|55,375

|–

|112,807

|1.68%

|133,058

|1.86%

|398,515

|4.88%

|401,245

|4.6%

scope="row" |Black or Black British: Total

!–

!–

!–

!–

!405,394

!6%

!535,216

!8.01%

!782,849

!10.92%

!1,088,640

!13.32%

!1,188,370

!13.5%

scope="row" |Black or Black British: African

|–

|–

|–

|–

|102,230

|–

|163,635

|2.44%

|378,933

|5.28%

|573,931

|7.02%

|697,054

|7.9%

scope="row" |Black or Black British: Caribbean

|–

|–

|–

|–

|239,956

|–

|290,968

|4.35%

|343,567

|4.79%

|344,597

|4.22%

|345,405

|3.9%

scope="row" |Black or Black British: Other Black

|–

|–

|–

|–

|63,208

|–

|80,613

|1.20%

|60,349

|0.84%

|170,112

|2.08%

|145,911

|1.7%

scope="row" |Mixed or British Mixed: Total

!–

!–

!–

!–

!–

!–

!–

!–

!226,111

!3.15%

!405,279

!4.96%

!505,775

!5.7%

scope="row" |Mixed: White and Black Caribbean

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|70,928

|0.99%

|119,425

|1.46%

|132,555

|1.5%

scope="row" |Mixed: White and Black African

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|34,182

|0.48%

|65,479

|0.80%

|77,341

|0.9%

scope="row" |Mixed: White and Asian

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|59,944

|0.84%

|101,500

|1.24%

|125,188

|1.4%

scope="row" |Mixed: Other Mixed

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|61,057

|0.85%

|118,875

|1.45%

|170,691

|1.9%

scope="row" |Other: Total

!–

!–

!–

!–

!80,793

!1.2%

!120,872

!1.81%

!113,034

!1.58%

!281,041

!3.44%

!556,768

!6.3%

scope="row" |Other: Arab

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|106,020

|1.30%

|139,791

|1.6%

scope="row" |Other: Any other ethnic group

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|–

|113,034

|1.58%

|175,021

|2.14%

|416,977

|4.7%

Non-White: Total

!179,109

!2.3%

!547,588

!7.4%

!911,626

!13.5%

!1,346,119

!20.2%

!2,068,888

!28.85%

!3,286,506

!40.2%

!4,068,553

!46.2%

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

scope="row" |Total

!7,781,342

!100%

!7,449,184

!100%

!6,805,599

!100%

!6,679,699

!100.00%

!7,172,091

!100.00%

!8,173,941

!100.00%

!8,799,725

!100%

{{Gallery

|title=Distribution of ethnic groups in Greater London according to the 2011 census.

|width=225

|align=center

|File:White Greater London 2011 census.png|White

|File:Asian Greater London 2011 census.png|Asian

|File:Black Greater London 2011 census.png|Black

|File:British Greater London 2011 census.png|White-British

|File:Irish Greater London 2011 census.png|White-Irish

|File:White other Greater London 2011 census.png|White-Other

|File:Indian Greater London 2011 census.png|Asian-Indian

|File:Pakistani Greater London 2011 census.png|Asian-Pakistani

|File:Bangladeshi Greater London 2011 census.png|Asian-Bangladeshi

|File:Chinese Greater London 2011 census.png|Asian-Chinese

|File:African Greater London 2011 census.png|Black-African

|File:Caribbean Greater London 2011 census.png|Black-Caribbean

|File:Arab Greater London 2011 census.png|Other-Arab

}}

Racial breakdown of London

= White population of London =

At the 2021 census, the total White population of London stood at 3.2 million.{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

class="wikitable"

! colspan="5" |As of the 2011 census:

!

scope="col" style="width:170px;"|

!White British Population

!White Irish Population

!White Gypsy/Irish Traveller Population

!Other White Population

!Total White Population

Inner London

|1,130,882

| 66,808

| 1,946

| 534,723

|1,853,209

Outer London

| 2,429,018

| 100,809

| 5,141

| 499,258

|3,034,226

London

| 3,669,284

| 175,974

| 8,196

| 1,033,981

|4,887,435

Whites form a majority of London's population and are evenly spread. Bromley has the highest White British population as well as highest total White, while Newham has the lowest for both. Camden has the highest White Irish population, while Bexley has the highest White Gypsy/Irish Traveller population and Haringey has the highest for Other White (non-British/Irish/Gypsy/Irish Traveller white).{{cite web| url = http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls| title = [ARCHIVED CONTENT] UK Government Web Archive - The National Archives| access-date = 9 November 2020| archive-date = 8 January 2016| archive-url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160108131319/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls| url-status = live}}

The table below shows the population by numbers in the top 20 boroughs as reported in the 2021 census.{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/ethnicity/bulletins/ethnicgroupenglandandwales/census2021#toc |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

{{table alignment}}

class="wikitable sortable col2left" style="text-align:right;"

! rowspan=2|Rank

! rowspan=2|London Borough

! colspan=5|Population

White British

! White Irish

! White Gypsy
or Irish Traveller

! Other White

! Total White

1Bromley219,4934,95457826,719251,744
2Barnet140,7777,64417974,608223,208
3Wandsworth157,0488,06116355,131220,360
4Havering174,2322,89425919,496196,881
5Croydon146,2684,93521236,450187,865
6Bexley158,8242,52862014,872176,862
7Westminster119,3956,82814646,872173,241
8Enfield103,1405,96937461,280170,763
9Greenwich119,6654,23038535,844160,124
10Islington89,2618,51124859,009157,033
11Richmond upon Thames123,0934,8868522,667156,711
12Kingston upon Thames109,2536,02415641,208156,641
13Haringey88,4246,99737058,552154,343
14Lewisham111,7265,05511636,819153,716
15Hillingdon113,3775,58547927,255146,696
16Waltham Forest94,7664,23019846,433145,627
17Sutton120,0143,11813019,562142,824
18Ealing86,0927,06210840,634133,796
19Camden74,3489,31412844,285128,075
20Lambeth57,1623,7424950,276111,229

=Black population of London=

At the 2021 census, the total Black population of London stood at 1.5 million{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/ethnicity/bulletins/ethnicgroupenglandandwales/census2021#:~:text=333,000%20in%202011)-,%22Black,%20Black%20British,%20Black%20Welsh,%20Caribbean%20or%20African,%25,%20990,000%20in%202011). |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}} This is a rise of 1.8% from the 2011 census, when the population stood at 990,000.

Inner London and Outer London have a near-equal black population. The 2011 census is the first time that the black population in Outer London has overtaken that of Inner London:

class="wikitable"
scope="col" style="width:170px;"|

!Black African Population

!Black Caribbean Population

!Other Black Population

!Total Black Population

Inner London

|291,331

| 186,256

| 95,350

| 572,937

Outer London

| 288,892

| 163,826

| 76,033

| 528,751

London

| 580,223

| 350,082

| 171,383

| 1,101,688

The black population of London is noticeably concentrated in South London, with the four boroughs with the highest black populations overall all south of the river, and Greenwich also featuring inside the top 10. Southwark has the highest Black African population, Croydon has the highest Black Caribbean population, and Lambeth has the highest total black population in London. In Southwark, Greenwich and Newham, the Black African population is significantly higher than Black Caribbean; conversely, Lewisham and Brent are almost balanced, and Croydon is the only borough where the Black Caribbean population nearly exceeds the Black African one.

The twenty London boroughs with the highest total Black population (Black African, Black Caribbean and Other Black) are listed below:

{{table alignment}}

class="wikitable sortable col2left" style="text-align:right;"
rowspan=2|Rank

! rowspan=2|London Borough

!colspan=4|Population

Black African

!Black Caribbean

!Other Black

!Total Black

1Croydon40,21936,10812,11488,441
2Lewisham37,83431,88310,75680,473
3Southwark48,32018,15610,82377,511
4Lambeth37,35928,9919,79576,145
5Newham40,87413,5866,84261,302
6Enfield36,46316,9907,05960,512
7Brent31,07021,2587,16759,495
8Hackney29,47817,9037,26454,645
9Greenwich35,1648,0515,44048,655
10Haringey23,03718,0876,70647,830
11Barking and Dagenham35,1015,8245,88246,807
12Waltham Forest18,75917,5875,30141,647
13Ealing22,57812,8984,01539,491
14Wandsworth17,33011,3564,37633,062
15Barnet22,6704,9513,03130,651
16Islington18,0917,3683,28428,743
17Redbridge14,5738,4523,07126,096
18Hammersmith and Fulham13,2346,6262,58422,453
19Merton12,2187,6323,03722,887
20Hillingdon15,8445,7522,35923,955

=Asian population of London=

At the 2011 census, the total Asian population of London stood at 1,511,546.{{cite journal |date=11 December 2012 |title=Ethnic Groups in London |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |journal=Census Update |publisher=Office for National Statistics |volume=2011 |page=1 |access-date=12 December 2011}} This is a rise of 60% from the 2001 census, when the population stood at 947,425.

Outer London has a greater Asian population than Inner London:

class="wikitable"
scope="col" style="width:170px;"|

!Indian Population

!Pakistani Population

!Bangladeshi Population

!Chinese Population

!Other Asian Population

!Total Asian Population

Inner London

| 109,933

| 59,890

| 163,838

| 65,983

| 115,549

| 515,193

Outer London

| 432,924

| 163,907

| 58,289

| 58,267

| 282,966

| 996,353

London

| 542,857

| 223,797

| 222,127

| 124,250

| 398,515

| 1,511,546

The Asian population of London is noticeably concentrated in East and West London. Harrow has the highest Indian population, Redbridge has the highest Pakistani population, Tower Hamlets has the highest Bangladeshi population and Barnet has the highest Chinese population. Newham has the highest total Asian population in London. The twenty London boroughs with the highest total Asian population (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese and Other Asian) are listed below.

{{table alignment}}

class="wikitable sortable col2left" style="text-align:right;"
rowspan=2|Rank

! rowspan=2|London Borough

! colspan=6|Population

Indian

! Pakistani

! Bangladeshi

! Chinese

! Other Asian

! Total Asian

1Newham42,48430,30737,2623,93019,912133,895
2Redbridge45,66031,05116,0113,00020,781116,503
3Brent58,01714,3811,7493,25028,589105,986
4Tower Hamlets6,7872,44281,3778,1095,786104,501
5Harrow63,0517,7971,3782,62926,953101,808
6Ealing48,24014,7111,7864,13231,570100,439
7Hounslow48,16113,6762,1892,40520,82687,257
8Hillingdon36,7959,2002,6392,88917,73069,253
9Barnet27,9205,3442,2158,25922,18065,918
10Croydon24,66010,8652,5703,92517,60759,627
11Waltham Forest9,13426,3474,6322,57911,69754,389
12Merton8,1067,3372,2162,61815,86636,143
13Camden6,0831,48912,5036,4938,87835,446
14Enfield11,6482,5945,5992,58812,46434,893
15Southwark8,6429,7181,4933,7159,77033,338
16Wandsworth7,2132,3286,2995,91710,10531,862
17Greenwich7,8362,5941,6455,06112,75829,894
18Barking and Dagenham7,4368,0077,7011,3155,13529,594
19Westminster5,8191,6233,9128,0747,76427,192
20Kingston Upon Thames6,3253,0098922,88313,04326,152

=Foreign-born population=

At the 2011 census, 36.7% of London's population was foreign born (including 24.5% born outside of Europe),{{cite journal | title = A summary of countries of birth in London | journal = Census Update | publisher = Office for National Statistics | volume = 2011 | url = http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-qs203ew.xls | page =1 | date = 11 December 2012 | access-date = 12 December 2011 }} with 3,082,000 residents born abroad in 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/population-by-country-of-birth-and-nationality/2014/rft-table-5-pop-by-cob-jan-14-to-dec-14.xls|title=UK Government Web Archive|website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk|access-date=8 March 2024}} London has the largest population number (not percentage) of foreign-born residents of any UK city.

class="wikitable"
rowspan=2|

! colspan=2|Born in the UK

! colspan=2|Foreign-born

Number%Number%
Inner London

| 2,012,000

57.8

| 1,325,000

42.2
Outer London

| 3,348,000

66.9

| 1,757,000

33.1
style="border-top: 2px solid black;"

| London (total)

| 5,359,000

63.3

| 3,082,000

36.7

Significant ethnic minority communities

=Afghans=

There is an Afghan refugee community in London.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/if-country-safe-would-never-15499479|title='Idiots tell me to leave' - Life as an Afghan refugee in London|first=Frederica|last=Miller|date=17 December 2018|website=My London|access-date=8 March 2024}}

=Arabs=

File:London- Whitechapel- St Mark St- Halal Restaurant- Außenansicht 20.8.2016.jpg Restaurant in the district of Whitechapel]]

{{see also|British Arabs}}

Significant migration from Arab countries to the UK began in the 1940s, mostly by Egyptians. Other waves followed, such as Lebanese fleeing the civil war. The centre of London has a thriving Arab community, centred around Edgware Road.{{cite web|title=Arabic London|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/27/arabic_london_feature.shtml|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 May 2016|date=30 April 2008}}

=Bangladeshis=

{{see also|British Bangladeshi}}

File:Brick Lane - London.jpg

A major wave of immigration began in the 1970s, as people from the Sylhet Division arrived in London, fleeing poverty and the Bangladesh Liberation War. Many settled around Spitalfields and Whitechapel, where they entered the textile trade. This trade has declined causing unemployment, but the community has moved into other businesses, including restaurants and banking. The level of immigration peaked in 1986 and has since entered a decline with the introduction of stricter immigration laws.

The community remains concentrated around Whitechapel and has spread into other east London boroughs. London as a city is home to the single largest number of people of Bangladeshi origin outside of Bangladesh, with close to 200,000 individuals being of full Bangladeshi origin in 2007.

The community also annually hosts Europe's largest outdoor Asian event known as the Boishakhi Mela in Bethnal Green as part of the Bengali New Year celebrations.

=Chinese=

{{main|Chinese community in London}}

{{Further|British Chinese|Chinatown, London}}

Chinese people constitute the fourth largest Asian group in London (behind the Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis respectively); numbering 114,800 in 2007, they are spread more or less across the entire city and have become successful in British life, especially when it comes to cuisine. The history of the Chinese in London is long and complex, with the first Chinese people arriving in the city in the 19th century as sailors.

=Germans=

{{see also|Germans in the United Kingdom}}

File:Douglas House - geograph.org.uk - 1176148.jpg in Petersham, which houses the German School London]]

Fiona Moore, author of "The German School in London, UK: Fostering the Next Generation of National Cosmopolitans?", wrote circa 2012 that the London German community "relies on subtle network connections rather than the displaying of obvious membership traits", since London Germans attended the same churches, joined the same clubs, and sent their children to the same schools.Moore, Google Books [https://books.google.com/books?id=f5Sa31fBsocC&pg=PT89 PT89] (actual page number unstated). According to Moore this aspect was likely influenced by the outcomes of World War I and World War II, resulting in encouragement for UK-based Germans "to try to blend in to a greater degree than elsewhere."

As of 2012 the German business and expatriate community is centred on the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which houses the German School London (DSL) and most German expatriates residing in London. Moore wrote that the borough "does not immediately show signs of hosting a German community" due to a lack of obvious German businesses and storefronts, but that most residents know of the location of the DSL and that there are "more subtle signs of German presence."Moore, Google Books [https://books.google.com/books?id=f5Sa31fBsocC&pg=PT90 PT90] (actual page number unstated).

As of 2012, German expatriates are located throughout London. As of that year, some of them do not go to the Borough of Richmond upon Thames even though the centre of the German community is located there.

=Ghanaians=

{{see also|Ghanaian British}}

Besides Nigerians, Ghanaians are one of the largest Black African groups in London, with the majority living in the boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth, Newham, Hackney, Haringey, Lewisham, Merton, Waltham Forest, Croydon, Enfield and Brent.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OHg2eXlVMykC&q=ghanaians+in+britain&pg=PA158 |title=Ghanaian London |access-date=3 January 2010|isbn=978-0-7546-4841-3|year=2008|last1=Arthur |first1=Mr John |publisher=Ashgate Publishing }}

=Greeks=

{{see also|Greek British}}

According to the "History of London's Greek community" by Jonathan Harris,{{Cite web|date=2006-09-29|title=History of the Greek Community that found the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia (Divine Wisdom)|url=http://www.stsophia.org.uk/greekcommunity.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929140547/http://www.stsophia.org.uk/greekcommunity.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-09-29|access-date=2021-06-01}} the Greek population of London numbered several thousand by 1870 AD whereas in 1850 AD it was just a few hundred. The 2001 Census recorded 12,360 Greek-born people living in London, with particular concentrations in the Hyde Park, Regent's Park, Chelsea and Kensington Census tracts.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/born_abroad/countries/html/greece.stm|title=Born abroad: Greece|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 December 2008 | date=7 September 2005}}

The Census tracts with the highest number of Cypriot-born people in 2001 were Palmers Green, Upper Edmonton, Cockfosters, Lower Edmonton, Tottenham North and Tottenham South.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/born_abroad/countries/html/cyprus.stm|title=Born abroad: Cyprus|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 December 2008 | date=7 September 2005}} Many Greek-Cypriots reside in Wood Green, Harringay and Palmers Green, the latter harbouring the largest community of Greek-Cypriots outside Cyprus, resulting in these areas bearing local nicknames whereby the Green is replaced by Greek – as in Greek Lanes and Palmers Greek."[http://www.yell.com/find/DoFindLocations/lo/uk+London+Palmers-Green Things you didn't know about... Palmers Green]", {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026222548/http://www.yell.com/find/DoFindLocations/lo/UK+London+Palmers-Green |date=26 October 2008 }} Yellow Pages"[http://uktv.co.uk/food/stepbystep/aid/601903 Greek in Palmers Green]", UKTV"[http://trustedplaces.com/places/uk/london/palmers+green Palmers Green] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829103708/http://trustedplaces.com/places/uk/london/palmers+green |date=29 August 2009 }}", Trusted Places

According to a City of London Corporation sponsored report,Philip Baker & John Eversley, Multilingual Capital, commissioned by City of London Corporation, published by Battlebridge 2000. there are between 280,600 and 310,000 Greek speakers in Greater London.

The Greek Primary School of London and the Greek Secondary School of London both serve the community.

=Indians=

{{main|British Indian|Indian community of London}}

British Indians have long been one of London's largest ethnic minority groups and in 2007 over 500,000 Indians were residing in London (this excludes people of half or less Indian origin). Around 7% of London's population is of Indian origin. Indians have been in the British capital for generations and come from all walks of life. They are influential in the city's culture and are major contributors to London's workforce and economy.

Southall, Hounslow and Wembley have significant Indian populations.

=Irish=

{{see also|Irish migration to Great Britain}}

Irish migration to Great Britain has a lengthy history due to the close proximity of, and complex relationship between, the islands of Ireland and Great Britain and the various political entities that have ruled them. Today, millions of residents of Great Britain are either from the island of Ireland or have Irish ancestry. Around six million Britons have an Irish grandfather or grandmother (approximately 10% of the UK population).{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/britain/article/0,,1871753,00.html |title=Six million Britons are entitled to Irish citizenship |work=The Guardian |date= 13 September 2006|access-date=3 January 2010 | location=London | first=Owen | last=Bowcott}} 900,000 ethnic Irish people live in the capital (12% of the city's population); despite this, some sources put the population of people of Irish descent in London at 77% (some five and a half million people), although the White British and White Irish populations combined are less than this.{{cite web|url=http://www.merseyreporter.com/history/historic/irish-immigration.shtml |title=Irish in London |publisher=Merseyreporter.com |access-date=3 January 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1224611.stm |title=Irish in London 2 |publisher=BBC News |date=16 March 2001 |access-date=3 January 2010}} The highest numbers of the Irish population is in the London boroughs of Camden and Islington.

=Jamaicans=

{{See also|Jamaican British}}

There are records that show black people, predominantly from Jamaica, living in London during the 17th and 18th centuries; but it was not until the arrival of the {{HMT|Empire Windrush}}, on 22 June 1948, that significant numbers of Caribbeans, in particular Jamaicans, arrived in the capital. This has since become an important landmark in the history of modern multicultural Britain. During the post World War II era, the presence of the Caribbean Community was requested to help reconstruct the British economy. Employers such as British Rail, the NHS and London transport recruited almost exclusively from Jamaica. Some 250,000 Londoners are of Jamaican origin.{{cite web|url=http://www.iomlondon.org/doc/mapping/IOM_JAMAICA.pdf |title=Jamaica Mapping Exercise |publisher=International Organization for Migration |access-date=22 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511105031/http://www.iomlondon.org/doc/mapping/IOM_JAMAICA.pdf |archive-date=11 May 2011 }} Brixton and Harlesden are considered the community's cultural capitals.{{Cite web|title=African Caribbean Culture In The United Kingdom Marketing Essay|url=https://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/african-caribbean-culture-in-the-united-kingdom-marketing-essay.php|access-date=2021-06-01|website=UKEssays.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=joysigaud|date=2020-10-13|title=Black London, Harlesden Through The Lens|url=https://editionbhm.com/2020/10/13/through-the-lens-black-london-harlesden-a-black-history-month-focus/|access-date=2021-06-01|website=Editions Lifestyle Black History Month & Windrush Magazines, Newsletters|language=en-US}}

=Japanese=

{{main|Japanese community of London}}

File:Japanese School in London-000.jpg]]

Junko Sakai, author of Japanese Bankers in the City of London: Language, Culture and Identity in the Japanese Diaspora, stated that there is no particular location for the Japanese community in London, but that the families of Japanese "company men" have a tendency of living in North London and West London. Japanese restaurants and shops are located around these groups of Japanese people.Sakai, [https://books.google.com/books?id=jqRtFUJZ6IoC&dq=Japanese+School+London&pg=PT67 Page unstated] (PT67). "Although the Japanese have no precise geographical location for their community, they are connected with each other personally, and one of their geographical centres is the Japanese school in London, previously in North London and now in West Acton."

=Jews=

{{main|British Jews}}

Jews are an ethnic and religious minority, and are protected under the Race Relations Act.{{cite web| url = https://www.thejc.com/comment/opinion/are-jews-an-ethnic-minority-the-bbc-doesn-t-think-so-1.441775| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201109131700/https://www.thejc.com/comment/opinion/are-jews-an-ethnic-minority-the-bbc-doesn-t-think-so-1.441775| archive-date = 2020-11-09| title = Are Jews an ethnic minority? The BBC doesn't think so - The Jewish Chronicle}}{{Cite web|date=2013-08-16|title=British Jews are urged to 'rebrand' as ethnic minority|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/british-jews-are-urged-rebrand-ethnic-minority-284596.html|access-date=2021-06-01|website=The Independent|language=en}} London has the second largest Jewish community in Europe after Paris, numbering some 160,000, particularly in North London. Districts with a high concentration include Finchley, Mill Hill, Edgware, Stanmore, Golders Green, Hendon, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Highgate, and further east the Hasidic-strong exclave in Stamford Hill & South Tottenham.

=Koreans=

{{see also|British Koreans}}

File:Kmart.jpg]]

As of 2014 there were about 10,000 ethnic Koreans in New Malden proper,Fischer, Paul. "[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-korean-republic-of-new-malden-how-surrey-became-home-to-the-70-year-old-conflict-10063055.html The Korean Republic of New Malden: How Surrey became home to the 70 year-old conflict]." The Independent. Monday 23 February 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015. and as of the same year the Korean population in the area around New Malden is around 20,000, including about 600 originating from North Korea, giving it the largest group of North Koreans in Europe.Parrish, Charlie. "[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/11142969/Why-is-New-Malden-home-to-more-North-Koreans-than-any-other-place-in-Europe.html Why is New Malden home to more North Koreans than any other place in Europe?]" The Daily Telegraph. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2015. Many of the Koreans living in New Malden work for Korean companies, and they are either permanently settled and formerly expatriate, or they are still expatriates.Moore, Fiona. "The German School in London, UK: Fostering the Next Generation of National Cosmopolitans?" (Chapter 4). In: Coles, Anne and Anne-Meike Fechter. Gender and Family Among Transnational Professionals (Routledge International Studies of Women and Place). Routledge, 6 August 2012. {{ISBN|1134156200}}, 9781134156207. CITED: Google Books [https://books.google.com/books?id=f5Sa31fBsocC&pg=PT90 PT90]. In 2015 Paul Fischer of The Independent wrote that the North Koreans were insular, and that there were tensions between the South Korean majority and the North Koreans in New Malden.

The New Malden area has Korean-language churches and nursery schools as well as restaurants and shops with Korean clientele.Moore, Fiona. "The German School in London, UK: Fostering the Next Generation of National Cosmopolitans?" (Chapter 4). In: Coles, Anne and Anne-Meike Fechter. Gender and Family Among Transnational Professionals (Routledge International Studies of Women and Place). Routledge, 6 August 2012. {{ISBN|1134156200}}, 9781134156207. CITED: Google Books [https://books.google.com/books?id=f5Sa31fBsocC&pg=PT89 PT89]-[https://books.google.com/books?id=f5Sa31fBsocC&pg=PT90 PT90]. The area has Korean supermarkets, about 20 Korean restaurants and cafes, including those serving bulgogi. It also has a noraebang (Karaoke bar). The Korean language is visible on several shop signs. The original Embassy of South Korea to the United Kingdom is in Malden.

Some factors cited in The Telegraph as reasons why the Korean community formed in New Malden included a 1950s joint venture partnership between a chaebol and Racal Avionics (formerly Decca), Lord Chancellor's Walk in Coombe Lane West previously serving as the residence of the Ambassador of South Korea to the United Kingdom, and Samsung Electronics having its UK offices in New Malden until they moved to their current location in Chertsey, Surrey in 2005. Many Koreans settled in New Malden in the 1970s due to the ambassador's location.

There is a newspaper published in New Malden, Free NK, which is opposed to the government of North Korea.

=Lithuanians=

{{see also|Lithuanians in the United Kingdom}}

File:Lithuanian Roman Catholic Church of St. Casimir - geograph.org.uk - 1717292.jpg in Cambridge Heath]]

The Lithuanian community in London goes back to at least the early 20th century. Most of the community came in a wave of Eastern European immigration in the 2000s, after Lithuania joined the European Union.{{cite web|url=http://global.truelithuania.com/london-england-united-kingdom-212/|title=London, England|publisher=Global True Lithuania|access-date=3 January 2017}}

Most of London's Lithuanians live in the boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest, with smaller numbers elsewhere. The main Lithuanian-speaking Roman Catholic church, St Casimir's, however, lies in Cambridge Heath.

=Nigerians=

{{see also|Nigerian British}}

London (in particular the southern boroughs) is home to the largest Nigerian community in the UK, and possibly the largest overseas Nigerian community in the world. The first recorded Nigerian in London was Olaudah Equiano who came to Britain after escaping from slavery over 200 years ago, becoming a member of the abolitionist Sons of Africa group.

In the mid-20th century a wave of Nigerian immigrants came to London. Civil and political unrest in the country contributed to numerous refugees arriving in England.{{cite web|author=Nigerian London |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/26/nigerian_london_feature.shtml |title=Nigerian London |publisher=BBC |date=20 August 2008 |access-date=3 January 2010}} The vast majority of famous and notable British people of Nigerian origin were either born in or now live in London.

Peckham (also known as Little Lagos and Yorubatown) is home to one of the largest overseas Nigerian communities in the world; many of the local establishments are Yoruba-owned. Nigerian churches and mosques can be found in the area. As immigrants become assimilated, English is becoming the predominant language of the local Nigerian British population. The Yoruba language is declining in use in the Peckham area despite the increasing Nigerian population.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4182341.stm |title=Little Lagos in south London |publisher=BBC News |date=25 January 2005 |access-date=17 May 2017}} In 2001, about 7% of Peckham's population was born in Nigeria.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/born_abroad/countries/html/nigeria.stm |title=UK statistics on Nigerian-born people in Britain |publisher=BBC News |date= 7 September 2005|access-date=3 January 2010}} A much larger proportion of the ward's 60% Black population is of Nigerian descent, as 40% are of other African descent.{{cite web |author=Neighbourhood Statistics |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6077579&c=Peckham&d=14&e=13&g=345427&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1221757936437&enc=1&dsFamilyId=47 |title=Pecham Ethnicity, 2001 |publisher=Neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=3 January 2010 |archive-date=29 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329000728/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6077579&c=Peckham&d=14&e=13&g=345427&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1221757936437&enc=1&dsFamilyId=47 |url-status=dead }}

=Pakistanis=

{{main|Pakistani community of London}}

File:Ethnic Food London.jpg

Pakistanis in London form the largest concentrated community of British Pakistanis; immigration from regions which now form Pakistan predate Pakistan's independence.{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/26/pakistan_london_feature.shtml | title = Pakistani London | publisher = BBC | date = 26 May 2005 | access-date = 18 September 2013}} The main concentrations of Pakistani settlement in London are found in Outer London with the boroughs of Redbridge, Newham and Waltham Forest accounting for nearly a third of Londoners of Pakistani descent.

=Polish=

{{see also|Poles in the United Kingdom}}

File:Tablica Bobola.JPG]]

London has had a notable Polish community since the Second World War. Many of the migrants from Poland in the 1940s were soldiers and their families. The Polish Government in Exile was based in London until it was dissolved in 1991 following the restoration of democracy in Poland. In the 2000s a wave of Polish immigrants came to Britain, including London, after Poland joined the European Union. As of 2016, Poles now account for about 4.5 per cent of London's foreign-born population.{{cite web|url=http://londonist.com/2016/06/what-do-london-s-poles-feel-about-brexit|title=What do London's Poles feel about Brexit?|publisher=Londonist|date=29 June 2016|access-date=2 January 2017}}

The boroughs of Ealing, Enfield, Kensington and Chelsea, Haringey, Lambeth, Lewisham and Wandsworth have significant numbers of Poles residing in them. The Church of the Evangelist in Putney is one of several Polish-speaking Roman Catholic churches in London, and the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith is the community's main centre. Polish shops, with their distinctive red and white signs accompanied by words in the Polish language, can be found in many parts of London.{{cite news|url=http://calvertjournal.com/comment/show/6397/brexit-polish-shops-london|title=Opinion: will Brexit spell the demise of Polish shops in London?|work=Calvert Journal|date=14 July 2016|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-date=3 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103170257/http://calvertjournal.com/comment/show/6397/brexit-polish-shops-london|url-status=dead}}

=Romanian=

There has been a growing Romanian community in London since World War II. In the 2000s a wave of Romanian immigrants came to the UK, including London, after Romania joined the European Union.

A particularly concentrated community exists in the Edgware-London suburb of Burnt Oak which has gained the nickname "Little Romania" or "Little Bucharest".{{cite web|last=McNamara|first=Paul|date=1 December 2016|title=Immigration: The suburb in London dubbed 'Little Romania'|url=https://www.channel4.com/news/immigration-the-suburb-in-london-dubbed-little-romania|access-date=15 August 2021|website=Channel 4 News}} Most Romanians belong to the Romanian Orthodox religion.{{cite web|url=https://www.sfgheorghelondra.org.uk/ro/|title=Parohia Sf. Gheorghe Londra|language=Romanian|website=sfgheorghelondra.org.uk|date=April 2, 2025}}

=Romanis=

{{see also|Romani people in the United Kingdom}}

Romani people are concentrated in north and east London. Approximately 30,000 Roma and Travellers live in London.{{cite web|url=https://www.londongypsiesandtravellers.org.uk|title=London Gypsies and Travellers|website=londongypsiesandtravellers.org.uk}}

=Russians=

{{see also|Russians in the United Kingdom}}

=Sri Lankans=

{{see also|British Sri Lankans}}

There is a large Sri Lankan community in London. The population of Sri Lankans in London was 50,000 in 2001 and 84,000 in 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/born_abroad/countries/html/sri_lanka.stm|title=BBC NEWS | UK | Born Abroad | Sri Lanka|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=8 March 2024}}{{Cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.1080%2F19438192.2018.1505065|doi = 10.1080/19438192.2018.1505065|title = The Sri Lankan community of descent in the UK: A neglected population in demographic and health research|year = 2019|last1 = Aspinall|first1 = Peter J.|journal = South Asian Diaspora|volume = 11|pages = 51–65|s2cid = 149483258|url-access = subscription}} British Sri Lankans in London (mainly Tamils) can be found in Harrow (West London) and Tooting (South London).{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2010/01/21/next-year-in-jaffna|title = Next year in Jaffna|newspaper = The Economist|date = 21 January 2010}} They have a long presence in the UK dating back to the colonial times in the 19th century.{{cite thesis |last=Wijenayake |first=Nandasinghe Arachchige Jitendra |date=2019 |title=The Sinhalese Buddhist diaspora in the United Kingdom: negotiating Sinhalese identity |url=https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/11772/1/2019nandasinghephd.pdf|type=PhD |oclc=1197754531 |access-date=3 March 2023|publisher=Liverpool John Moores University}} However, the majority came as refugees during the Sri Lankan Civil War.{{cite web |url=https://snis.ch/system/files/children_of_refugees.pdf |title=The children of refugees in Europe: aspirations, social and economic lives, identity and transnational linkages |website=snis.ch |access-date=27 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514124240/https://snis.ch/system/files/children_of_refugees.pdf |archive-date=14 May 2016 |url-status=dead}}

=South Africans=

More than 53,000 South Africans live in London.{{cite web | last=McLaughlin | first=Connor | title=UK the second most popular destination for emigrating South Africans | website=South West Londoner | date=21 June 2021 | url=https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/21062021-uk-the-second-most-popular-destination-for-emigrating-south-africans#:~:text=The%20UK%20has%20one%20of,over%2053%2C000%20in%20London%20alone | access-date=8 March 2024}}

=Thai=

{{see also|Thais in the United Kingdom}}

=Turkish=

{{main|Turkish community of London|British Turks}}

London is home to the largest Turkish community in the UK. The boroughs of Enfield, Haringey and Hackney have a significant number of Turkish inhabitants. A large Turkish-Cypriot community is also present in boroughs of South London such as Lambeth and Croydon.

= Uzbeks =

{{See also|Central Asians in the United Kingdom}}

Gallery

File:St Patrick's Day - Trafalgar Square March 2006.jpg|London's Irish community celebrating Saint Patrick's Day.

Image:Chinatown.london.700px.jpg|Chinatown, London during Chinese new year.

Image:KibrisYuruyus.jpg|London Turks protesting.

Image:Crowds_in_the_Baishakhi_Mela_Big_Tent.jpg|London Bangladeshis at Baishakhi Mela.

Image:Notting Hill Carnival 2002 large.jpg|Kittitian and Nevisian street dancers at the Notting Hill Carnival.

File:Colombianfestivaluk.jpg|Large numbers of Colombians live in London.

Image:Polish shop, West Ealing.JPG|A Polish shop in Ealing.

{{clear}}

See also

{{Portal|London}}

Notes

{{reflist|group=Note}}

References

  • Moore, Fiona. "The German School in London, UK: Fostering the Next Generation of National Cosmopolitans?" (Chapter 4). In: Coles, Anne and Anne-Meike Fechter. Gender and Family Among Transnational Professionals (Routledge International Studies of Women and Place). Routledge, 6 August 2012. {{ISBN|1134156200}}, 9781134156207.

= Reference notes =

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • Cherti, Miriam. [https://books.google.com/books?id=lf1YAQAAQBAJ&q=Moroccans+in+Paris Paradoxes of Social Capital: A Multi-generational Study of Moroccans in London] (IMISCOE dissertations Sussex theses; S 6271). Amsterdam University Press, 2008. {{ISBN|9053560327}}, 9789053560327.