demographics of London

{{See also|History of London}}

Through the London Government Act of 1963, the Greater London region was established officially in 1965.{{Cite web |title=A Beginners Guide to UK Geography (2021) v1.0 |url=https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk/documents/a-beginners-guide-to-uk-geography-2021-v1-0-1/explore |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=geoportal.statistics.gov.uk |page=12 |language=en-us}}

From 1997 onwards, London has experienced a drastic change in the composition of the city's population, which has off set the decline of the population which had been occurring {{Citation needed|reason=No data to back this up being from 1997|date=January 2024}}. In 1991, 21.7% of the city was foreign born but by 2011 this had risen to 36.7%.

In 2011, a historic tipping point occurred with the release of the 2011 census indicating that the White British population, which had before been the majority, was now no longer a majority of the city's population, although it remained by far the largest single ethnic group.{{Cite news |date=2013-02-20 |title=Why have the white British left London? |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-21511904 |access-date=2022-12-12}}

File:Population growth in London between 2011 to 2021.svg

{{Historical populations

|source = {{cn|date=July 2025}}

| 1801|1011157

| 1811|1197673

| 1821|1450122

| 1831|1729949

| 1841|1917013

| 1851|2286609

| 1861|3094391

| 1871|3902178

| 1881|4709960

| 1891|5565856

| 1901|6226494

| 1911|7157875

| 1921|7553526

| 1931|8098942

| 1941|7987936

| 1951|8164416

| 1961|7781342

| 1971|7449184

| 1981|6608513

| 1991|6887280

| 2001|7172036

| 2011|8173941

| 2021|8799800

}}{{See also|History of London#Population{{!}}Historical population of London}}

The historical population for the current area of Greater London, divided into the statistical areas of Inner and Outer London is as follows:

{{hatnote|(click "show" to expand)}}

File:London population pyramid from 2001 to 2020.gif

File:Barking and Dagenham population pyramid.svg|Barking and Dagenham

File:Barnet population pyramid.svg|Barnet

File:Bexley population pyramid.svg|Bexley

File:Brent population pyramid.svg|Brent

File:Bromley population pyramid.svg|Bromley

File:Camden population pyramid.svg|Camden

File:City of London population pyramid.svg|City of London

File:Croydon population pyramid.svg|Croydon

File:Ealing population pyramid.svg|Ealing

File:Enfield population pyramid.svg|Enfield

File:Hackney population pyramid.svg|Hackney

File:Greenwich population pyramid.svg|Greenwich

File:Harrow population pyramid.svg|Harrow

File:Hammersmith and Fulham population pyramid.svg|Hammersmith and Fulham

File:Haringey population pyramid.svg|Haringey

File:Hillingdon population pyramid.svg|Hillingdon

File:Havering population pyramid.svg|Havering

File:Hounslow population pyramid.svg|Hounslow

File:Islington population pyramid.svg|Islington

File:Kensington and Chelsea population pyramid.svg|Kensington and Chelsea

File:Kingston upon Thames population pyramid.svg|Kingston upon Thames

File:Lambeth population pyramid.svg|Lambeth

File:Lewisham population pyramid.svg|Lewisham

File:Merton population pyramid.svg|Merton

File:Newham population pyramid.svg|Newham

File:Redbridge population pyramid.svg|Redbridge

File:Richmond upon Thames population pyramid.svg|Richmond upon Thames

File:Southwark population pyramid.svg|Southwark

File:Sutton population pyramid.svg|Sutton

File:Waltham Forest population pyramid.svg|Waltham Forest

File:Tower Hamlets population pyramid.svg|Tower Hamlets

File:Wandsworth population pyramid.svg|Wandsworth

File:Westminster population pyramid.svg|Westminster

File:Under 15s in London.svg|Under 15s in London

File:15 to 64 year olds (working age population) in London.svg|15 to 64 year olds

File:Over 65s in London.svg|Over 64 years old

File:Fertility rate of each London borough in 2021.svg

In 2023, a total of 104,252 live births occurred within the city. The fertility rate of London in 2023 was 1.35, which is below replacement.{{Cite web |title=Births in England and Wales: birth registrations - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/birthsinenglandandwalesbirthregistrations |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

File:Teenage conception rate in London.svg|Teenage conception rate in London

File:Population Density London 2011 Census.png

The population density of London was 5,727 per km2 in 2011.{{Cite web |title=Demography, London's Population & Geography - Trust For London |url=https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/data/geography-population/ |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=Trust for London}}

At the 2001 census, the population of the Greater London Urban Area was 8,278,251.{{cite web |title=KS01 Usual resident population: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8271&More=Y |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311050212/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8271&More=Y |archive-date=11 March 2005 |publisher=Office for National Statistics}} This area does not include some outliers within Greater London, but does extend into the adjacent South East England and East of England regions. In 2004 the London Plan of the Mayor of London defined a metropolitan region with a population of 18 million.{{cite web |author=Mayor of London |title=The London Plan |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/sds/ |publisher=Greater London Authority}} Eurostat has developed a harmonising standard for comparing metropolitan areas in the European Union and the population of the London Larger Urban Zone is 11,917,000; it occupies an area of {{convert|8920|km2|mi2}}. Another definition gives the population of the metropolitan area as 13,709,000.{{cite web |date=March 2007 |title=British urban pattern: population data |url=http://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/ESPON2006Projects/StudiesScientificSupportProjects/UrbanFunctions/fr-1.4.3_April2007-final.pdf#page=119 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002318/http://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/ESPON2006Projects/StudiesScientificSupportProjects/UrbanFunctions/fr-1.4.3_April2007-final.pdf#page=119 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=22 February 2010 |work=ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions |publisher=European Spatial Planning Observation Network |page=119 |format=pdf |df=dmy-all}}

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 1990s, 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}}

File:London ethnic demographics from 1961 to 2021.gif

File:Ethnic makeup of London in single year age groups.svg

{{main|Ethnic groups in London}}

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

The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents from estimates in 1971 and in the 1991 – 2021 censuses in Greater London.

{{Gallery

|title=Distribution of ethnic groups in Greater London in the 2021 census

|width=225

|align=center

|White percentage of London from 2001 to 2021.gif|White (2001-2021)

|2021 White British London.png|White-British (2021)|London Irish.png|White-Irish (2021)|London Other White.png|White-Other White (2021)

|Asian percentage of London from 2001 to 2021.gif|Asian (2001-2021)|London Bangladeshis.png|Asian-Bangladeshi (2021)|London Chinese.png|Asian-Chinese (2021)|London Indians.png|Asian-Indian (2021)|London Pakistanis.png|Asian-Pakistani (2021)|Black percentage of London from 2001 to 2021.gif|Black (2001-2021)|London Africans.png|Black-African (2021)|London Caribbeans.png|Black-Caribbean (2021)|London Arabs.png|Other-Arab (2021)|London Other Ethnic Group.png|Other-Any Other Ethnic Group (2021)

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File:Population pyramid of London by ethnicity in 2021.svg

File:White total in London population pyramid 2021.svg|White: Total

File:White British in London population pyramid 2021.svg|White British

File:White Irish in London population pyramid 2021.svg|White Irish

File:White Other in London population pyramid 2021.svg|White Other

File:Asian total in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Asian: Total

File:Asian Bangladeshi in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Asian Bangladeshi

File:Asian Indian in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Asian Indian

File:Asian Pakistani in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Asian Pakistani

File:Asian Chinese in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Asian Chinese

File:Other Asian in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Other Asian

File:Black total in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Black: Total

File:Black Caribbean in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Black: Caribbean

File:Black African in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Black: African

File:Other Black in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Other Black

File:Mixed total in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Mixed: Total

File:Other total in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Other: Total

File:Other ethnic group in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Other: Any other ethnic group

File:Arabs in London population pyramid 2021.svg|Other: Arabs

Ethnicity of school pupils

{{hatnote|(click "show" to expand)}}

File:White total school children in London.svg|White: Total

File:White British school pupils percentage.svg|White: British

Ethnicity of births

This table shows the proportion of different multi-ethnic groups by London borough, as found in the 2021 census.

{{hatnote|(click "show" to expand)}}

File:1991 White percentage London.svg|1991 (79.8%)

File:White London 2001.png|2001 (71.2%)

File:2011 London White distribution.png|2011 (59.8%)

File:White London 2021.png|2021 (53.8%)

File:1991 Asian percentage London.svg|1991 (10.3%)

File:Asian London 2001.png|2001 (13.2%)

File:2011 London Asian distribution.png|2011 (18.5%)

File:Asian London 2021.png|2021 (20.8%)

File:1991 Black percentage London.svg|1991 (8%)

File:Black London 2001.png|2001 (10.9%)

File:2011 London Black %.png|2011 (13.3%)

File:Black London 2021.png|2021 (13.5%)

File:Foreign born in London over time.svg

File:Foreign born in London by age over time.gif

File:UK born and foreign born population pyramid in London in 2021.svg

File:Foreign born and UK born percentage of age groups in London.gif

The 2021 census recorded that 3,575,740 people or 40.7% of London's population are foreign-born (including 27.9% born in a non-European country).

{{hatnote|(click "show" to expand)}}

NOTE: The sub-categories included for each continent may not add up to their respective total amount because the sub categories are only supposed to show the most numerous country of birth from said area.

File:1901 Foreign born in London.svg|1901 (5% overall including Irish born)

File:1911 Foreign born in London.svg|1911 (5% overall including Irish born)

File:1921 Foreign born in London.svg|1921 (4% overall including Irish born)

File:1931 Foreign born in London.svg|1931 (5% overall including Irish born)

File:1951 Foreign born in London.svg|1951 (8% overall including Irish born)

File:Foreign born in London in 1961.svg|1961 (9.8%)

File:Foreign born in London in 1971.svg|1971 (15.3%)

File:Foreign born in London in 1981.svg|1981 (18.2%)

File:Foreign born in London in 1991.svg|1991 (21.7%)

File:Foreign born in London in 2001.svg|2001 (27.1%)

File:Foreign born in London in 2011.svg|2011 (36.7%)

File:Foreign born in London boroughs 2021.svg|2021 (40.7%)

File:Born to foreign born mothers - 2007 in London.svg|2007

File:Born to foreign born mothers - 2014 in London.svg|2014

File:Born to foreign born mothers - 2021 in London.svg|2021

File:London UK born population pyramid in 2021.svg|UK born

File:London foreign born population pyramid in 2021.svg|Foreign born: Total

File:English as main language in London 2021.svg

According to the 2011 Census, 6,083,420 or 77.9% of London's population aged 3 and over spoke English as a main language, with a further 1,406,912 (19.8%) speaking it as a second language or well to very well.{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6275062&c=london&d=13&e=14&g=6317304&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1366204035196&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2500|title=Proficiency in English, 2011 (QS205EW)|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=17 April 2013|archive-date=12 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112005742/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6275062&c=london&d=13&e=14&g=6317304&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1366204035196&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2500|url-status=dead}} 271,693 (3.5%) could not speak English well, while 47,917 (0.6%) could not speak English at all. 2,456 (<0.1%) spoke other UK minority languages, with the most common being Welsh and 2,926 (<0.1%) used British Sign Language.{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6275062&c=london&d=13&e=13&g=6317304&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1366204606210&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2528|title=Main Language (detailed), 2011 (QS204EW)|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=17 April 2013|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050835/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6275062&c=london&d=13&e=13&g=6317304&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1366204606210&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2528|url-status=dead}} This shows also great challenges for TfL and other government services, for example most ticket vending machines use only English, French and up to 2 other western Europe hemisphere languages, while as shown below most demand is for Indian languages, Polish, etc.

The most common main languages spoken in Greater London according to the 2011 and 2021 censuses are shown below.{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/qs204ew |title=Download:local authorities: county / unitary |publisher=NOMIS |access-date=5 September 2014}}

{{main|Religion in London}}

File:Religious makeup of London in single year age groups.svg

London's religious landscape over the past two decades has undergone significant change. In 2001, Christians constituted the majority at 58.23%, but by 2021, this percentage had declined to 40.66%. Meanwhile, the population identifying with no religion saw a significant increase, rising from 15.76% in 2001 to 27.05% in 2021. This shift suggests a growing trend of secularization in the city.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

The Muslim population also experienced notable growth, increasing from 8.46% in 2001 to 14.99% in 2021. The number of individuals who chose not to state their religion slightly fluctuated during these years, from 8.66% in 2001 to 7.00% in 2021.

Hinduism saw steady growth, constituting 4.07% of the population in 2001 and rising to 5.15% in 2021. The Jewish community remained relatively stable but saw a slight decline from 2.09% to 1.65% over the same period. Sikhism also experienced growth, albeit modest, from 1.45% in 2001 to 1.64% in 2021. Other religions, including Buddhism, collectively accounted for small but fluctuating percentages, with Buddhism specifically ranging from 0.76% in 2001 to 0.88% in 2021.

These changes are influenced by various factors, including immigration, generational attitudes, and broader social trends.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

{{Gallery

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

|width=225

|align=center

|File:Christianity_Greater_London_2011_census.png|Christianity

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

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

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

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

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

|File:Other Religion Greater London 2011 census.png|Other religion

|File:Noreligion Greater London 2011 census.png|No religion

}}

File:Population pyramid of London by religion in 2021.svg

File:Christian population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|Christian

File:No religion population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|No religion

File:No answer population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|None stated

File:Muslim population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|Muslim

File:Hindu population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|Hindu

File:Buddhist population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|Buddhist

File:Sikh population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|Sikh

File:Jewish population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|Jewish

File:Other religion population pyramid in 2021 in London.svg|Other religion

Ethnicity by religion

{{reflist|group="Note"}}

In 2019, a total of 29,139 marriages occurred within London.{{Cite web |title=Marriages in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/marriagecohabitationandcivilpartnerships/datasets/marriagesinenglandandwales2013 |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

In 2020, 27.7% of conceptions were aborted in the city.{{Cite web |title=Conceptions in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/conceptionandfertilityrates/bulletins/conceptionstatistics/2020#conceptions-numbers-and-rates= |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

File:Percentage of conceptions aborted in London.svg|Percentage of conceptions aborted in London by each borough in 2020

File:Abortion rates by age group in London.svg|Abortion rates by age group in London

In 2021, the suicide rate in total was 6.6 for every 100,000 people.{{Cite web |title=Suicides in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2021registrations |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}} For males this was 9.9 and for females this was 3.4.

File:Age standardised suicide rates in London.svg|Suicide rates in London

File:Drug misuse rate in London.svg|Drug misuse rate in London

File:Percentage of Year 6s obese in 2020 in London.svg|Percentage of Year 6s obese in 2020 in London

File:Percentage of Reception age children obese in 2020 in London.svg|Percentage of Reception age children obese in 2020

The vast majority of people within London work in the service sector.{{Cite web |title=Five facts about... The UK service sector - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/articles/fivefactsabouttheukservicesector/2016-09-29 |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

File:Employment rate in London.svg|Employment rate in London

File:Unemployment rate in London.svg|Unemployment rate in London

File:GDHI across London in 2020.svg|Gross Disposable Household Income (GDHI) across London in 2020

File:Employment in public or private sector in London.svg|Employment in public or private sector in London

File:London's industry over time.svg

Method of transportation to work

Note: The proportion of people working from home in 2021 was distorted by the rules surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hours worked weekly

Distance to travel to work

Note: The proportion of people working from home in 2021 was distorted by the rules surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic.

File:National identity makeup of London by single year ages in 2021.svg

Note: The order of options for the census question on national identity was changed between 2011 and 2021. In 2011 "English only" was the first group listed whereas in 2021 "British only" was first instead.{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group, national identity, language, and religion quality information for Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/ethnicity/methodologies/ethnicgroupnationalidentitylanguageandreligionqualityinformationforcensus2021 |access-date=31 May 2023 |website=Office for National Statistics}}

File:London English only identity population pyramid in 2021.svg|English only identity

File:London English and British identity population pyramid in 2021.svg|English and British identity

File:London British only identity population pyramid in 2021.svg|British only identity

File:London UK and non-UK identity population pyramid in 2021.svg|UK and non-UK identity

File:London Non-UK only identity population pyramid in 2021.svg|Non-UK only identity

{{multiple image

| caption_align = center

| header_align = center

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| width = 200

| header = Tenure in London according to the 2021 census

| image1 = Tenure - Owned household in London in 2021.png

| alt1 = Owned: Total

| caption1 = Owned household: Total (46.8%)

| image2 = Private rent in London in 2021.png

| alt2 = Privately rented

| caption2 = Privately rented (30%)

| image3 = Social rent in London in 2021.png

| alt3 = Socially rented

| caption3 = Socially rented (23.1%)

}}

{{Portal|England|London}}

• Demographics of the United Kingdom
• Demographics of England
• Demographics of Birmingham
• Demographics of Greater Manchester
• Religion in London
• Religion in England
• List of English cities by population
• List of English districts by population
• List of English districts and their ethnic composition
• List of English districts by area
• List of English districts by population density

{{reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demography Of London}}

Category:Geography of London

London

London

Category:History of London