White British
Encyclopedia
White British was an ethnicity classification
used in the 2001 United Kingdom Census
. As a result of the census, 50,366,497 people (85.7% of the population) in the United Kingdom were classified as White British. In Scotland the classification was broken down into two different categories: White Scottish and Other White British. The classification did not appear in Northern Ireland where the comparable classification is described simply as White. As such, a single White British choice only existed in the census in one of the three census areas of the United Kingdom: England and Wales. The two subcategories used in the census in Scotland are grouped within White British for the purposes of UK-wide statistical analysis.
The 2001 census included the category White Irish as an ethnic classification in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). The term 'British' in White British means British ancestry rather than being a British citizen. Non-British and non-Irish respondents in Great Britain could choose White Other. Neither of these classifications appeared in Northern Ireland.
64.4 per cent of children born in England and Wales in 2005 were recorded as White British. The White British population is one of the few UK ethnic classifications that is decreasing in size, as well as percentage of the overall population.
and have the highest percent female population of all ethnic-based classifications. About 64% percent of the White British classification are between the ages of 16 and 64 while about 19% percent are under 16 and 19% percent are over 64. All other census classifications have a higher percentage of their population under 16 and a lower percentage over 64. Of those aged 65 or over, White British are 41% percent male and 59% percent female, making them have the lowest percent male population among all census classifications defined as "ethnic" in the census.
As a general rule, White British people make up the largest percentage of the population in rural areas, as well as a few large cities particularly in Northern Ireland, North East England
, Wales and Scotland. London contains by far the lowest percentage of White British people of all the UK regions, where they make up less than half of the population in two of the 32 boroughs
and some areas of others. The city with the lowest White British population as a percentage is Leicester
. Slough
is also comparable to Leicester, whilst not being a major city. Outside London, the highest densities of non-white classifications are found in the West Midlands conurbation
, West Yorkshire
, Greater Manchester
, Lancashire
, South Yorkshire
, the larger cities of the East Midlands
and satellite-towns of London, such as Luton
. There are also significant numbers of non-white people in most major British cities, while the far northern, western and eastern rural fringes of the UK contain the largest percentage of White British people anywhere in the UK.
As of 2009, every UK region has a White British majority population. There are however seven London boroughs where White British individuals represent a minority of the overall local population (including Brent
, Ealing
, Hackney
, Harrow
, Newham
, Tower Hamlets
and Westminster
).
White British have unemployment rates of about 4% percent with less unemployment for women. Smaller ethnic-based classifications who marked Other White have a slightly higher unemployment rate. White British have an economic inactivity of 20% percent with higher rates for women. Among White British, the smaller ethnic-based classifications who marked Other White have a slightly higher economic inactivity.
in Britain, mainly white Britons.
Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom
The classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom has attracted controversy in the past: particularly at the time of the 2001 Census where the existence and nature of such a classification, which appeared on the Census form, became more widely known than general.Different classifications, both...
used in the 2001 United Kingdom Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
. As a result of the census, 50,366,497 people (85.7% of the population) in the United Kingdom were classified as White British. In Scotland the classification was broken down into two different categories: White Scottish and Other White British. The classification did not appear in Northern Ireland where the comparable classification is described simply as White. As such, a single White British choice only existed in the census in one of the three census areas of the United Kingdom: England and Wales. The two subcategories used in the census in Scotland are grouped within White British for the purposes of UK-wide statistical analysis.
The 2001 census included the category White Irish as an ethnic classification in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). The term 'British' in White British means British ancestry rather than being a British citizen. Non-British and non-Irish respondents in Great Britain could choose White Other. Neither of these classifications appeared in Northern Ireland.
64.4 per cent of children born in England and Wales in 2005 were recorded as White British. The White British population is one of the few UK ethnic classifications that is decreasing in size, as well as percentage of the overall population.
Population and distribution
The White British census classification have their ages more evenly distributed in their population pyramidPopulation pyramid
A population pyramid, also called an age structure diagram, is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population , which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing...
and have the highest percent female population of all ethnic-based classifications. About 64% percent of the White British classification are between the ages of 16 and 64 while about 19% percent are under 16 and 19% percent are over 64. All other census classifications have a higher percentage of their population under 16 and a lower percentage over 64. Of those aged 65 or over, White British are 41% percent male and 59% percent female, making them have the lowest percent male population among all census classifications defined as "ethnic" in the census.
As a general rule, White British people make up the largest percentage of the population in rural areas, as well as a few large cities particularly in Northern Ireland, North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
, Wales and Scotland. London contains by far the lowest percentage of White British people of all the UK regions, where they make up less than half of the population in two of the 32 boroughs
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
and some areas of others. The city with the lowest White British population as a percentage is Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
is also comparable to Leicester, whilst not being a major city. Outside London, the highest densities of non-white classifications are found in the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, the larger cities of the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
and satellite-towns of London, such as Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
. There are also significant numbers of non-white people in most major British cities, while the far northern, western and eastern rural fringes of the UK contain the largest percentage of White British people anywhere in the UK.
As of 2009, every UK region has a White British majority population. There are however seven London boroughs where White British individuals represent a minority of the overall local population (including Brent
London Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
, Ealing
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing is a borough in west London.-Location:The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London...
, Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, Harrow
London Borough of Harrow
The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: Hillingdon to the west, Ealing to the south, Brent to the south-east and Barnet to the east.-History:...
, Newham
London Borough of Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...
, Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
and Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
).
| UK Region | White British population | Percentage of local population | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
<1,671,000 (White British was not an option on the N.I. census. The above figure is for all Caucasian people in the country, including White Irish) |
99.2% | 2001 |
| Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
4,832,800 | 95.5% | 2001 |
| Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
2,788,800 | 93.0% | 2009 |
| North East England North East England North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland... |
2,388,700 | 92.4% | 2009 |
| South West England South West England South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ... |
4,735,500 | 90.5% | 2009 |
| North West England North West England North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East... |
6,101,100 | 88.4% | 2009 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber Yorkshire and the Humber Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England and formally one of the government office regions. It covers most of the historic county of Yorkshire, along with the part of northern Lincolnshire that was, from 1974 to 1996, within the former shire county of Humberside. The... |
4,563,700 | 86.8% | 2009 |
| East Midlands East Midlands The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire... |
3,871,300 | 87.0% | 2009 |
| South East England South East England South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex... |
7,231,100 | 85.7% | 2009 |
| East of England East of England The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its... |
4,911,200 | 85.2% | 2009 |
| West Midlands West Midlands (region) The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,... |
4,476,100 | 82.4% | 2009 |
| Greater London Greater London Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London... |
4,614,600 | 59.5% | 2009 |
Employment
White British have a lower self-employment rate and lower percent in managerial or professional occupations compared to all ethnic-based classifications. White British are about 13% percent self-employed with Irish 16% percent self-employed. White British with 27% percent have a slightly lower percent of their population in managerial and professional positions compared to all ethnic groups. Among White British, Irish with about 35% have a greater percent of their population in managerial or professional positions.White British have unemployment rates of about 4% percent with less unemployment for women. Smaller ethnic-based classifications who marked Other White have a slightly higher unemployment rate. White British have an economic inactivity of 20% percent with higher rates for women. Among White British, the smaller ethnic-based classifications who marked Other White have a slightly higher economic inactivity.
Religion
Statistically, White British are more likely to be Christian than other ethnic-based classifications. White British are 75% Christian, mostly Anglican (or Presbyterian in Scotland), while the percentage for all "ethnic" groups is a little less than 75%. About 17% of the White British population reported having "no religion". The 17% percent figure for "no religion" is about the same for all groups. About 7% percent of the White British declined to state any religion. There are around 100,000 converts to IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in Britain, mainly white Britons.
Households
The average size of 2.3 people in White British households is tied for the second smallest of all ethnic groups.See also
- Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom
- Demographics of England from the 2001 United Kingdom censusDemographics of England from the 2001 United Kingdom censusThe demography of England has since 1801 been measured by the decennial national census, and is marked by centuries of population growth and urbanisation...
- Demographics of ScotlandDemographics of ScotlandScotland has a population of 5,222,100 . Covering an area of , Scotland has a population density of . Around 70% of the country's population live in the Central Lowlands — a broad, fertile valley stretching in a northeast-southwest orientation between the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and...
- List of United Kingdom censuses
- Census 2001 Ethnic Codes
- National Statistics Socio-economic ClassificationNational Statistics Socio-economic ClassificationThe National Statistics Socio-economic Classification is the primary social classification in the United Kingdom. Its first major use was on the 2001 UK census...
- Genetic history of the British IslesGenetic history of the British IslesThe genetic history of the British Isles is the subject of research within the larger field of human population genetics. It has developed in parallel with DNA testing technologies capable of identifying genetic similarities and differences between populations...
- Historical immigration to Great BritainHistorical immigration to Great BritainHistorical immigration to Great Britain concerns the inward movement of people, cultural and ethnic groups into island Great Britain before 1922, Immigration during and after 1922 is dealt with at the article Immigration to the United Kingdom .Modern humans first arrived in Great Britain during the...