British diaspora

Ethnic group

Ethnic group

British diasporaTotal population

Estimated at 200 million[1]
Regions with significant populations
United States| 109,531,643(up to 33% of population)[A][4]
Australia| 19,301,379
(up to 76% of population)[B][5]
Canada| 17,325,860
(up to 48% of population)[C][7]
New Zealand| 3,372,708
(up to 70.2% of population)[D][9]
South Africa| 1,600,000
(4% of population)[10]
France| 400,000[11][12][13][14][15][16]
Spain| 297,229 (2014)[17]
Argentina| 270,000 (2015)[18][19][20]
United Arab Emirates| 240,000 (2010)[21]
Germany| 178,000 (2021)[22]
Languages
Predominantly English
Also: Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots, Cornish, Manx, British Sign Language
Religion
Predominantly Christianity (Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic, etc.)[23]

The British diaspora consists of people of English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, Cornish, Manx and Channel Islands ancestral descent who live outside of the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies.

In 2008, the United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office estimated that at least 80% of New Zealanders had some British ancestry, however at the 2018 census only 70% of New Zealanders identified as having some European ancestry.[8][9] Up to 76% of Australians, 48% of Canadians, 33% of Americans, and 3% of South Africans have ancestry from the British Isles. Additionally, at least 270,000 Argentines have some British ancestry.[18][19][20] More than 300,000 Anglo-Indians have some British ancestry, but comprise less than 0.1% of India's population.[24][7][10][25]

The British diaspora includes about 200 million people worldwide.[1] Other countries with over 100,000 British expatriates include the Republic of Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates.[21][26]

## History of British diaspora

[edit]

### Up to the 19th century

[edit]

The first documented exodus of Britons began during the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Great Britain. A large number of Brythonic-speaking Celts fled or migrated to what is now Brittany on the coast of France, becoming the Bretons.[27]

The second large-scale British migration came following the Norman Conquest of England, leading to a displacement of English people, mostly dispossessed nobility. They settled in neighboring regions including Ireland and Scandinavia, and as far east as Crimea and Anatolia in the Byzantine Empire.[28] Englishmen eventually replaced Scandinavians as the main source of recruitment for the Byzantine Emperor's personal Varangian Guard.[29]

After the Age of Discovery, the various peoples of the British Isles, and especially the English, were among the earliest and by far the largest communities to emigrate out of Europe. Indeed, the British Empire's expansion during the first half of the 19th century saw an extraordinary dispersion of the British people, with particular concentrations in Australasia and North America.[30]

The British Empire was "built on waves of migration overseas by British people",[31] who left Great Britain, later the United Kingdom, and reached across the globe and permanently affected population structures in three continents.[30] As a result of the British colonisation of the Americas, what became the United States was "easily the greatest single destination of emigrant British", but in what would become the Commonwealth of Australia the British experienced a birth rate higher than anything seen before, which together with continuing British immigration resulted in a huge outnumbering of indigenous Australians.[30]

In colonies such as Southern Rhodesia, British Hong Kong, Singapore, Jamaica, Barbados, Malaysia, and the Cape Colony, permanently resident British communities were established, and while never more than a numerical minority, these Britons exercised a dominant influence upon the culture and politics of those lands.[31] In Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, people of British origin came to constitute the majority of the population, contributing to these states becoming integral to the Anglosphere.[31]

The British not only emigrated to parts of the British Empire, but also settled in large numbers in parts of the Americas, particularly in the United States and in sizeable numbers in Argentina, Chile and Mexico.

The United Kingdom census, 1861 estimated the number of overseas British to be around 2.5 million. However, it concluded that most of these were "not conventional settlers" but rather "travellers, merchants, professionals, and military personnel".[30] By 1890, there were over 1.5 million further British-born people living in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.[30]

### British diaspora today

[edit]

According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, there were 13.1 million British nationals living abroad in 2004–05. These figures are taken from the consular annual returns from overseas posts. There is no requirement for UK citizens to register with British missions overseas, so these figures are therefore based on the most reliable information that can be obtained, e.g. from host government official statistics.[32]

A 2006 publication from the Institute for Public Policy Research estimated that 5.5 million British-born people lived outside the United Kingdom.[26]

In terms of outbound expatriation, in 2009, the United Kingdom had the most expatriates among developed OECD countries, with more than three million British living abroad, a figure followed by Germany and Italy.[33] On an annual basis, emigration from Britain stood at about 400,000 per year during the ten years until 2010 at least.[34]

Living abroad can affect certain rights for British citizens living abroad; for example, until the passing of the Elections Act 2022, those resident outside the UK for more than 15 years ceased to be eligible to vote, but this restriction was removed, taking effect before the 2024 general election[35][36] In addition, the British Mental Health Act 1983 rules that persons resident abroad do not qualify as "nearest relative" of a person who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.[37]

## Distribution

[edit]

Map of the British diaspora in the world by population (includes people with British ancestry or citizenship):

United Kingdom

\+ 10,000,000

\+ 1,000,000

\+ 100,000

\+ 10,000

The earliest migrations of Britons date from the 5th and 6th centuries AD, when Brittonic Celts fleeing the Anglo-Saxon invasions migrated what is today northern France and north western Spain and forged the colonies of Brittany and Britonia. Brittany remained independent of France until the early 16th century and still retains a distinct Brittonic culture and language, whilst Britonia in modern Galicia was absorbed into Spanish states by the end of the 9th century AD.

Britons – people with British citizenship or of British descent – have a significant presence in a number of countries other than the United Kingdom, and in particular in those with historic connections to the British Empire. After the Age of Discovery, the British were one of the earliest and largest communities to emigrate out of Europe, and the British Empire's expansion during the first half of the 19th century triggered an "extraordinary dispersion of the British people", resulting in particular concentrations "in Australasia and North America".[30]

The United Kingdom Census 1861 estimated the size of the overseas British to be around 2.5 million, but concluded that most of these were "not conventional settlers" but rather "travellers, merchants, professionals, and military personnel".[30] By 1890, there were over 1.5 million further UK-born people living in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.[30] A 2006 publication from the Institute for Public Policy Research estimated 5.6 million Britons lived outside of the United Kingdom.[38][39]

Outside of the United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories, up to 76% of Australians, 70% of New Zealanders, 48% of Canadians, 33% of Americans and 3% of South Africans have ancestry from the British Isles.[6][9][7][4][10] Hong Kong has the highest proportion of British nationals outside of the United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories, with 47% of Hong Kong residents holding a British National (Overseas) status or a British citizenship.[40] The next highest concentrations of British citizens outside of the United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories are located in Barbados (10%), the Republic of Ireland (7%), Australia (6%) and New Zealand (5%).[38]

Country  | British ancestry / %  | British citizens[38] | Comments

|
|
|

United States | 109,531,643
(2020)[4] | 33%[E] | 678,000
(2006) | See British Americans, English Americans, Scottish Americans, Welsh Americans and Scotch-Irish Americans; country with the most people of British descent.
Australia | 19,301,379
(2021)[24] | 76%[F] | 1,300,000
(2006) | See Anglo-Celtic Australians, English Australians, Scottish Australians and Welsh Australians; most British citizens in the world outside of the United Kingdom.
Canada | 17,325,860
(2021)[7] | 48%[G] | 603,000
(2006) | See British Canadians, English Canadians, Scottish Canadians and Welsh Canadians.
New Zealand | 3,372,708
(2018)[9] | 70%[H] | 215,000
(2006) | See British New Zealanders, English New Zealanders, Scottish New Zealanders and Welsh New Zealanders.
South Africa | 1,600,000
(2011)[10] | 3%  | 212,000
(2006) | See British Africans.
Ireland | 291,000
(2006) | 7%  | 291,000
(2006) | See Anglo-Irish people.
Argentina | 270,000
(2015)[18][19][20] | 0.6%  | 8,300
(2006) | See English Argentines, Scottish Argentines, Welsh Argentines.
Pakistan | N/A  | N/A  | 47,000
(2006) | See Britons in Pakistan.
India | N/A  | N/A  | 32,000
(2006) | See Britons in India.
Bangladesh | N/A  | N/A  | 9,200
(2006) | See Britons in Bangladesh.
Bahamas | 38,000
(2019)[citation needed] | 10%  | 4,100
(2006) | See White Bahamians.
Barbados | 20,000
(2021)[41] | 7%  | 27,000
(2006) | See White Barbadians.
Bermuda | 15,700
(2006)[42] | 7%  | 600
(2006) | See White Bermudians.
Cayman Islands | 9,600
(2021)[43] | 30%  | 110
(2006) |
Gibraltar | 9,100
(2006)[42] | 27%  | 3,600
(2006) |
Falkland Islands | 2,474
(2016)[44] | 80%  | 930
(2006) |
Norfolk Island | 857
(2016)[45] | 49%  | <100
(2006) |
Pitcairn Islands | 35
(2023)[46] | 100%  |  |

^ Note: A different estimate puts China (incl. Hong Kong) ahead with a population of 3,750,000 British citizens,[47][48] most of which are those in Hong Kong who have continued to possess British nationality, particularly the British nationals (overseas) status, which numbered 3.4 million, through their connection with the former crown colony (see British nationality and Hong Kong for further details).[49]

## Culture

[edit]

See also: British Empire § Legacy

### Sports

[edit]

See also: Muscular Christianity

The British diaspora played a significant role in bringing British sports to the world. British sailors and soldiers contributed to association football becoming the most popular sport in the world.[50]

In a few places, Britons helped establish cricket, only for it to be replaced by baseball, an American sport with English antecedents. This happened in the United States and then later Japan in the late 19th century.[51]

## See also

[edit]

* Anglosphere
* British Empire
* Commonwealth diaspora
* CANZUK

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The 2020 United States census results for those Americans who identify with full or partial "English", "Scottish", "Welsh", "Manx", "Channel Islander", "Scotch Irish", "Irish" or "American" ancestry. Demographers regard current figures as a "serious under-count", as a large proportion of Americans of British descent have a tendency to simply identify as 'American' since 1980 where over 13.3 million or 5.9% of the total U.S. population self-identified as "American" or "United States", this was counted under "not specified".[2][3]
2. ^ Estimated number of Australians of Anglo-Celtic descent. Includes Australians who identified their ancestry as part of the "North-Western European" ancestry group or as "Australian" at the 2021 census. Over 88% of Australians within the North-Western European ancestry group identified with at least one Anglo-Celtic ancestry.[5] The Australian Bureau of Statistics has stated that most people nominating "Australian" ancestry have at least partial Anglo-Celtic European ancestry.[6]
3. ^ Canadians of British Isles, English-speaking "Canadian", "American", "Australian", "New Zealander", "Albertan", "British Columbian", "Cape Bretoner", "Manitoban", "New Brunswicker", "Nova Scotian", "Prince Edward Islander", "Saskatchewanian" and "United Empire Loyalist" descent.
4. ^ New Zealanders of European descent, the vast majority of whom are estimated to have some British ancestry.[8]
5. ^ The 2020 United States census results for those Americans who identify with full or partial "English", "Scottish", "Welsh", "Manx", "Channel Islander", "Scotch Irish", "Irish" and "American" ancestry. A large proportion of Americans of British descent have a tendency to simply identify as 'American' since 1980 where over 13.3 million or 5.9% of the total U.S. population self-identified as "American" or "United States", this was counted under "not specified".[2][3]
6. ^ Estimated number of Australians of Anglo-Celtic descent. Includes Australians who identified their ancestry as part of the "North-Western European" ancestry group or as "Australian" at the 2021 census. Over 88% of Australians within the North-Western European ancestry group identified with at least one Anglo-Celtic ancestry.[5]
7. ^ Canadians of British Isles, English-speaking "Canadian", "American", "Australian", "New Zealander", "Albertan", "British Columbian", "Cape Bretoner", "Manitoban", "New Brunswicker", "Nova Scotian", "Prince Edward Islander", "Saskatchewanian" and "United Empire Loyalist" descent.
8. ^ New Zealanders of European descent, the vast majority of whom are estimated to have some British ancestry.[8]

Notes

1. ^ a b Richards, Eric (14 May 2004). Britannia's Children: Emigration from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland Since 1600. London: A&C Black (published 2004). pp. 3–4\. ISBN 9781852854416. Retrieved 2 November 2020. "[...] even the basic outline of the diaspora remains vague. It was never a controlled movement and it was mostly poorly documented. Migrants are always difficult to categorise and to count. [...] The scale of the modern British dispersion has been estimated at about 200 million, [...] or, counting those who can claim descent from British and Irish emigrants, more than three times the current population of the British Isles."
2. ^ a b Ancestry of the Population by State: 1980 (Supplementary Report PC80-S1-10) Issued: April 1983
3. ^ a b Dominic Pulera (2004). Sharing the Dream: White Males in Multicultural America. A&C Black. pp. 57–60\. ISBN 978-0-8264-1643-8.
4. ^ a b c "Detailed Races and Ethnicities in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2020 Census". United States census. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
5. ^ a b c "Census of Population and Housing: Cultural diversity data summary, 2021" (XLSX). Abs.gov.au. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
6. ^ a b "Feature Article – Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Australia (Feature Article)". 1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 1995. Commonwealth of Australia. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
7. ^ a b c d Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (8 February 2017). "Census Profile, 2016 Census - Canada [Country] and Canada [Country]". www12.statcan.gc.ca.
8. ^ a b c "Country Profile: New Zealand". 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
9. ^ a b c d "2018 Census totals by topic – national highlights". Stats NZ. 23 September 2019. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
10. ^ a b c d Census 2011: Census in brief (PDF). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. 2012. p. 26\. ISBN 9780621413885. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 May 2015. The number of people who described themselves as white in terms of population group and specified their first language as English in South Africa's 2011 Census was 1,603,575. The total white population with a first language specified was 4,461,409, and the total population was 51,770,560.
11. ^ Erwin Dopf. "Présentation du Royaume-Uni". diplomatie.gouv.fr. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
12. ^ "Présentation du Royaume-Uni". France Diplomatie : : Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères.
13. ^ "Relations bilatérales".
14. ^ "400 000 ressortissants britanniques résident sur le sol français, selon les statistiques du Quai d'Orsay". france3-regions.franceinfo.fr. 15 January 2020. Archived from the original on 11 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
15. ^ "Les Britanniques face à la France". radiofrance.fr. 15 January 2025. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
16. ^ "From Le Monde: 254 percent surge in Britons seeking French citizenship as Brexit looms". France 24. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
17. ^ "End to Mediterranean dream for 90,000 Britons who left Spain last year". The Telegraph. 22 April 2014.
18. ^ a b c "150th anniversary of Welsh voyage to Patagonia". ITV. 30 May 2015. "The community still exists in Argentina today, with a population of more than 70,000."
19. ^ a b c Gilchrist, Jim (14 December 2008). "Stories of Homecoming - We're on the march with Argentina's Scots". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
20. ^ a b c Chavez, Lydia (23 June 1985). "Fare of the country: A bit of Britain in Argentina". The New York Times.
21. ^ a b Al Qassemi, Sultan (21 November 2010). "The other special relationship: the UAE and the UK". The National. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
22. ^ "Bevölkerung in Privathaushalten nach Migrationshintergrund im weiteren Sinn nach Geburtsstaat in Staatengruppen".
23. ^ 2011 Census: Ethnic group, local authorities in England and Wales, Accessed 13 June 2014
24. ^ a b "Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG), 2019 | Australian Bureau of Statistics". 18 December 2019.
25. ^ "The young Anglo-Indians retracing their European roots". 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
26. ^ a b Sriskandarajah, Dhananjayan; Drew, Catherine (2006). Brits Abroad: Mapping the scale and nature of British emigration. London: Institute for Public Policy Research. ISBN 1-86030-307-2.
27. ^ "Brittany | History, Geography, & Points of Interest | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
28. ^ "Another New England — in Crimea". Big Think. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
29. ^ Alvarez, Sandra. "English Refugees in the Byzantine Armed Forces: The Varangian Guard and Anglo-Saxon Ethnic Consciousness » De Re Militari". Retrieved 27 March 2024.
30. ^ a b c d e f g h Ember et al. 2004, p. 47.
31. ^ a b c Marshall 2001, p. 254.
32. ^ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 22 Mar 2006 (pt 15)". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
33. ^ "Expatriates worldwide". JustLanded.com. 2009.
34. ^ "Working Abroad". whichoffshore.com. 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
35. ^ "The UK just extended the right to vote to 3.5M people living abroad". POLITICO. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
36. ^ "Register As An Overseas Voter (UK citizen living abroad)". Basildon. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
37. ^ "Sections 26-30 - Your nearest relative under the Mental Health Act 1983". Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
38. ^ a b c "Brits Abroad", BBC News, 11 December 2006, archived from the original on 30 November 2020, retrieved 13 April 2009
39. ^ Sriskandarajah, Dhananjayan; Drew, Catherine (11 December 2006), Brits Abroad: Mapping the scale and nature of British emigration, ippr.org.uk, archived from the original on 24 May 2008, retrieved 13 April 2009
40. ^ The Committee Office, House of Commons. "House of Commons – Foreign Affairs – Fifth Report". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
41. ^ "The World Factbook". Central Intelligence Agency. 20 October 2021.
42. ^ a b Edward G. Archer (2006). "Ethnic factors". Gibraltar, identity and empire. Routledge. p. 36\. ISBN 978-0-415-34796-9.
43. ^ "The World Factbook". Central Intelligence Agency. 19 October 2021.
44. ^ Falkland Islands Government. "2016 Census Report" (PDF). stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
45. ^ "2016 Census QuickStats – Norfolk Island". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
46. ^ "Life on Pitcairn". Pitcairn Island Immigration. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
47. ^ "The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons put the size of the British expatriate community in Hong Kong at over 3 million". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
48. ^ "The FCO had the figure for Hong Kong and China combined at 3,752,031 : Both figures cover all British nationals, including those who are not British citizens". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
49. ^ "Lords Hansard, 22 March 2007". UK Parliament.
50. ^ Hill, John S.; Vincent, J.; Curtner-Smith, M. (2014). "The Worldwide Diffusion of Football: Temporal and Spatial Perspectives". Global Sport Business Journal. 2 (2). S2CID 131376640.
51. ^ Guthrie-Shimizu, Sayuri (4 April 2012). Transpacific Field of Dreams: How Baseball Linked the United States and Japan in Peace and War. Univ of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-8266-5.

Bibliography

* Ember, Carol R.; et al. (2004). Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World. Springer. ISBN 978-0-306-48321-9.
* Marshall, Peter James (2001). The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-00254-7.

* v
* t
* e

European diasporas

Britain and Ireland|

* Cornish
* English
* Irish
* Manx
* Scottish
* Welsh

Caucasus|

* Armenians
* Azerbaijanis
* Circassians
* Chechens
* Georgians

Central Europe|

* Austrians
* Czechs
* Croats
* Germans
* Volksdeutsche
* Hungarians
* Kashubians
* Poles
* Slovaks
* Slovenes
* Swiss

Eastern Europe|

* Belarusians
* Crimean Tatars
* Russians
* Ukrainians

Northern Europe|

* Danes
* Estonians
* Finns
* Icelanders
* Latvians
* Lithuanians
* Norwegians
* Swedes

Southeastern Europe|

* Albanians
* Kosovars
* Aromanians
* Bosnians
* Bulgarians
* Cypriots
* Greek Cypriots
* Turkish Cypriots
* Greeks
* Macedonians
* Romanians
* Moldovans
* Serbs
* Turks
* Meskhetian Turks

Southwestern Europe|

* Italians
* Internal migration
* Maltese
* Portuguese
* Spaniards
* Asturians
* Basques
* Canarians
* Catalans
* Galicians

Western Europe|

* Belgians
* Flanders
* Walloons
* Dutch
* French
* Quebecois
* Bretons
* Corsicans
* Luxembourgers

Comprehensive group|

* Argentina
* Australia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Morocco
* New Zealand
* Pakistan
* Peru
* Tunisia
* United States
* Venezuela

* v
* t
* e

British diaspora

* Cornish diaspora
* English diaspora
* Scottish diaspora
* Welsh diaspora

Africa|

* British diaspora in Africa

Asia|

| East|

* China
* Hong Kong
* Japan

|

South|

* Bangladesh
* India
* English
* Scottish
* Pakistan

Southeast|

* Myanmar

Europe|

* France
* Germany
* English
* Scottish
* Italy
* Portugal
* Spain
* Sweden [sv]
* Russia
* English
* Scottish
* Irish
* Turkey

Middle East|

* United Arab Emirates
* Turkey

North America|

* Canada
* Anglo-Indian
* Anglo-Métis
* Cornish
* English
* Scotch-Irish
* Scottish
* Quebec
* Welsh
* Jamaica
* Scottish
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* English
* United States
* Cornish
* English
* Manx
* Old Stock Americans
* Scottish
* Scotch-Irish
* Welsh
* White Anglo-Saxon Protestants

Oceania|

* Australia
* Cornish
* English
* Scottish
* Welsh
* New Zealand
* English
* Scottish
* Welsh

South America|

* Argentina
* English
* Scottish
* Welsh
* Brazil
* English
* Scottish
* Chile
* English
* Scottish
* Welsh
* Paraguay
* English
* Peru
* Uruguay

* v
* t
* e

British people

* Anglosphere
* English language
* English-speaking world
* British diaspora

* Anglo-Irish
* Anguillans
* Ascension Islanders
* Bermudians
* British Virgin Islanders
* Caymanians
* Chagossians (Îlois)
* Channelean
* Cornish
* English
* Falkland Islanders
* Gibraltarians
* Guernésiais
* Hongkongers (British Nationals (Overseas))
* Jersiais
* Manx
* Montserratians
* New Forest Commoners
* Northern Irish
* Orcadians
* Pitcairn Islanders
* Saint Helenians
* Scots
* Scots Gaels
* Shetlanders
* Spanish Brits
* Tristan Islanders
* Turks and Caicos Islanders
* Ulster Protestants
* Ulster Scots
* Welsh
* White British

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