South Asians in the United Kingdom
Total population | |
---|---|
Over. 1,600,000 Afghan - 68,256 Bangladeshi - 230,143 Bhutanese - 463 Indian - 776,603 Maldivians - 402 Nepalese - 54,695 Pakistani - 540,495 Sri Lankan - 138,752 All figures are the 2015 UN population estimates for the United Kingdom[1] | |
Languages | |
Non-religious , others |
Part of a series on |
British people |
---|
United Kingdom |
Eastern European |
Northern European |
Southern European |
Western European |
Central Asian |
|
East Asian |
South Asian |
Southeast Asian |
West Asian |
African and Afro-Caribbean |
Northern American |
South American |
|
Oceanian |
South Asians in the United Kingdom have been present in the country since the 17th century, with significant migration occurring in the mid-20th century. They originate primarily from eight sovereign states in South Asia which are, in alphabetical order, the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. There is also a history of migration of diasporic South Asians from Africa and Southeast Asia moving to, and settling in, the United Kingdom.
Rishi Sunak who is of South Asian descent has been Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since 25 October 2022.
Population
South Asians in the UK are represented by many different
Various British institutions consider there to be eight South Asian sovereign states.The
History
South Asian peoples began arriving in cities in Britain, such as London, around the mid-17th century. The most significant period of migration from South Asia, however, was in the middle of the 19th century.[9] Between 1870 and 1950, South Asians had an impact on several areas of British society, including minority rights, war, and representation.[10]
Lascars
17th century
Many South Asians came from ships and boats as servants and maids for the more rich. English commerce on the
18th century
The first group of South Asians to migrate in notable numbers, in the 18th century, were lascars (sailors) recruited from the Indian subcontinent (largely from the Bengal region) to work for the British East India Company, with some choosing to settle down in Britain after either being abandoned by their captains or choosing to desert from their positions of employment. Many were unable to find jobs and were described in letters as "miserable objects", who were often "shivering and starving in the streets".[12][13] Letters to newspapers in 1785 talked of "the number of miserable objects, Lascars, … shivering and starving in the streets".[14] Some lascars took British wives, and some converted to Anglican Christianity (at least nominally) in order to marry,[15] possibly due to a lack of South Asian women in Britain at the time.[16] Most Indians during this period would visit or reside in Britain temporarily, returning to India after months or several years, bringing back knowledge about Britain in the process.[17] 38 lascars were reported arriving in British ports in 1760.[18][19]
19th century
Between 1803 and 1813, there were more than 10,000 lascars from the Indian subcontinent visiting British port cities and towns.[20]: 140, 154–6, 160–8, 172 By 1842, 3,000 lascars visited the UK annually, and by 1855, 12,000 lascars were arriving annually in British ports. In 1873, 3,271 lascars arrived in Britain.[21]: 35 Throughout the early 19th century lascars visited Britain at a rate of 1,000 every year,[20]: 140, 54–6, 60–8, 72 which increased to a rate of 10,000 to 12,000 every year throughout the late 19th century.[22][23]
Due to the majority being lascars, the earliest Muslim communities were found in port towns, found living in barracks, Christian charity homes and hostels.[13] The first and most frequent South Asian travelers to Britain were Christian Indians and those of European-Asian mixed-race descent. For Muslim Indians considerations about how their dietary and religious practices would alienate them from society at large were brought into question but these considerations were often outweighed by economic opportunities. Those that stayed often adopted British names, dress and diet.[24] Naval cooks also came, many of them from the Sylhet Division of what is now Bangladesh. One of the most famous early Muslim immigrants to England was Sake Dean Mahomed, a captain of the British East India Company who in 1810 founded London's first Indian restaurant, the Hindoostane Coffee House. He is also reputed for introducing shampoo and therapeutic massage to the United Kingdom.[25] In 1784 he migrated to Ireland where he fell in love with a woman called Jane Daly. He converted to Anglicanism in order to marry her, as it was illegal at the time for non-Protestants to marry Protestants. They later moved to Brighton.[26]
After reports of lascars suffering from poverty made their way to the ear of the general public, the East India Company responded by making lodgings available for them, but no checks were kept on the boarding houses and barracks they provided to the lascars. Many lascars found that their new living accommodations were often of a poor quality, and reports of Lascars being mistreated were submitted to the Society for the Protection of Asiatic Sailors, which was founded in 1814.[14]
In 1842, the Church Missionary Society reported on the dire "state of the Lascars in London"[27] it was reported in the winter of 1850, 40 Asian men, also known as 'sons of India', were found dead of cold and hunger on the streets of London. Shortly after these reports evangelical Christians proposed the construction of a charity house and gathered £15,000 in assistance of the Lascars. In 1856 the Strangers' Home for Asiatics, Africans and South Sea Islanders was opened in Commercial Road, Limehouse under the manager Lieutenant-Colonel R. Marsh Hughes.[28]
The
20th century
It is estimated 8,000 Indians (a large proportion being lascar sailors) lived in Britain permanently prior to the 1950s. Although, the comparatively few lascars that gained work often opened shops and helped initiate social and political community associations.[29] Indians were less likely to settle permanently because of wage differentials.[30][31] Due to the majority of early South Asian immigrants being lascars, the earliest South Asian communities were found in port towns.
The small, often transitory presence of Lascars continued into the 1930s, with the Port of London Authority mentioning Lascars in a February 1931 article writing that "Although appearing so out of place in the East End, they are well able to look after themselves, being regular seamen who came to the Docks time after time and have learnt a little English and know how to buy what they want."[32]
In 1932, the Indian National Congress survey of 'all Indians outside India' estimated that there were 7,128 Indians in the United Kingdom.[33] It is estimated that from 1800 to 1945, 20,000 South Asians emigrated to Britain.[34]
21st century
The 2020
Population history
2021 Census
The figures below represent data collected for the 2021 United Kingdom census with the country as a reported birthplace recorded (i.e. does not include British born people of South Asian origin). The census in Scotland was delayed for a year and took place in 2022.[37]
State/Territory | England (2021)[38] |
Scotland (2022)[39] |
Wales (2021)[38] |
Northern Ireland (2021)[40] |
United Kingdom (2021/22) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
India | 906,962 | 37,729 | 13,399 | 6,910 | 965,000 |
Pakistan | 616,454 | 28,891 | 7,103 | 1,235 | 653,683 |
Bangladesh | 266,290 | 4,063 | 6,752 | 629 | 277,734 |
Sri Lanka | 141,861 | 8,722 | 2,435 | 192 | – |
Afghanistan | 84,877 | 816 | 73 | ||
Nepal | 77,349 | 1,271 | 270 | ||
Other South Asia | 1,117 | 36 | – | ||
Total | 2,094,910 | 78,249 | 31,812 | 9,309 | 2,214,280 |
Social and political issues
Community and sport
In 2020, Amar Cymru, or My Wales, was established in consultation with Football Association of Wales to give the group a larger voice over the Wales national football team and provide stadium experiences for South Asians in Wales.[41]
In 2021,
In 2021, Bristol City F.C. signed their first-ever South Asian British player.[45]
In 2021, the England and Wales Cricket Board found that state-educated South Asian Britons were 34 times less likely to become professional cricketers than privately educated players from the White British census ethnic group.[46]
Health
In 2018, research from the University of Surrey showed that South Asian people in Britain had low-levels of Vitamin D intake in a national context.[47]
In the UK, women of South Asian heritage are the least likely to attend breast cancer screening. Research is still needed to identify specific barriers for the different South Asian communities. For example, a study showed that British-Pakistani women faced cultural and language barriers and were not aware that breast screening takes place in a female-only environment.[48][49][50]
A 2020 study found that UK residents of South Asian heritage were the most likely group to die from
See also
- Central Asians in the United Kingdom
- East Asians in the United Kingdom
- Southeast Asians in the United Kingdom
- British Asian
References
- ^ "Trends in International Migrant Stock: Migrants by Destination and Origin (United Nations database, POP/DB/MIG/Stock/Rev.2015)" (XLS). United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "South Asians in UK at greater risk from Covid". BBC. 1 May 2021.
According to the most recent 2011 census, 21% of South Asian groups live in multigenerational households, compared with about 7% of white groups.
- ^ "Cancer awareness 'low in black and South Asian groups'". BBC. 1 November 2014.
- ^ "BAME We're Not the Same: Indian". BBC.
Note: Indian and British Indian communities are vastly different from Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi and other 'South Asian' groups. We must be mindful and recognise these differences.
- ^ "'It's not over' warning as London heads for tier 3". BBC. 14 December 2020.
The Office for National Statistics has been investigating why ... South Asian ethnic groups in the UK have been particularly badly affected.
- ^ "South Asia Centre". London School of Economics.
Unravelling South Asia — Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — to the World.
- ^ "Minister for Afghanistan was on staycation holiday as Kabul fell, Sky News understands". Sky News. 21 August 2021.
The minister for Afghanistan was also on holiday last week as Kabul fell, Sky News has learnt. Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the minister of state directly responsible for South Asia, was on leave until Sunday
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. 22 June 2021.
Statement by Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon
- ^ Dattani, Meera (8 September 2021). "'This unassuming street in north London is the city's original "Little India" – and nowhere else captures the original South Asian experience quite like it". BBC.
South Asians have lived in London since the mid-17th Century, when ships of the colonial East India Company docked in the capital. However, most came in the middle of the 20th Century.
- ISBN 978-0719085147.
- ISBN 978-1-84645-008-2.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ a b "The Goan community of London - Port communities". portcities.org.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-317-31600-8.
- ^ a b "LMA Learning Zone > schooLMAte > Black and Asian Londoners > Timeline". learningzone.cityoflondon.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ISBN 978-81-7824-154-8.
- ISBN 978-81-7824-154-8.fought each other
Lists of names of lascars suggest a single lascar crew might include Muslims, Catholic and Protestant Christians (of part Portuguese or other European descent), Parsis, Armenians, and/or Hindus ... In contrast, identities like Indian, Chinese, Arab, or Malay apparently remained potent on board ship and in Britain ... Tensions around lascars in London especially increased from the fall 1813 season onwards. The particularly large number of Asian seamen arriving that year exacerbated conflicts aboard ship, inside the depot, and with the surrounding British community ... In September 1813 alone, Malay sailors fought Arabs, killing one; Chinese tongs
- ISBN 978-81-7824-154-8.
- ^ "Research project: Lascar Lives". southampton.ac.uk. University of Southampton. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ISBN 978-81-7824-154-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7824-154-8.
- ISBN 978-1-85065-685-2.
- ^ Robinson-Dunn, Diane (February 2003). "Lascar Sailors and English Converts: The Imperial Port and Islam in late 19th-Century England". Seascapes, Littoral Cultures, and Trans-Oceanic Exchanges. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
- ISBN 978-0-521-69974-7.
- ISBN 978-81-7824-154-8.
- ^ "Curry house founder is honoured". BBC. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ "The Travels of Dean Mahomet". publishing.cdlib.org. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-521-69974-7.
- ^ "Strangers' Home for Asiatics, Africans and South Sea Islanders | Making Britain". open.ac.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ISBN 978-1-136-01824-4.
- ^ Visram, Rozina (2002). Asians In Britain: 400 Years of History. pp. 254–269.
- ISBN 978-0-521-69974-7.
- ^ Jones, J. P. (February 1931). "Lascars in the Port of London". The P.L.A. Monthly. Retrieved 3 June 2020 – via lascars.co.uk.
- ISBN 978-1-317-41533-6.
- ISBN 978-1-317-86423-3.
- ^ Thapar, Ciaran (9 September 2021). "Dance music collective Daytimers: 'Brownness isn't a hype – it's who we are'". The Guardian.
Conversations about racial equality and decolonising the public sphere have become louder since George Floyd's death last year. These have motivated many young British south Asians to support Black protest movements
- ^ Khan, Shaistha (6 August 2021). "UK South Asians push for partition history in school curriculum". Al Jazeera.
As per the 2001 census in the UK, South Asians are the largest minority group, accounting for 50 percent of all ethnic minorities in England and Wales.
- ^ McNeill, Kirsty (18 March 2021). "March 21st is Census day - but Scotland will have to wait". Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Country of birth (extended)". www.ons.gov.uk. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "Table UV204 - Country of birth: Country by Country of Birth by Individuals". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 24 May 2024. > 'All of Scotland' > 'Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion' > 'Country of birth: UV204'
- ^ "MS-A18: Country of birth - full detail". nisra.gov.uk. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Wales vs Estonia: New South Asian fans' group ready to roar on Gareth Bale and co in Cardiff". The Independent. 6 September 2021.
Amar Cymru has been launched to give the South Asian community a voice in the national team, with the group's formation fully backed by the Football Association of Wales.
- West Ham United. 3 September 2021.
- ^ "England boss Gareth Southgate wants more effort to find South Asian players". ESPN. 28 July 2021.
Southgate said British South Asians have faced serious challenges when attempting to enter the professional game.
- ^ "British South Asian representation in English football revealed as PFA celebrates AIMS project anniversary". Sky Sports News. 9 March 2022.
There are 99 footballers at 44 academies across the country but British South Asian player representation at elite senior level remains a pressing issue, with the latest PFA figures indicating a mere 0.45 percent of the total pool of professional footballers hail from the community.
- ^ "Bristol City sign first-ever British-South Asian player in club's history". ITV News. 2 August 2021.
Bristol City have made history by signing the club's first ever British player with South Asian heritage.
- ^ "White British cricketers from private schools 34 times more likely than young Asians to reach elite level". The Guardian. 20 November 2021.
Privately educated white British players are 34 times more likely to become professional cricketers than state-educated British South Asians, according to academic research that is likely to invite further investigation of the game's treatment of ethnic minorities.
- ^ "Concern over low vitamin D intakes among UK South Asians". University of Surrey. 25 June 2018.
- S2CID 241324844.
- PMID 31791172.
- PMID 32434564.
- ^ Siddique, Haroon (19 June 2020). "South Asians in Britain most likely to die in hospital of Covid-19, study finds". The Guardian.
People of south Asian heritage are the most likely in Great Britain to die after being admitted to hospital for Covid-19
- ^ "South Asians in UK at greater risk from Covid". BBC. 1 May 2021.
People from a South Asian background were at even greater risk of infection, hospitalisation and death in the second wave of Covid than the first, compared with other ethnic groups