The Rich Ethnic Diversity of London City

London was founded in AD 50 by the Romans, as a small settlement, by the

Thames River. Following the establishment, it grew continuously and became a
truly global destination. The development of the city brought in migrants from
various parts of the world, either as traders or slaves. Many of them settled
here and as a result of which, the city has a rich multi-cultural charm. In the
first half of the 19th century, the migration became so rapid that the ethnic
mix of population in London underwent drastic changes. As a result, on trips to
this city, visitors will encounter inhabitants with varied origins, and cultural and
religious backgrounds.
British and Irish
The largest ethnic group that inhabits the city is British with a clear majority of
over 77 percent. Then there are those who have migrated from other parts of
the world, especially from Ireland. Records suggest that their population rose
to over 49 percent (around 402800) since 2001. These immigrants now record
a number of over 1.2 million in the British capital. There are reports that the
Irish people began coming here since the Middle Ages, from the 12 th century
onwards. The most significant of their arrivals was the after-effect of the
ravaging Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s when almost 1 million people
migrated to Great Britain. Another wave of Irish immigrants came during the
inter-war period, when they came and settled in large numbers in London.
Polish
Travellers taking tours through the British capital are also likely to meet a large
number of Polish immigrants. It is because, according to the 2011 census, they
numbered around 145000, making them the second-largest nationality here
after Britons. The story of their coming is an interesting one and is worth a
thought. Marek Pruszewicz, an analyst with BBC, presents a detailed account of
how all this happened. He explains that it all started during WWII, when Great
Britain pledged assistance to Poland against the invading Nazi forces. Many
Polish soldiers, who had fought in the British Army, settled in London, but the
newly elected government failed to make a firm decision regarding these
immigrants. It was after the Polish Resettlement Act of 1947 that they found
proper homes here. Further after the formation of the European Union in 2004,
the United Kingdom (UK) allowed them to work without restriction, and it again
brought a large number of Polish immigrants here.
Asians
A thing that tourists will see while exploring the city during their vacations is
that many locals have Asian features. It is because they make up almost 18.49
percent of its population. Indians, numbering about 542850, are the largest
sub-ethnic group among Asians here. Of these, over 262000 were born in India
and the remaining in the UK. The earliest mentions of people from the Indian

subcontinent in Great Britain have been dated to 2 nd century AD. Following the
discovery of a direct maritime route between Europe and Asia by Vasco da
Gama in 1498, more inhabitants from South Asia came to England. In the 17 th
century, another significant migration happened, when the East India Company
brought Asians here as slaves. The post-war period led to acute labour
shortage in the country and Punjabis who had previously served in the colonial
army moved here and found work. They eventually settled here after a
parliamentary act of 1962 checked the movement of workers away from the
British Commonwealth.
Africans and West Indians
During holidays in London, tourists are bound to find inhabitants of origins
other than British, Polish and Asians. Among them, African descendants have a
storied history. Following her betrothal to Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon
brought Africans as attendants with her to London. During the next two
centuries, England was involved in slave trade with Africa and the Americas
that again brought a large number of African immigrants. Most of the slaves in
the Americas back then were also brought from Africa; hence, they came to
London both from the African continent and the Americas. They were brought
in as attendants for military officers, sea captains, government officials,
plantation owners and traders. Following the abolition of slavery, the migration
of Africans saw a slight decrease and as per the 2011 census, about 7 percent
of Londoners had African origin.
The West Indian immigrants, meaning those from the Caribbean have a similar
story. They were also victims of the notorious slave trade and were first
shipped to the Caribbean region from Africa and then to Great Britain. Even
after the practise was abolished, West Indians continued to migrate to London
as students, professionals and some as government officials. The two World
Wars led to the coming of more immigrants from the Caribbean as soldiers and
labourers. After WWII, the shortage of labourers in England attracted more
people from the region, many of whom settled in the city. The census of 2011
records about 4.02 percent of the total population of London as having
Caribbean roots.