White British is an ethnicity classification used for the White population identifying as English, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Northern Irish, or British in the United Kingdom Census. In the 2011 census, the White British population was 49,997,686, 81.5% of Great Britain's total population. For the entire United Kingdom, due to different reporting measures within Northern Ireland which includes all those who identified as British with those who identified as Irish, an amalgamated total of 52,320,080 is given. This accounts for 82.8% of the population and includes individuals who identified as White Irish in Great Britain. In the 2021 Census, the White British group numbered 44,355,044 or 74.4% of the population of England and Wales.
Census classifications
For the 2011 census, in England and Wales, the White self-classification option included a subcategory of "English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British".2011-2001 Census questionnaire comparability, Office for National Statistics, Accessed 28 December 2012Census 2011 Wales Household Questionnaire 2011, Accessed 28 December 2012 In Scotland, the White category included "Scottish" and "Other British" options.Scotland's Census 2011 Household Questionnaire 2011 , Accessed 28 December 2012 In Northern Ireland, the White British classification did not appear, the only choice being 'White'.NISRA 2011 census Questionnaire , Accessed 28 December 2012
The 2011 census for England, Wales and Scotland also included additional White ethnic classifications of White Irish, White Gypsy/Irish Traveller and White Other. There were calls for the 2011 national census in England and Wales to include an extra subcategory so people could identify their ethnic group as Cornish.
For the 2021 census, in England and Wales, the 'Roma' group was added under the 'White' ethnic group.
Demographics Population and distribution
People in the "White British" census classification have their ages more evenly distributed in their population pyramid and have the highest per cent female population of all ethnic-based classifications. The following numbers are based on the 2011 census conducted in each country. In England and Wales, about per cent of the White British classification are between the ages of 16 and 64 while about per cent are under 16 and per cent 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 per cent male and per cent female, making them have the lowest per cent male population among all census classifications defined as "ethnic" in the census.
In Scotland, about per cent of the White British classification are between the ages of 16 and 64 while about per cent are under 16 and per cent are over 64. Of those aged 65 or over, White British are per cent male and per cent female, the same percentages as in England and Wales.
In Northern Ireland, about per cent of the White classification are between the ages of 16 and 24 while about per cent are under 16 and per cent are over 24. Of those aged 25 or over, white people are per cent male and per cent female.
According to the 2011 UK Census results, White British people made up the largest percentage of the population in rural areas, such as Allerdale (99.4%) and Copeland (99.3%) in Cumbria, Ryedale (99.4%) in North Yorkshire, North Norfolk (99.2%) and North Devon (99%). Cities across the UK regions with high White British populations included Swansea (91.5%), Kingston Upon Hull (89.7%), Plymouth (92.2%), Darlington (93.7%), Belfast (96.4% – NI classification "white"), Norwich (84.7%), Liverpool (84.8%) and Chelmsford (90.0%). The highest unitary authority with a White British proportion was Redcar and Cleveland (97.6%) followed by Northumberland (97.2%), Hartlepool and County Durham (both 96.6%), Lincolnshire (93%) followed by Nottinghamshire, Norfolk and Worcestershire, all above 92%. Within the London region, Havering had the highest White British percentage with 83.3%, followed by Bromley with 77.4%, Bexley with 77.3% and Richmond upon Thames with 71.4%.
Since the 2011 UK Census was returned, London contained by far the lowest percentage of English and other White British people of all the UK regions, where they made up less than half of the population in 24 of the 32 boroughs, including: Newham (16.7%), Brent (18.0%), Ealing (30.4%), Harrow (30.9%), Hackney (31.2%), Redbridge (35.2%) and Tower Hamlets (36.2%). Despite this, the White British population in London was still higher in numbers than the entirety of Wales or Northern Ireland, owing to London's high overall population. The city with the lowest White British population as a percentage was Leicester (40.9%) – also the only city below 50% – while the lowest for unitary authorities was Slough (34.5%), followed by Luton (44.6%). The local ward with the lowest percentage was Southall Broadway in Ealing (3.5%), followed by Southall Green in Ealing; Green Street East, Green Street West, and East Ham North, all in Newham, which were the only wards below five per cent.
+White British population in regions of the UKUnited Kingdom NUTS 1 RegionsYear200120112021 Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Northern Ireland1,670,98899.1% 1,738,604 97.7%1,765,97192.8% 4,832,75695.4% 4,863,000 91.9%4,737,31987.1% 2,786,60596% 2,855,450 93.2%2,814,42790.9% 42,747,13687%42,279,23679.8%41,540,79173.5% North East England2,425,59296.4% 2,431,423 93.6%2,397,55790.6% South West England4,701,60295.3% 4,855,676 91.8%5,008,14987.8% North West England6,203,04392.1% 6,141,069 87.1%6,019,38581.2% Yorkshire and the Humber4,551,39491.6% 4,531,137 85.8%4,431,26580.9% East of England4,927,34391.4% 4,986,170 85.3%4,972,14978.5% East Midlands3,807,73191.2% 3,871,146 85.4%3,882,39079.6% South East England7,304,67891.3% 7,358,998 85.2%7,315,05878.8% West Midlands4,537,89286.1% 4,434,333 79.2%4,275,55771.8% Greater London4,287,86159.7% 3,669,284 44.9%3,239,28136.8%Overall in the United Kingdom52,728,717(50,366,497)89.7%(88.2%)52,320,080(49,997,686)82.8%(81.5%)50,858,508(49,092,537)76.0%(75.5%)
Population by local authority