BBC NEWS | UK | Born Abroad

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

One-Minute World News

News services
Your news when you want it

News Front Page

Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Middle East

South Asia

Business

Health

Science & Environment

Technology

Entertainment

Also in the news

-----------------

Video and Audio

-----------------

Programmes

Have Your Say

In Pictures

Country Profiles

Special Reports

RELATED BBC SITES

East of England

At-a-glance

328,131 people born abroad were living in the East of England in 2001 – 6% of the region's population.

18% of the population was born in either Germany or the USA – the vast majority being members of the US services.

96% more people born abroad living in west Thurrock was the biggest rate of change - 3,000 out of 60,000 people.

1.82% of residents in Canvey Island were born abroad – the lowest proportion in the region.

In 2001, the East of England was home to the fourth largest group of people born abroad.

Of the 328,000 people born abroad living in this region, almost one in 10 of them was born in America. A slightly smaller proportion is Germany-born.

The vast majority in both these groups are US and British military personnel stationed in the region - but also services children born while their parents were stationed in Germany during the Cold War.

Since 2001 there has been dramatic change in agriculture as the trend for migrant farm workers, principally from Portugal and parts of Eastern Europe has grown, with many agri-businesses saying foreign recruitment is essential to their survival.

People living in the East of England

TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE

1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %

All people 5,055,573 5,388,213 6.58 100 100 0

Born outside British Isles 255,417 328,131 28.47 5.05 6.09 1.04

Top 10 places of birth outside British Isles

TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE

Country 1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %

USA 38,698 30,924 -20.09 0.77 0.57 -0.20

Germany 23,061 27,564 19.53 0.46 0.51 0.05

India 22,421 25,783 14.99 0.44 0.48 0.04

Pakistan 13,424 17,948 33.70 0.27 0.33 0.06

Italy 13,163 14,107 7.17 0.26 0.26 0.00

Caribbean 13,584 13,805 1.63 0.27 0.26 -0.01

South Africa 6,141 13,387 117.99 0.12 0.25 0.13

Other South & E Africa n/a 12,506 n/a n/a 0.23 n/a

Bangladesh 7,127 10,443 46.53 0.14 0.19 0.05

Other Far East n/a 9,624 n/a n/a 0.18 n/a

Click column titles to sort table by that column.

People born outside British Isles area by area

	TOTAL NUMBERS			AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Sort by: Area	1991	2001	+/- %	1991	2001	+/- %
Acle	1,380	1,605	16.30	2.51	2.76	0.25
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, Non-EU states in W Europe, USA, India.
Ampthill	3,614	2,688	-25.62	8.03	5.35	-2.68
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Italy, USA, South Africa.
Basildon Central	1,788	2,194	22.71	2.79	3.57	0.78
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, Caribbean, Other Far East, South Africa.
Bedford E	3,436	4,583	33.38	8.16	9.99	1.83
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Italy, India, Caribbean, Germany, Bangladesh.
Bedford W	8,137	9,414	15.69	17.03	17.92	0.89
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Italy, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Caribbean.
Benfleet	1,142	1,247	9.19	2.30	2.54	0.24
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, Hong Kong, Other South & E Africa, Non-EU states in W Europe.
Billericay E	1,309	1,635	24.90	2.58	3.15	0.57
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, Other Far East, India, Other South & E Africa, South Africa.
Billericay W	1,463	1,986	35.75	3.17	3.79	0.62
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, USA, South Africa, Australia.
Bishop's Stortford	1,711	2,813	64.41	3.72	5.77	2.05
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, South Africa, Hong Kong, USA.
Borehamwood	2,724	4,487	64.72	5.47	8.14	2.67
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, South Africa, Other South & E Africa, Kenya, Cyprus.
Braintree NW	1,227	1,726	40.67	3.03	3.47	0.44
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, South Africa, Other South & E Africa.
Braintree South E	1,476	1,653	11.99	2.88	3.18	0.30
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, Other South & E Africa, USA, India.
Brentwood	2,506	3,128	24.82	4.58	5.89	1.31
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Other South & E Africa, South Africa, Germany, USA.
Bury St. Edmunds E	1,387	1,895	36.63	2.94	3.54	0.60
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, South Africa, Non-EU states in W Europe, India.
Bury St. Edmunds W	1,862	2,592	39.21	4.28	5.53	1.25
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, India, South Africa, Hong Kong.
Bushey	3,153	4,171	32.29	8.34	10.61	2.27
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Kenya, Other South & E Africa, South Africa, Germany.
Caddington	2,111	2,972	40.79	6.16	8.08	1.92
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Caribbean, Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh.
Cambridge E	4,935	8,255	67.27	9.72	15.12	5.40
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, Italy, Other Far East, India.
Cambridge W	6,104	11,344	85.85	14.84	20.90	6.06
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, Other Far East, China, India.
	TOTAL NUMBERS			AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area	1991	2001	+/- %	1991	2001	+/- %
Canvey Island	605	684	13.06	1.64	1.82	0.18
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Other Far East, Other South & E Africa, Cyprus.
Central Suffolk	1,802	1,742	-3.33	3.77	3.45	-0.32
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, South Africa, India, Australia.
Chelmsford E	988	1,033	4.55	3.25	3.82	0.57
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Other South & E Africa, Caribbean, USA.
Chelmsford Moulsham	1,831	2,438	33.15	4.07	5.02	0.95
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Other South & E Africa, South Africa, Hong Kong.
Chelmsford Rural W	1,800	2,652	47.33	3.57	4.84	1.27
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, South Africa, Other South & E Africa, Other Far East.
Cheshunt N	2,232	2,688	20.43	4.78	5.57	0.79
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Italy, Cyprus, India, Germany, Caribbean.
Cheshunt S	1,893	2,697	42.47	5.45	6.95	1.50
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, Caribbean, India.
Chigwell	2,542	3,948	55.31	4.88	7.37	2.49
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Other South & E Africa, South Africa, Kenya, Pakistan.
Chipping Ongar	773	961	24.32	2.55	3.03	0.48
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, South Africa, USA, Australia.
Colchester E	2,802	3,901	39.22	5.60	7.35	1.75
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, Greece, India, Other South & E Africa, Hong Kong.
Colchester W	3,145	3,614	14.91	7.19	7.34	0.15
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Hong Kong, Other South Asia, Other South & E Africa.
Cringleford	2,308	3,847	66.68	5.31	8.30	2.99
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, Other Far East, China.
Downham	1,990	2,257	13.42	5.79	6.18	0.39
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, Australia, Other Far East, India.
Dunstable	1,983	2,133	7.56	3.97	4.20	0.23
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, Other South & E Africa, Italy, Caribbean.
East Bedfordshire	1,686	1,917	13.70	3.54	3.66	0.12
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, South Africa, USA, Other South & E Africa.
East Dereham	931	1,417	52.20	2.50	3.32	0.82
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, Portugal, India, Non-EU states in W Europe.
Ely	1,932	3,742	93.69	4.08	6.43	2.35
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, South Africa, Hong Kong, India.
Epping	1,299	1,915	47.42	3.28	4.48	1.20
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Italy, India, Germany, South Africa, Cyprus.
Flitwick	1,382	1,808	30.82	3.77	4.19	0.42
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, India, USA, Other South & E Africa.
Fulbourn	2,020	3,464	71.49	4.33	6.56	2.23
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, South Africa, India, Australia.
	TOTAL NUMBERS			AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area	1991	2001	+/- %	1991	2001	+/- %
Great Shelford	1,961	2,715	38.45	4.15	5.58	1.43
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, USA, India, Caribbean.
Great Yarmouth N	1,022	1,078	5.48	2.38	2.45	0.07
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, Cyprus, South Africa, India, USA.
Great Yarmouth S	1,007	1,209	20.06	2.24	2.58	0.34
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, USA, Other Far East, South Africa.
Hadleigh	1,268	1,414	11.51	3.39	3.51	0.12
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, South Africa, Australia.
Hardwick	1,578	2,275	44.17	5.82	7.94	2.12
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, South Africa, Other Far East, India.
Harlow E	1,366	2,043	49.56	3.37	4.60	1.23
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Hong Kong, Germany, India, Pakistan, South Africa.
Harlow W	1,826	2,241	22.73	4.14	5.26	1.12
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Other Far East, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy.
Harpenden	2,342	3,135	33.86	5.32	7.06	1.74
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): South Africa, USA, Germany, Australia, India.
Harwich N	1,057	1,316	24.50	2.52	2.75	0.23
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Netherlands, South Africa, Australia.
Harwich S	1,096	1,569	43.16	2.23	2.80	0.57
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, USA, Cyprus, Non-EU states in W Europe.
Hatfield	2,200	3,962	80.09	5.29	8.89	3.60
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, China, Cyprus, Germany, Malaysia.
Haverhill	1,851	2,118	14.42	4.14	4.46	0.32
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, Caribbean, Cyprus, India.
Hemel Hempstead E	2,074	2,896	39.63	4.58	6.20	1.62
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Pakistan, India, Other South & E Africa, Germany, Caribbean.
Hemel Hempstead W	2,053	2,549	24.16	4.35	5.38	1.03
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Other South & E Africa.
Hertford	1,567	2,630	67.84	3.69	5.20	1.51
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, Italy, Australia, India, South Africa.
Hitchin	2,872	3,523	22.67	6.80	7.82	1.02
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Caribbean, Italy, Germany, South Africa.
Huntingdon E	4,003	3,834	-4.22	7.47	6.89	-0.58
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, Pakistan, India, Italy.
Huntingdon W	3,433	3,402	-0.90	7.19	6.73	-0.46
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, India, Other Far East, South Africa.
Ipswich E	2,582	2,741	6.16	4.90	5.46	0.56
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Caribbean, Germany, India, USA, Bangladesh.
Ipswich N	1,327	2,318	74.68	3.54	5.04	1.50
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Caribbean, Germany, USA, Bangladesh.
	TOTAL NUMBERS			AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area	1991	2001	+/- %	1991	2001	+/- %
Ipswich W	1,713	2,204	28.66	4.78	6.09	1.31
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Caribbean, Bangladesh, India, Germany, USA.
King's Lynn E	1,105	1,407	27.33	2.50	3.05	0.55
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, South Africa, Canada.
King's Lynn W	1,143	1,686	47.51	2.21	3.20	0.99
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, Ex-USSR, South Africa, Other Far East, USA.
Leighton Buzzard	2,000	2,183	9.15	4.01	4.38	0.37
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Italy, Germany, India, South Africa, USA.
Letchworth	2,697	3,104	15.09	6.52	7.25	0.73
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Caribbean, Germany, Italy, South Africa.
Littleport	572	812	41.96	4.39	5.39	1.00
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, India, South Africa, Other Far East.
Lowestoft	800	981	22.63	1.84	2.13	0.29
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, Other Far East, Canada, India.
Luton Brambury	3,448	4,689	35.99	7.90	10.26	2.36
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Caribbean, Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh.
Luton High Town	9,673	13,743	42.08	19.39	25.20	5.81
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Caribbean, Zimbabwe.
Luton Leagrave	5,895	8,435	43.09	13.43	17.80	4.37
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Pakistan, Caribbean, India, Bangladesh, Kenya.
Maldon	1,291	1,650	27.81	2.44	2.78	0.34
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, South Africa, Australia.
Mildenhall	12,184	12,297	0.93	22.22	22.14	-0.08
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, Other Far East, India, Japan.
NE Hertfordshire Rural	1,328	1,980	49.10	3.04	4.30	1.26
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, USA, Australia, Caribbean.
North Bedfordshire	1,402	1,809	29.03	4.19	4.90	0.71
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Italy, USA, South Africa.
North East Essex	894	1,101	23.15	2.58	3.17	0.59
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, USA, Australia, South Africa.
North Norfolk Rural	1,145	1,262	10.22	3.00	2.90	-0.10
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, Canada, South Africa, USA, Australia.
North Norfolk Urban	1,168	1,451	24.23	2.24	2.64	0.40
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, USA, India, Non-EU states in W Europe.
North West Essex	1,919	3,346	74.36	3.94	6.25	2.31
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, Greece, China, Other Far East, USA.
Norwich North E	962	1,234	28.27	2.50	3.20	0.70
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, USA, Other Far East, Non-EU states in W Europe.
Norwich South E	1,528	1,857	21.53	3.35	4.44	1.09
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, South Africa, Australia.
	TOTAL NUMBERS			AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area	1991	2001	+/- %	1991	2001	+/- %
Orton	2,572	3,084	19.91	6.75	7.40	0.65
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Italy, Germany, India, Other South & E Africa, Kenya.
Peterborough E	5,170	6,196	19.85	11.36	13.07	1.71
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Pakistan, India, Italy, Other South & E Africa, Germany.
Peterborough W	3,295	3,881	17.78	6.44	8.11	1.67
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Pakistan, India, Germany, Other South & E Africa, Italy.
Rayleigh E	539	642	19.11	1.91	2.44	0.53
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, Other South & E Africa, USA, Australia.
Rayleigh W	1,457	1,827	25.39	2.44	2.83	0.39
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Other South & E Africa, South Africa, Australia.
Rochford	352	352	0.00	2.48	2.45	-0.03
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Other Far East, Italy, Non-EU states in W Europe.
Saffron Walden E	647	926	43.12	2.38	3.03	0.65
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, India, USA, Australia.
Saffron Walden W	2,403	3,517	46.36	3.67	5.10	1.43
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, South Africa, USA, Australia, India.
South Hertfordshire	4,214	5,652	34.12	7.80	9.86	2.06
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Other South & E Africa, Kenya, USA, Germany.
South Norfolk Rural	1,164	1,450	24.57	2.45	3.08	0.63
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, South Africa, Australia, India.
South Norfolk Urban	1,153	1,889	63.83	2.38	3.24	0.86
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, USA, South Africa, Australia.
Southend E	3,070	4,325	40.88	4.05	5.70	1.65
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Other South & E Africa.
Southend Leigh	1,636	2,086	27.51	3.55	4.56	1.01
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Other South & E Africa.
Southend Prittlewell	1,435	1,875	30.66	3.92	4.85	0.93
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Other South & E Africa.
St. Albans E	4,002	4,857	21.36	9.09	10.53	1.44
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Bangladesh, Other South & E Africa, Italy, South Africa, Germany.
St. Albans W	2,991	3,997	33.63	7.26	9.60	2.34
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Bangladesh, Germany, India, South Africa, Italy.
Stanford Le Hope	772	1,042	34.97	2.17	2.90	0.73
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Bangladesh, Germany, Other South & E Africa, Caribbean.
Stevenage N	2,154	2,671	24.00	4.58	5.56	0.98
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, Other Far East, South Africa, Caribbean.
Stevenage S	1,306	1,854	41.96	3.25	4.19	0.94
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, South Africa, Caribbean, Hong Kong.
Sudbury	1,306	1,529	17.08	2.85	3.25	0.40
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, South Africa, Australia.
	TOTAL NUMBERS			AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area	1991	2001	+/- %	1991	2001	+/- %
Suffolk Coastal N	6,395	1,950	-69.51	13.06	4.06	-9.00
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, South Africa, India, Other Far East.
Suffolk Coastal S	2,532	2,055	-18.84	5.51	4.30	-1.21
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, Other Far East, India, South Africa.
Taverham & Thorpe	1,315	1,844	40.23	2.56	3.06	0.50
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, USA, Hong Kong, South Africa.
Thetford	3,485	4,478	28.49	4.98	5.69	0.71
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, Portugal, South Africa, Non-EU states in W Europe.
Thurrock E	956	1,843	92.78	2.26	3.75	1.49
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Bangladesh, Germany, Ex-Yugoslavia, Nigeria.
Thurrock W	1,561	3,062	96.16	3.13	5.28	2.15
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Ex-Yugoslavia, Germany, Caribbean, Other Far East.
Watford Central	6,483	9,218	42.19	8.69	11.57	2.88
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Pakistan, India, Caribbean, Italy, Other South & E Africa.
Watford Outer	1,353	1,546	14.26	6.34	6.94	0.60
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Other South & E Africa, India, Kenya, Germany, South Africa.
Waveney Rural	1,149	1,268	10.36	2.27	2.38	0.11
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, India, USA, Other Far East, South Africa.
Welwyn Garden City	2,384	3,489	46.35	4.69	6.58	1.89
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): India, Germany, South Africa, Other Far East, Other South & E Africa.
West Hertfordshire	1,855	2,776	49.65	4.67	6.35	1.68
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): South Africa, Germany, USA, Australia, India.
Whittlesey	1,698	2,483	46.23	2.09	2.73	0.64
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): Germany, USA, India, Other South & E Africa, South Africa.
Yaxley	3,852	3,022	-21.55	7.10	4.85	-2.25
Top 5 places of birth, 2001 (highest first): USA, Germany, South Africa, India, Cyprus.

Can't find where you live? We have included every area but limitations with the data mean some names may not exactly match those familiar to you. If your first choice is not there, try other local names. For more details, read Your questions answered.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

BBC Copyright Notice
MMIX