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At-a-glance
1.7m people born outside Britain were living in London in 2001.

25% of the city's population was born abroad, up 6% on 1991.

52% of people in Wembley were born abroad – 18,258 people.

305% rise in foreign-born people in Barking South, to 5,120 in 2001.


The story of immigration to Britain cannot be told without looking at the story of London. For centuries it has been, and remains, the first destination for most migrants to the UK.

Today, people born outside the British Isles comprise a quarter of its population and play a crucial role in the life of the city.

Figures show that had no additional foreign-born people come to live in London in the decade to 2001, its population would have fallen, rather than increased.

As of 2001, one local area – Wembley – recorded more than half of its residents being born abroad. A further four areas were home to 45% or more foreign-born people.

People living in London
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
All people 6,679,576 7,172,066 7.37 100 100 0
Born outside British Isles 1,233,328 1,779,300 44.27 18.46 24.81 6.35

Top 10 places of birth outside British Isles
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Country 1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
India 151,592 172,661 13.90 2.27 2.41 0.14
Caribbean 151,901 142,498 -6.19 2.27 1.99 -0.28
Other South & E Africa n/a 104,706 n/a n/a 1.46 n/a
Bangladesh 56,585 84,565 49.45 0.85 1.18 0.33
Nigeria 36,053 68,910 91.14 0.54 0.96 0.42
Pakistan 44,637 66,655 49.33 0.67 0.93 0.26
Kenya 57,009 66,309 16.31 0.85 0.92 0.07
Other Central & W Africa n/a 64,723 n/a n/a 0.90 n/a
Other Far East n/a 51,838 n/a n/a 0.72 n/a
Sri Lanka 25,832 49,925 93.27 0.39 0.70 0.31

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:
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Hyde Park 28,243 32,128 13.76 46.31 48.37 2.06
Southall W 25,556 30,573 19.63 41.79 47.43 5.64
Regent's Park 25,999 29,254 12.52 32.35 40.23 7.88
Kensington 22,287 28,757 29.03 42.97 45.77 2.80
Poplar 13,367 28,448 112.82 21.57 34.02 12.45
Chelsea 20,464 26,429 29.15 39.78 43.09 3.31
Tottenham N 17,117 24,801 44.89 30.53 40.52 9.99
Acton 16,429 24,552 49.44 26.83 36.26 9.43
East Ham N 17,288 23,293 34.74 38.38 46.56 8.18
East Ham S 12,267 22,958 87.15 23.45 36.47 13.02
Isleworth 14,607 22,852 56.45 23.06 31.07 8.01
Greenhill 16,400 22,522 37.33 28.95 38.44 9.49
Finchley 16,006 21,694 35.54 27.35 29.87 2.52
Hackney S 12,537 21,405 70.73 23.67 32.71 9.04
Sudbury 12,016 21,109 75.67 33.47 42.91 9.44
Selhurst 13,298 20,803 56.44 25.13 33.53 8.40
Hammersmith 14,314 20,627 44.10 24.00 31.18 7.18
Colindale 15,718 20,597 31.04 26.74 34.87 8.13
Stepney 18,004 20,568 14.24 32.91 36.71 3.80
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Cricklewood 12,489 20,194 61.69 32.13 39.52 7.39
Holborn 10,914 20,017 83.41 29.32 36.51 7.19
Tottenham S 15,628 19,716 26.16 36.01 40.85 4.84
Vauxhall N 12,387 18,965 53.10 22.96 31.92 8.96
Brondesbury 13,165 18,861 43.27 30.76 37.03 6.27
Wembley 18,453 18,258 -1.06 41.39 51.93 10.54
Forest Gate 9,511 18,122 90.54 24.12 35.13 11.01
Highgate 13,124 18,072 37.70 28.26 32.95 4.69
Heston 14,400 17,818 23.74 31.32 40.44 9.12
Vauxhall S 13,645 17,809 30.52 28.22 32.67 4.45
Greenford 9,001 17,696 96.60 16.29 27.16 10.87
Golders Green 14,281 17,608 23.30 33.75 36.50 2.75
Hornsey 13,930 17,578 26.19 26.75 32.38 5.63
Seven Kings 10,892 17,320 59.02 20.41 29.10 8.69
Stoke Newington 12,400 17,241 39.04 27.34 31.51 4.17
Rayners Lane 10,600 16,627 56.86 22.04 32.07 10.03
Southwark N 7,076 16,266 129.88 17.16 31.87 14.71
Loxford 10,681 16,229 51.94 22.84 34.47 11.63
Ealing Broadway 11,303 16,220 43.50 23.12 30.42 7.30
Bow 8,091 16,200 100.22 18.23 28.69 10.46
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Walthamstow W 10,143 16,172 59.44 19.53 28.63 9.10
Fulham 9,548 15,918 66.72 20.31 27.78 7.47
Tollington 11,532 15,914 38.00 22.13 27.30 5.17
Queensbury 12,986 15,641 20.45 33.82 40.89 7.07
Harlesden 13,255 15,421 16.34 31.23 39.71 8.48
Richmond N 10,957 15,328 39.89 16.59 22.33 5.74
Leyton 10,316 15,317 48.48 23.31 33.35 10.04
London Central 8,541 15,282 78.93 22.72 30.98 8.26
Plaistow 12,378 15,257 23.26 27.69 40.23 12.54
Tooting E 13,699 15,208 11.02 25.68 28.68 3.00
Norwood 10,367 15,159 46.22 18.72 26.42 7.70
Upper Edmonton 8,386 15,084 79.87 22.33 33.95 11.62
Kilburn 13,188 14,894 12.94 29.57 34.90 5.33
Peckham 9,491 14,644 54.29 24.23 32.05 7.82
Streatham S 10,031 14,478 44.33 21.93 27.97 6.04
Deptford N 8,815 14,266 61.84 21.88 32.40 10.52
Palmers Green 11,964 14,263 19.22 25.65 28.52 2.87
Streatham N 12,038 13,934 15.75 22.16 27.63 5.47
Mitcham 8,464 13,818 63.26 20.78 28.90 8.12
Bermondsey 5,371 13,652 154.18 12.04 23.81 11.77
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Shoreditch 7,931 13,415 69.15 21.49 32.58 11.09
Hackney N 13,283 13,411 0.96 28.87 32.33 3.46
St. Pancras 8,514 13,194 54.97 20.20 28.89 8.69
Southall E 10,589 12,830 21.16 21.74 25.51 3.77
Wimbledon N 8,927 12,789 43.26 22.11 27.63 5.52
Shepherds Bush 9,621 12,663 31.62 22.99 30.31 7.32
Camberwell Green 7,728 12,074 56.24 19.28 32.96 13.68
Fortis Green 10,937 12,073 10.39 21.59 22.88 1.29
Harrow Weald 8,124 11,904 46.53 16.88 24.68 7.80
West Norwood 7,678 11,847 54.30 18.07 23.67 5.60
Dulwich 9,156 11,836 29.27 17.14 21.86 4.72
Croydon Addiscombe 7,704 11,564 50.10 14.25 19.68 5.43
Kensal Town 9,718 11,525 18.59 27.70 33.15 5.45
Battersea E 8,526 11,509 34.99 19.36 22.72 3.36
Mill Hill 8,115 11,415 40.67 18.60 24.89 6.29
Pinner 7,926 11,210 41.43 16.78 23.28 6.50
Holloway 7,290 11,169 53.21 18.45 25.64 7.19
Woolwich 5,026 10,937 117.61 11.20 20.85 9.65
Canning Town 3,631 10,888 199.86 11.86 26.31 14.45
Brentford 7,711 10,599 37.45 17.99 25.14 7.15
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Wimbledon S 6,616 10,554 59.52 15.34 22.68 7.34
Kingston 5,739 10,436 81.84 12.10 19.53 7.43
Enfield Highway 5,929 10,399 75.39 11.88 19.78 7.90
Abbey Wood 4,961 10,180 105.20 11.80 19.17 7.37
Hayes 5,562 9,947 78.84 14.15 21.30 7.15
Putney E 6,621 9,868 49.04 17.41 24.92 7.51
Putney W 6,432 9,784 52.11 15.85 24.43 8.58
Deptford S 6,951 9,743 40.17 18.42 24.34 5.92
Canonbury 5,711 9,701 69.87 14.71 23.85 9.14
Lower Edmonton 7,937 9,556 20.40 16.76 24.45 7.69
Wanstead 6,839 9,477 38.57 16.83 21.83 5.00
Battersea W 8,060 9,444 17.17 19.04 25.51 6.47
Cockfosters 5,407 9,028 66.97 14.51 18.59 4.08
Sydenham 6,024 8,856 47.01 12.57 20.17 7.60
Twickenham N 5,579 8,836 58.38 10.98 15.50 4.52
Richmond S 5,788 8,628 49.07 16.70 22.95 6.25
Catford 4,116 8,602 108.99 13.44 21.04 7.60
Barnet E 6,617 8,579 29.65 15.54 19.17 3.63
Barnet W 7,158 8,524 19.08 14.98 19.37 4.39
Highbury 7,625 8,496 11.42 22.27 25.51 3.24
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Barkingside 5,907 8,371 41.71 12.50 18.54 6.04
Tooting W 5,742 8,227 43.28 16.84 20.57 3.73
Morden 4,416 8,221 86.16 9.99 17.39 7.40
Blackheath 4,678 7,755 65.78 14.86 20.21 5.35
Walthamstow E 5,663 7,742 36.71 16.76 22.76 6.00
Harlington 5,366 7,702 43.53 14.22 22.02 7.80
Surbiton 4,336 7,381 70.23 8.51 13.12 4.61
Waddon 4,211 6,947 64.97 9.12 13.39 4.27
Feltham 4,307 6,820 58.35 8.25 12.97 4.72
Coulsdon 4,674 6,334 35.52 9.22 12.19 2.97
Beckenham W 4,029 6,285 55.99 9.88 14.39 4.51
Sutton 3,646 6,258 71.64 8.76 12.96 4.20
Greenwich 5,235 6,235 19.10 11.96 18.69 6.73
Hainault 3,428 6,133 78.91 8.21 13.73 5.52
West Ruislip 4,378 6,113 39.63 10.81 15.81 5.00
Barking N 2,760 5,929 114.82 8.99 14.88 5.89
Twickenham S 4,017 5,856 45.78 9.15 12.55 3.40
Croydon Addington 3,955 5,627 42.28 7.29 11.59 4.30
Grove Park 3,440 5,352 55.58 8.01 12.84 4.83
Chislehurst 4,063 5,179 27.47 7.65 9.75 2.10
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Beckenham E 3,802 5,127 34.85 7.07 9.75 2.68
Barking S 1,264 5,120 305.06 3.52 13.36 9.84
Uxbridge N 3,682 5,044 36.99 8.86 11.43 2.57
Wallington 3,464 4,878 40.82 6.99 9.82 2.83
Enfield Town 3,128 4,735 51.37 8.09 12.17 4.08
East Ruislip 3,273 4,646 41.95 8.62 10.45 1.83
Erith 4,182 4,588 9.71 8.88 10.97 2.09
Uxbridge S 2,745 4,462 62.55 7.95 13.09 5.14
Woodford Green 2,465 4,182 69.66 6.89 10.50 3.61
Chingford 2,903 4,098 41.16 6.79 10.02 3.23
Eltham W 1,679 4,098 144.07 4.98 10.59 5.61
Cheam 2,739 3,976 45.16 7.12 9.93 2.81
Bexleyheath 1,866 3,961 112.27 4.18 7.46 3.28
Eltham E 3,639 3,743 2.86 8.42 10.18 1.76
Bromley 2,510 3,539 41.00 6.49 8.12 1.63
Orpington W 3,560 3,343 -6.10 4.76 5.79 1.03
Carshalton 2,122 3,335 57.16 5.41 7.99 2.58
Dagenham E 1,487 2,918 96.23 3.70 5.95 2.25
East Wickham 1,871 2,853 52.49 4.68 5.48 0.80
Dagenham W 1,349 2,585 91.62 3.66 7.04 3.38
TOTAL NUMBERS AS % OF ALL PEOPLE
Area
1991 2001 +/- % 1991 2001 +/- %
Sidcup 2,071 2,469 19.22 4.45 6.12 1.67
Orpington E 1,001 2,460 145.75 3.39 5.48 2.09
Romford E 1,447 2,001 38.29 3.83 5.29 1.46
Romford W 1,458 1,682 15.36 3.63 4.43 0.80
Rainham 1,144 1,652 44.41 3.46 4.49 1.03
Upminster S 1,044 1,536 47.13 3.09 4.23 1.14
Crayford 1,451 1,526 5.17 3.89 4.93 1.04
Hacton 1,549 1,476 -4.71 3.45 3.92 0.47
Upminster N 1,017 1,473 44.84 2.55 3.90 1.35
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.
 
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