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