English people

ethnic group native to England

English people refer to people who are citizens of England or of English descent. England is one of the nations that is a part of the Island of Great Britain. It shares the island with Scotland (Scots) and Wales (the Welsh). England is also a part of the United Kingdom along with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Because of this, English people are also British people.

English people
Regions with significant populations
 United Kingdom 47.6 million in
 England and  Wales[1]
Significant English diaspora in
 United States48.8 million[2] (2018)a
 Australia8.9 million[3] (2016)b
 Canada8.9 million[4] 2016)c
 South Africa1.7 million[5] (2023)d
 New Zealand1.6 million.[6]
Languages
English
Religion
Traditionally Anglicanism, but also non-conformists and dissenters (see History of the Church of England), as well as other Protestants; also Roman Catholics (see Catholic Emancipation); Islam (see Islam in England); Judaism and other faiths (see Religion in England). Almost 25% are non-religious.[7](2023)
Related ethnic groups

a English American, b English Australian, c English Canadian, d British diaspora in Africa

Originally, English people descended from Anglo-Saxons and Celts. Modern English people often have ancestors from many different countries. Often, their ancestors came from other European countries and from the rest of the world.

Many people leave England to live in former British colonies. These include the United States, Australia and Canada. The countries with the most English people, other than the United Kingdom are the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand.

Citizenship change

Citizenship refers to the United Kingdom rather than just England. Many citizens in the U.K. are not ethnically British. In the past, the British Empire controlled countries all over the world. People from many of these countries moved to England and had families. Over time, this led to many citizens from different ethnic groups. Examples of these groups include Indian people and other groups from the Indian subcontinent, people from African countries, people from the Caribbean islands and people from Hong Kong.

Emigration from Britain is even more significant. About 40 to 44 million people in other countries have British ancestors. Census data provide the evidence for these statements.[8]

References change

  1. The 2011 England and Wales census reports that in England and Wales 32.4 million people associated themselves with an English identity alone and 37.6 million identified themselves with an English identity either on its own or combined with other identities, being 57.7% and 67.1% respectively of the population of England and Wales.
  2. "U.S. Census Bureau, 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  3. "United Kingdom-born Community Information Summary: 2016 Census" (PDF). homeaffairs.gov.au. 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  4. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (8 February 2017). "Census Profile, 2016 Census - Canada [Country] and Canada [Country]". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  5. Census 2011: Census in brief (PDF). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. 2012. p. 26. ISBN 9780621413885. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 May 2015. The number of people who described themselves as white in terms of population group and specified their first language as English in South Africa's 2011 Census was 1,603,575. The total white population with a first language specified was 4,461,409 and the total population was 51,770,560.
  6. (Ethnic origin) The 2006 New Zealand census Archived 19 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine reports 44,202 people (based on pre-assigned ethnic categories) stating they belong to the English ethnic group. The 1996 census used a different question Archived 19 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine to both the 1991 and the 2001 censuses, which had "a tendency for respondents to answer the 1996 question on the basis of ancestry (or descent) rather than 'ethnicity' (or cultural affiliation)" and reported 281,895 people with English origins; See also the figures for 'New Zealand European'.
  7. "2011 Census: KS209EW Religion, local authorities in England and Wales". ons.gov.uk. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  8. [1] "English Emigration". Spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2017.