2021 Census Results: Data and Maps for Religion and Ethnicity in England and Wales

England and Wales are becoming less white and less Christian, according to new official data today showing a snapshot of modern Britain.

The number of people in the two nations who identify as white has fallen by about 500,000 in a decade, the Office for National Statistics said.

About 81.7 per cent of residents in England and Wales identified themselves as white as of the 2021 census day, up from 86 per cent a decade earlier.

On the interactive maps below you can see how the numbers are developing in your area.

The second most common ethnic group was “Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh” at 9.3 percent, up from 7.5 percent in 2011.

The ONS also revealed that two-thirds of Londoners now identify as belonging to an ethnic minority, with just 36.8 per cent of people identifying as “white English, Welsh, Scots, Northern Irish or British”.

And for the first time since the census began nearly 200 years ago, less than half of the population said they were Christian. More than a third now say they have no religion at all.

But the ONS also revealed that while the ethnic makeup of England and Wales is changing, more than 90 per cent said they felt British.

The census takes place every 10 years in the UK and provides the most accurate estimate of all people and households in the country.

More data will be released gradually over the next two years.

Deputy Census Director Jon Wroth-Smith said: “Today’s data underscores the increasingly multicultural society in which we live.

“The percentage of people who identify their ethnic group as ‘White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British’ continues to decrease.

“While this remains the most common answer to the question about ethnicity, the number of people who identify with a different ethnic group continues to increase.

“However, the picture varies depending on where you live.

London remains the most ethnically diverse region of England, where just under two-thirds identify with an ethnic minority group, while in the North East less than 1 in 10 identify so.

“But despite the ethnically diverse nature of society, 9 in 10 people across England and Wales still identify with a British national identity, with almost 8 in 10 doing so in London.”

The ONS said major shifts in ethnicity were seen among people identifying as “White: Other Whites,” who numbered 3.7 million (6.2 percent) in 2021, up from 2.5 million (4.4 percent). percent) in 2011.

And the number of people who identified their ethnicity as “Other ethnicity: Any other ethnicity” increased to 924,000 (1.6%) from 333,000 (0.6%) in 2011.

About one in ten households (2.5 million) contained members from at least two different ethnic groups in 2021. This is an increase from 8.7 percent in 2011, the ONS said.

The ONS also revealed that while the ethnic makeup of England and Wales is changing, more than 90 per cent said they felt British.

About 46.2 per cent of the population of England and Wales identified themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, up from 59.3 per cent a decade earlier, according to the ONS.

This means that the proportion has fallen below half for the first time.

The proportion of people who say they have no religion increased from about a quarter in 2011 (25.2 percent) to over a third in 2021 (37.2 percent).

The proportion of people who identify themselves as Muslim (from 4.9 percent to 6.5 percent) and as Hindu (from 1.5 percent to 1.7 percent) has increased.

London remains the most religiously diverse region of England. Just over a quarter (25.3 percent) of people reported being a religion other than Christian as of the 2021 census day.

South West England is the region with the least religious diversity: 3.2 per cent choose a religion other than Christian.

The religion question was optional in the 2021 census but was answered by 94.0 per cent of the total population of England and Wales, up from 92.9 per cent in 2011, the ONS added.

The Archbishop of York said the country was “putting behind the era when many people identified themselves as Christians almost automatically” after census data showed that the proportion of the population of England and Wales who identified themselves as such fell for the first time had fallen below half.

Most Venerable Stephen Cottrell said: “The Christian church exists to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, to serve our neighbor, and to bring hope to a troubled world. We have done this for 2,000 years, in times of war and peace; hardship and abundance; Revival and decline, and we need to do that now more than ever.

“It’s no great surprise that the census shows fewer people in this country identifying as Christian than in the past, but it still challenges us not only to have faith that God will build His kingdom on earth, but also to do our part in making Christ known.

“We are past the era when many people identified themselves as Christians almost automatically, but other surveys consistently show that the same people are still searching for spiritual truth and wisdom and a set of values ​​to live by.

“This winter—perhaps more than in a long time—people across the country, some in desperate need, will be turning to their local church for not just spiritual hope but practical help. In many cases we will be there for them and provide them with food and warmth. And at Christmas, millions more people will come to our services.

“At the same time, we will look beyond our immediate surroundings and remember that we are part of a global faith, the largest movement on earth and its greatest hope for a peaceful, sustainable future.”