Demography of Leicester

Leicester, England is an ethnically and culturally diverse city. It is the thirteenth most populous city in the United Kingdom.

Industry sectors over time in Leicester

Demographics of Leicester
Population pyramid of Leicester
Population368,571 (2021)
Population density in the 2011 census in Leicester.

Population

Leicester's total population, according to the 2011 UK census, was 329,839. The population density was 4,494 people per square km.

Ethnicity
Ethnic demography of Leicester from 1961 to 2021
Population pyramid of Leicester by ethnicity in 2021
Ethnic makeup of Leicester by single year ages in 2021

The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 2001 and 2011 censuses in Leicester. The local district has been in a majority-minority state since around 2008[1] and was reported in the 2011 census to be that, with the White British population at 45% of the population of Leicester.[2][3] Asian British residents, especially Indians, have risen since post-war migration to the UK began, famously Asians from Uganda who were expelled in 1972.[2] In 1991, Asians as a broad multi-ethnic group made up nearly a quarter of the city's population but have risen to above a third of the population at 37.1%. Black British people have also risen as a group with the increase mostly coming from Black Africans who have risen from 0.3% of the city's population to nearly 4%.

Ethnic group 1961 estimations[4] 1971 estimations[4] 1981 estimations[4][5] 1991[6] 2001[7] 2011[8] 2021[9]
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
White: Total 267,470 97.8% 255,928 90% 224,034 79.1% 193,502 71.53% 178,739 63.85% 166,636 50.52% 150,657 40.88%
White: British – – – – – – – –169,45660.54%148,62945.06% 122,395 33.21%
White: Irish – – – – – – 4,134 1.52%3,6021.29%2,5240.77% 1,789 0.49%
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller[note 1] – – – – – – – –––4170.13% 457 0.12%
White: Other – – – – – – – –5,6812.03%15,0664.57% 25,177 6.83%
White: Roma[note 2] – – – – – – – – – – – – 839 0.23%
Asian or Asian British: Total – – – – – – 67,334 24.89% 85,177 30.43% 122,470 37.13% 159,977 43.40%
Asian or Asian British: Indian – – – – – – 60,297 22.29%72,03325.73%93,33528.30% 126,421 34.30%
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani – – – – – – 2,644 0.97%4,2761.53%8,0672.45% 12,673 3.44%
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi – – – – – – 1,053 0.38%1,9260.69%3,6421.10% 7,055 1.91%
Asian or Asian British: Chinese[note 3] – – – – – – 770 0.28%1,4260.51%4,2451.29% 2,481 0.67%
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian – – – – – – 2,570 0.95%5,5161.97%13,1814.00% 11,347 3.08%
Black or Black British: Total – – – – – – 6,613 2.44% 8,595 3.07% 20,585 6.24% 28,766 7.80%
Black or Black British: Caribbean – – – – – – 4,112 1.52%4,6101.65%4,7901.45% 5,025 1.36%
Black or Black British: African – – – – – – 745 0.27%3,4321.23%12,4803.78% 21,536 5.84%
Black or Black British: Other Black – – – – – – 1,756 0.64%5530.20%3,3151.01% 2,764 0.75%
Mixed: Total – – – – – – – – 6,506 2.32% 11,580 3.51% 13,899 3.77%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean – – – – – – – –2,8411.01%4,6911.42% 5,025 1.36%
Mixed: White and Black African – – – – – – – –5390.19%1,1610.35% 1,776 0.48%
Mixed: White and Asian – – – – – – – –1,9080.68%3,3881.03% 3,659 0.99%
Mixed: Other Mixed – – – – – – – –1,2180.44%2,3400.71% 3,439 0.75%
Other: Total – – – – – – 3,044 1.12% 904 0.32% 8,568 2.60% 15,272 4.14%
Other: Arab[note 4] – – – – – – – –––3,3111.00% 3,402 0.92%
Other: Any other ethnic group – – – – – – 3,044 1.12%9040.32%5,2571.59% 11,870 3.22%
Ethnic minority: Total 6,000 2.2% 28,280 10% 58,966 20.8% 76,991 28.48% 101,182 36.15% 163,203 49.48% 217,914 59.12%
Total 273,470 100% 284,208 100% 283,100 100% 270,493 100% 279,921 100% 329,839 100% 368,571 100%

Notes for table above

  1. New category created for the 2011 census
  2. New category created for the 2021 census
  3. In 2001, listed under the 'Chinese or other ethnic group' heading.
  4. New category created for the 2011 census
Distribution of ethnic groups in Leicester according to the 2011 census.
  • White
    White
  • White-British
    White-British
  • White-Irish
    White-Irish
  • White-Other
    White-Other
  • Asian
    Asian
  • Asian-Indian
    Asian-Indian
  • Asian-Pakistani
    Asian-Pakistani
  • Asian-Bangladeshi
    Asian-Bangladeshi
  • Asian-Chinese
    Asian-Chinese
  • Black
    Black
  • Black-African
    Black-African
  • Black-Caribbean
    Black-Caribbean
  • Other-Arab
    Other-Arab
  • Population pyramids of each ethnic group in Leicester
  • White British
    White British

Ethnicity of school pupils

The ethnicity of school pupils within Leicester has been in flux and in a majority-minority state since statistics have been first collected in 2003. For instance, the most profound change can be seen with the White British, who have declined from 45.6% in 2004 to 23.4% in 2022. Asian British school pupils have risen in percentage, going from 37.9% of the areas school pupil population to a near majority (47%). All other groups have grown in size as well. Other White school pupils have risen from 1.7% to 7.8%, Black British school pupils have risen from 6.4% to 10.4% in 2016 but then declined to 9.5% in 2022, Mixed have risen from 5.5% to 7.5% and Other ethnicities have gone from 0.8% to 2.7%.

Ethnic group School year[10][11]
2004 2008 2012 2015/16 2021/2022
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
White: Total 19,480 48.1% 16,720 42.4% 15,515 39% 16,583 36.6% 18,905 31.8%
White: British 18,490 45.6% 15,090 38.3% 13,258 33.3% 13,215 29.1% 13,890 23.4%
White: Irish 190 133 86 73 65
White: Traveller of Irish heritage 70 35 50 61 47
White: Gypsy/Roma 30 30 139 235 266
White: Other 700 1.7% 1,432 1,978 2,999 4,637 7.8%
Asian / Asian British: Total 15,360 37.9% 15,924 40.4% 16,512 41.5% 19,682 43.4% 27,906 47%
Asian / Asian British: Indian 12,150 30% 12,267 31.1% 12,049 30.3% 14,179 31.3% 19,855 33.4%
Asian / Asian British: Pakistani 1,020 1,227 1,382 1,724 2,557
Asian / Asian British: Bangladeshi 560 638 826 994 1,617
Asian / Asian British: Chinese 80 79 80 113 169
Asian / Asian British: Other Asians 1,550 3.8% 1,713 2,175 2,672 3,708 6.2%
Black / Black British: Total 2,610 6.4% 3,450 8.7% 4,050 10.2% 4,726 10.4% 5,680 9.5%
Black: Caribbean 590 534 505 500 454
Black: African 1,860 4.6% 2,576 3,130 3,589 4,390 7.4%
Black: Other Blacks 160 337 415 637 836
Mixed / British Mixed 2,230 5.5% 2,440 6.2% 2,730 6.9% 3,082 6.8% 4,457 7.5%
Other: Total 310 0.8% 534 1.4% 650 1.6% 910 2% 1,618 2.7%
Unclassified 570 1.4% 152 0.4% 312 0.8% 384 0.8% 833 1.4%
Total: 40,540 100% 39,430 100% 39,765 100% 45,367 100% 59,399 100%

Ethnicity of births

Ethnic Group 1981 estimates[12] 2021[13]
Number % Number %
White: Total – 66% 1,362 32.6%
White: British – – 897 21.5%
White: Other – – 465 11.1%
Asian / Asian British: Total – – 1,858 44.6%
Asian / Asian British: Indian – – 1,384 33.2%
Asian / Asian British: Pakistani – – 176 4.2%
Asian / Asian British: Bangladeshi – – 111 2.7%
Asian / Asian British: Other Asians – – 187 4.5%
Black / Black British: Total – – 324 7.7%
Black: Caribbean – – 27 0.6%
Black: African – – 258 6.2%
Black: Other Blacks – – 39 0.9%
Mixed / British Mixed – – 331 7.9%
Other: Total – – 130 3.1%
Not Stated – – 167 4.0%
Non-White: Total (not including Not stated) – 33% 2,643 63.3%
Total: – 100% 4,172 100%

Country of birth
UK born and foreign born population pyramid in Leicester in 2021. Males and females representing the UK born population while foreign males and females representing the foreign born population.
Country of Birth Year
1971[14] 1981[15] 1991[16] 2001[17] 2011[18] 2021[19]
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
 United Kingdom 242,255 87.4% 223,681 81% 217,656 80.4% 215,455 77% 218,996 66.4% 217,078 58.9%
 England 234,551 84.6% 216,729 78.5% 212,010 78.4% 214,403 65% 213,555 57.9%
 Scotland 4,006 3,708 2,854 2,330 1821 0.49%
 Wales 2,243 1,947 1,726 1,380 1078 0.29%
 Northern Ireland 1,455 - 1,019 781 590 0.16%
 United Kingdom (not otherwise specified) 1,297 47 84 102 467 0.13%
Europe (non-UK) 9,015 3.3% 7,472 2.7% 6,180 2.3% 7,563 2.7% 19,689 6% 31,880 8.6%
 Ireland 4,807 3,890 3,099 2,486 1,933 1,240 0.34%
Other EEC/EU 1,532 0.6% 1,750 0.6% 3,021 1.1% 15,927 4.8%
Other Europe 4,208 2,050 1,331 2,056 1,829 31,880 8.6%
Asia and Middle East 12,567 4.5% 20,112 7.3% 23,623 8.7% 30,501 10.9% 55,108 16.7% 79,372 21.5%
 India 11,365 4.1% 18,238 6.6% 20,837 7.7% 24,677 59,842 16.2%
 Pakistan 758 912 1,162 1,854 4,989 1.4%
 Bangladesh 397 686 1,051 3,233 0.9%
Far East 444 565 657 1,751
Middle East - 281 771
Other 4
Africa 7,088 2.6% 19,082 6.9% 18,327 6.8% 22,056 7.9% 31,983 9.7% 33,542 9.1%
North America and Caribbean 2,870 1% 2,550 0.9% 2,909 1% 3,545 2,825
South America 169
Oceania - 539 516 447
Other: New Commonwealth[n 1] 444 493
Other: Old Commonwealth[n 2] 402 628 455
Other: 2548 2,226 645 2
Total 277,189 100% 276,244 100% 270,525 100% 279,921 100% 329,839 100% 368,570 100%

Languages

The most common main languages spoken in Leicester according to the 2011 census are shown below.[20] There were around over 70 languages or dialects spoken in the city in 2011.[2]

RankLanguageUsual residents aged 3+Proportion
1English228,29572.47%
2Gujarati36,34711.54%
3Punjabi7,5602.40%
4Polish6,1921.97%
5Urdu3,3761.07%
6Somali3,3311.06%
7Arabic2,5160.80%
8Bengali1,8080.57%
9Portuguese1,7500.56%
10Kurdish1,5200.48%
11Tamil1,4980.48%
12Hindi1,0950.35%
13Persian1,0210.32%
14Slovak8780.28%
15French8490.27%
16Shona8010.25%
17Turkish5840.19%
18Greek5460.17%
19Swahili/Kiswahili5330.17%
20Tagalog/Filipino4960.16%
Other14,0154.45%

Religion

The following table shows the religion of respondents in the 2001 and 2011 censuses in Leicester. In 2012, almost 240 individual faith groups were reported to being practised in Leicester.[2]

Religion 2001[21] 2011[22] 2021
Number % Number % Number %
Christian125,18744.72%106,87232.40%91,16124.73%
Buddhist6380.23%1,2240.37%1,1810.32%
Hindu41,24814.74%50,08715.19%65,82117.86%
Jewish4170.15%2950.09%3260.09%
Muslim30,88511.03%61,44018.63%86,44323.45%
Sikh11,7964.21%14,4574.38%16,4514.46%
Other religion1,1790.42%1,8390.56%2,0750.56%
No religion48,78917.43%75,28022.82%84,60722.96%
Religion not stated19,7827.07%18,3455.56%20,5095.56%
Total279,921100.00%329,839100.00%368,574100.00%
Distribution of religions in Leicester according to the 2011 census.
  • Christianity
    Christianity
  • Islam
    Islam
  • Judaism
    Judaism
  • Hinduism
    Hinduism
  • Sikhism
    Sikhism
  • Buddhism
    Buddhism
  • Other religion
    Other religion
  • No religion
    No religion

See also

Notes
    1. Used as main option for when no other options are given, for example in 1971. This group contains all for Canada, Australia and New Zealand
    2. Used as a conglomerate for New Commonwealth for when there are no other options as for example in 1971. This group contains all for remenents of the British Empire after 1945 (if not already indicated).

    References
    1. Herbert, Ian (11 September 2007). "Leicester to be first city where white people are minority". The Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
    2. "A City of Diversity - Story of Leicester". storyofleicester.info. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
    3. "Census 2011: Leicester 'most ethnically diverse' in region". BBC News. 12 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
    4. McCarthy, Liam (2021-06-07). "The National Front and the BNP in Leicester and Leicestershire". doi:10.25392/leicester.data.14685870.v2. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
    5. Equality, Commission for Racial (1985). "Ethnic minorities in Britain: statistical information on the pattern of settlement". Commission for Racial Equality: Table 2.2.
    6. Data is taken from United Kingdom Casweb Data services of the United Kingdom 1991 Census on Ethnic Data for England, Scotland and Wales (Table 6)
    7. "Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
    8. "2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
    9. "Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
    10. "School and pupil characteristics". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
    11. "Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic Year 2021/22". explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
    12. Coleman, David (1983-01-01). "Some problems of data for the demographic study of immigration and of immigrant and minority populations in Britain". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 6 (1): 103–110. doi:10.1080/01419870.1983.9993401. ISSN 0141-9870.
    13. "Live births by ethnicity and local authority, 2020 to 2021 - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
    14. Taken from Casweb UK Data Service from the 1971 UK wide Census. SAS08 of Country of Birth of England.
    15. Taken from Casweb UK Data Service from the 1981 UK wide Census. Table 4 of Country of Birth in Scotland.
    16. Data taken from 1991 census data query on NOMIS
    17. Census 2001 Key Statistics – Local Authorities KS05 Country of birth, Accessed 19 December 2022
    18. 2011 Census: KS202EW National identity, local authorities in England and Wales, Accessed 19 December 2022
    19. "Demography and migration data, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
    20. "Download:local authorities: county / unitary". NOMIS. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
    21. "2001 census - theme tables". Retrieved 17 June 2015.
    22. "Download:local authorities: county / unitary". NOMIS. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
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