What is the UK population by ethnicity?

In the 2021 Census, 81.7% of usual residents of England and Wales identified as White, down from 86.0% in 2011, according to the ONS Ethnic group, England and Wales: Census 2021. 74.4% identified as White British (English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British). The next largest high-level group was Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh at 9.3%, up from 7.5%. People identifying as Black African made up 2.5%, up from 1.8%.

Scotland held its census in 2022 and Northern Ireland in 2021; their results are on Scotland's Census and the NISRA census pages, with slightly different question wording.

Ethnicity is self-identified, and the categories changed between censuses, so compare groups over time with care. Census figures describe the population on census day in 2021, not today.

Official sources: ONS: ethnic group, Census 2021 · Scotland's Census · NISRA: census

When is the next figure out?

The ONS pre-announces population and vital statistics releases on its release calendar and publishes at 9:30am or 7am. Births data for England and Wales come out in two stages each year: counts in the spring and final fertility rates in late summer or autumn. Mid-year estimates appear in the summer or autumn after the reference year, and marriage statistics about two years after the year they cover. NRS and NISRA publish quarterly vital events tables and their own annual reports.

Every official release due in the next two weeks is on the release calendar.

Terms used in this answer

• Census
  A count of every person and household in a country on a set day, usually held every ten years. The UK census is run separately in each nation.

Where the figures come from

• UK population and vital statistics (ONS, National Records of Scotland and NISRA)
  Where to find official UK figures on births, fertility, baby names, marriage, divorce, households, population estimates, projections and the census.

Related questions

• What is the UK population by religion?
• Where can I find UK census data?
• What is the population of the UK?

This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about population, births and families: all Population, births and families questions.