Birmingham: Demographic Change Since 1951

Post-War Settlement and Industrial Recruitment

Birmingham's modern demographic transformation began in the late 1940s and accelerated through the 1950s and 1960s. The city's manufacturing economy — centred on motor vehicles, engineering, and metalworking — created sustained demand for labour that could not be met domestically following the Second World War. Firms including the British Motor Corporation and Cadbury actively recruited from Commonwealth countries, particularly from Pakistan, India, and the Caribbean.

By the time the first ethnic group question was asked in the 1991 Census, Birmingham's non-white population was estimated at approximately 26% of the city total. Areas including Handsworth, Sparkbrook, Moseley and Small Heath had become established settlement areas for South Asian and Caribbean communities during the preceding three decades.

1991–2011: Steady Change Across Two Census Decades

Between 1991 and 2011, Birmingham's White British population continued to decline as a share of the city total. This reflected both continued immigration — from South Asia, Eastern Europe following the 2004 EU enlargement, and from Africa — and differential birth rates between established communities. The 2001 Census recorded an estimated White British share of approximately 65.4%†, declining to 53.1% by 2011.

The 2004 EU enlargement brought a significant influx of Polish, Slovak, and other Eastern European workers to Birmingham, though these residents are classified as Other White rather than non-White British. Their presence is reflected in the Other White segment of the composition bars above.

2021 Census: Below 50% White British

The 2021 Census recorded Birmingham's White British population at 43.5% — a fall of 9.6 percentage points from 53.1% in 2011. This made Birmingham the first major English city to be confirmed below the 50% threshold in a national census. The city's total census population was approximately 1,144,900. The Asian/Asian British group was estimated at approximately 29.4%† of the population, making it the largest non-White British ethnic group in the city.

Birmingham is the second-largest city in England and Wales by population. Its crossing of the 50% threshold was widely reported in national media at the time of the 2021 Census data release by the ONS in November 2022.

Composition in 2021: Multiple Established Communities

Birmingham's 2021 ethnic composition reflects a city with multiple large, long-established communities rather than a single dominant non-White-British group. The Asian/Asian British population — predominantly of Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi heritage — has been present in the city since the 1950s. The Black/African/Caribbean community, estimated at approximately 8.9%†, includes both descendants of the Windrush-era settlement and more recent African migrants. Mixed-heritage residents, estimated at approximately 4.7%†, represent a growing share reflecting multi-generational settlement. All non-White-British group percentages for 2021 are estimates pending independent verification against ONS Nomis TS021 dataset.

What percentage of Birmingham is White British in 2021?

According to the 2021 Census for England and Wales, 43.5% of Birmingham's population identified as White British. This was down from 53.1% in the 2011 Census — a fall of 9.6 percentage points. Birmingham became the first major English city to record a White British population below 50% in a national census.

What is the largest ethnic group in Birmingham after White British?

Based on the 2021 Census, the Asian/Asian British group is estimated at approximately 29.4%† of Birmingham's population — the largest single group after White British. This includes people of Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, and other Asian heritage. This figure is an estimate and should be verified against ONS Nomis TS021 data before citation.

How has Birmingham's population changed since the 1950s?

Birmingham's post-war demographic transformation began with Commonwealth labour recruitment in the late 1940s and continued through successive decades of immigration and natural population change. From an estimated White British population of approximately 74%† in 1991 — itself already substantially changed from the near-homogeneous composition of 1951 — the city's White British share declined to 53.1% (2011) and then to 43.5% (2021).