Birthplace And Nationality
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The questions on these subjects in the Census schedules were formulated with a view to ascertaining in respect of every person
— (a)
If born in the United Kingdom, the county and town or parish of birth; (b)
If born outside the United Kingdom, the country and the state, province or district of birth; (c)
Whether born at sea; whilst information as to nationality, e.g. British born, naturalised British subject, French, German, Polish, etc., was sought in respect of all persons born in a foreign country or at sea.
Information asked for at the Censuses of 1911 and 1921 as to whether persons born elsewhere than in England and Wales or the United Kingdom respectively were residents or visitors in the country was obtainable from the "Usual Residence" column of the 1931 schedule, and did not need, therefore, to be the subject of a specific question in connection with the Birthplace and Nationality columns. The only other respect in which in 1931 questions differed from those of 1911 and 1921 was that the nationality was required to be stated with regard to persons born at sea. Before it was finally decided to repeat the birthplace and nationality inquiries at the 1931 Census, serious consideration was given to the question whether the continuance of the birthplace inquiry, included first in 1841 and thereafter at each subsequent Census, could be justified on its own merits, in view of the already congested condition of the Census schedule and the need for restricting the scope of each Census in view of the likelihood that one would be taken quinquennially instead of decennially as heretofore. The birthplace inquiry was, as stated above, originally inserted in 1841 and was designed to elicit (1) whether the person was born in the country in which he was enumerated, or (2) if born outside England and Wales, whether in Scotland, Ireland or foreign parts, the main object being to obtain some statistical evidence of the amount of migration from country to town which was a feature of the middle years of the nineteenth century. Provision was made at the Census of 1851 for greater detail in the birthplace reply, the name of the town or parish being required in addition to the name of the county of birth in respect of those born in England and Wales, and the name of the country only in respect of those born outside England and Wales. Further, a statement was required that those born in foreign parts were British subjects, if such was the case. The scope of the question remained substantially unaltered up to 1891 inclusive, but it was decided in 1901 to induce a greater degree of attention to the inquiry in order to reduce, as much as possible, the numbers of persons wrongly classified as aliens because of their failure specifically to claim British nationality. Provision was accordingly made for a statement as to nationality to be made in respect of every person enumerated, this device being adopted not with any intention of classifying aliens by nationality, but solely with a view to ensuring more satisfactory replies being given to the question than had hitherto been the case. The same question was repeated in 1911, again with no apparent intention of classifying aliens according to their nationalities. At the Census of 1921, however, the first to be taken after the war, in connection with which public attention had been focused upon the status of aliens in the country, a dual classification of aliens was undertaken at the request of the Government Departments interested in the subject, one by birthplace and the other by nationality as returned in response to an inquiry similar to that made in 1901 and 1911. The comparable distributions in respect of those who supplied information with regard to both birthplace and nationality were found, with one or two exceptions, to be very similar in general respects. In these circumstances, and in view of the fact that in 1921 between 14 and 15 per cent, of the total foreign born omitted to furnish any statement with regard to nationality in spite of efforts to secure more satisfactory replies whereas omissions to reply to the birthplace inquiry numbered less than one per cent, of the total, the classification of aliens by nationality as well as by birthplace did not appear to justify the additional coding, recording and tabulating processes involved in producing an alternative classification almost indistinguishable from that by birthplace only. Consequently, no classification of the alien population by nationality appears in the Census publications for 1931, the classification of aliens by birthplace being supplemented merely by statistics of the numbers of aliens born in particular countries whose nationality did not correspond to the country of birth. The statistical results obtained from the replies to the Census questions on birthplace and nationality have been published in Tables 30 to 38, inclusive, of the General Tables Volume and Tables 15 and 19 of the Occupations Volume, no statistics having been included, as distinct from 1921, in the County volumes for reasons given on page 10. It will be observed that the restricted classification of birthplace imposed by considerations of economy at the Census of 1921 was in great measure and for similar reasons continued in connection with the 1931 Census, since, although information was obtained as to the particular county, town or parish in which birth had occurred, classification was restricted in the case of natives of the British Islands to the six main divisions of the Islands, viz., England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands. Some amplification of the 1921 classification was, however, made in the case of persons born in the respective counties of England and Wales, the 1921 statistics having shown for each county merely the numbers of persons
born in England (or Wales) as a whole without distinction of county, whereas the corresponding 1931 statistics give males and females separately,
distinguishing those born within the county of enumeration and those born in counties—grouped together as a whole—other than that of enumeration. The following table relates to males and females, separately distinguished, born in England and Wales and enumerated therein at the 1931 Census, giving numbers and proportions respectively of those born within the county of enumeration and those born in counties other than that of enumeration. The counties include any associated county boroughs. Although as already stated, the above statistics represent some amplification of the classification undertaken in respect of the 1921 material, they fall short of those produced in connection with the birthplace question of the 1911 Census. On that occasion statistics were produced giving the numbers of persons, distinguishing sex, born in each county, and showing their distribution by county or other specified area throughout the country. From such figures it was therefore possible to determine the constitution of the enumerated population of each county by county of birthplace, and so to obtain information as to the extent to which migration had taken place between counties, such migration necessarily extending over an indefinite period limited only by the age of the oldest migrant. On this occasion, however, no information is available with regard to the number of persons born in the respective counties of England and Wales, information on the subject being restricted to statistics giving the numbers of persons born within the country, who were born within the county in which they were enumerated, and the numbers of those who were born in unspecified counties other than that of enumeration. Thus, although it is not possible to measure the volume of migration from any particular county to other counties, it is possible to obtain statistics showing the amount of migration into the respective counties, by calculating the proportion which the number of persons born in a particular county and enumerated within that county bears to the total number of persons of English or Welsh birth enumerated within the county. Such statistics, however, have no regard either to the period during which the migration into the area has occurred or to the counteracting effect of migration from the area which may have been simultaneously taking place. From the figures in the above table it will be seen that 738 out of every 1,000 males born in England and Wales were enumerated in the county of their birth, the remaining 262 per 1,000 being enumerated in some county other than that of birth, the corresponding figures in respect of females being 716 and 284. Similarly it will be seen that out of 103,391 males of English or Welsh birth enumerated in Bedfordshire 69,255 (or 670 per 1,000) were born within the county of Bedford, whilst 34,136 (or 330 per 1,000) were born in counties other than Bedford. The male population of Bedfordshire was therefore dependent upon other counties for nearly a third of its numbers, whilst the figures relating to females show that the female population of the same county was dependent upon other counties for a little over one third of its numbers. In the absence, however, of figures showing the total number of persons born in Bedfordshire it is not possible to determine the extent to which emigration of persons born in Bedfordshire had taken place from that county to other counties. Counties showing proportions of native born inhabitants in excess of 80 per cent, of their enumerated populations of English or Welsh birth were ten in number, their names and percentages being as follows: Yorks, East Riding—88, Cumberland, Lancashire and Durham—86 each, Yorks, West Riding—85, Stafford—84, Anglesey, Norfolk and Cornwall—82 each, and Lincoln, Holland—81. On the other hand there were ten counties in which the proportion of native born was less than 60 per cent, of those of English or Welsh birth enumerated within the county, these counties with the percentages being: Middlesex—38, Surrey—41, Hertford—50, Sokeof Peterborough, Buckingham and Rutland—54 each, Essex and Sussex West—55 each, Berkshire—57 and SussexEast—58. The counties with high proportions of native born are expected to show low rates of immigration and, conversely, those with low proportions to show high rates of immigration. Actually the counties referred to above as showing proportions of native born in excess of 80 per cent, show, between 1921 and 1931, losses of population by migration ranging from 10 per cent, downwards after allowance has been made for natural increase through excess of births over deaths. On the other hand the counties above referred to, with low proportions of native born, show gains of population by migration ranging from 24 per cent, downwards after allowance for natural increase, the only exception being Rutland, which showed a loss of nearly 9 per cent., due mainly to Uppingham School being in residence in 1921 but on vacation in 1931. It may be of service to review in outline the circumstances in which population migrates from one place to another. Broadly, it may be said that, as a rule, migration is causally connected, directly or indirectly, with the search for the means of making a livelihood. In a country such as England and WTales, in which for many years, there has been relative decline in agriculture and rural pursuits, and long-continued industrial development, mainly localised in urban areas, the trend of internal migration has been chiefly from the rural to the urban areas. Thus, on the one hand, counties that have been and still are agricultural in character, or in which other ancient industries have declined, tend to lose population, and consequently, to show a high percentage of native-born inhabitants; while, on the other hand, counties in which an intense industrial development has been in progress during the last generation, tend to gain population, and so to have a low percentage of native-born. Instances of the former may be found in Norfolk, which remains essentially agricultural, or in Cornwall where declining metal-mining and fishing are associated with agriculture; or in Cumberland and Durham where former prosperity in coalmining has been replaced by depression due to contracting markets; and, of the latter, in Warwickshire and some other counties where new and rapidly expanding industries have arisen. The region of London forms the most outstanding example of inward migration. Here a host of industries have developed rapidly, and there has been much expansion in commercial and financial pursuits, causing an enormous inflow of population, which, being mostly housed in the surrounding counties, results in high proportions of migrants being located in Berkshire, Essex, Kent, Middlesex and Surrey. A compensating type of migration, the direction of which is mainly from urban to rural areas, is that of pea, hop and fruit pickers; but the scale of this is small, and its character temporary; and, as most of such work is done during the summer and autumn, it leaves little trace on a Census taken in the spring. Among other migrations on a minor scale are those of children and young people attending residential schools, universities or similar institutions; and those of elderly people who, on retirement, leave the areas in which their working lives have been spent, and settle in other areas, or in institutions, according to their preference or means. In making an analysis of the Census material with respect to areas such as the English and Welsh counties, which differ widely in area and population, it is to be remembered that much migration may take place without any trace being shown therein, since the only migration tabulated is that in which the county of birth differs from the county of enumeration. Any migration from one part of a county to another or any series of migrations of which the last movement takes the form of a return to the county of birth, do not affect the figures here shown. The larger the county, the greater must be the proportionate movement that takes place, for a given percentage to be recorded in these figures. Thus, large counties, such as Lancashire and the W'est Riding of Yorkshire tend to show a high native-born population, and small counties, such as the Isle of Ely, Rutland and the Soke of Peterborough, a correspondingly low proportion. These figures, in fact, merely provide an indication of the limiting minimum of migration. Finally, since the Census enumeration is with respect to residence, the migration which forms the subject of these tables is of the permanent or quasi-permanent type, and leaves out of account such daily movements of population as are caused by journeys to and from the place of work. It will be observed from the statistics contained in Table LXIX that over 96 per cent, of the total population of England and Wales were born within the limits of the two countries. Taking the countries separately 95 per cent, of the enumerated population of England were born in England and over 84 per cent, of the enumerated population of Wales were born in Wales. As at the Census of 1921, nearly 2 per cent, of the total population of England and Wales were born in the remainder of the British Islands, viz. Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, a proportion somewhat in excess of
per cent, in other British Dominions, Colonies, etc., whilst a little over J per cent, were born in foreign countries or at sea. As regards those in respect of whom no statement as to place of birth was entered on the schedule it will be observed from Table LXXI that the proportions were 917, 577 and 349 per 100,000 at the respective Censuses of 1911, 1921 and 1931, showing successive reductions of 37-1 and 39-5 per cent, at the last two Censuses. The number of females born outside England and Wales will be seen to be in excess of the number of males in respect of every defined area specified in the table. The number of males born in the unstated parts of Ireland, exceeds the number of females by 8 per cent., although for the whole of Ireland females are in excess of males by 24,609 or 14 per cent. The excess of females over males ranges from 38 per cent, in respect of those born at sea to 2 per cent, in respect of those born in foreign countries, other cases of high percentage being the Channel Islands (29), the Isle of Man (18), and the Irish Free State (17). The countries showing a low percentage are Scotland (3) and Northern Ireland (2). In spite, however, of this excess in the number of females it will be seen that in relation to the total population of each sex the proportion of males bom outside England and Wales is higher by 55 per 100,000, whilst the excess of females in the case of Scotland, Northern Ireland, the British Dominions and foreign countries is not sufficiently large to give females a preponderance in relation to the total sex population. The proportion of native born to total population again shows a small increase over the corresponding figure for the previous Census, making the present proportion the highest of any recorded in the tables. (See
Table LXXI). This would have been shown to be the case had the practice prior to 1911 (referred to at the foot of Table LXX) of including persons of unstated birthplace with those born in England and Wales been continued, since the proportions per 100,000 for the Censuses of 1911, 1921 and 1931 would have been respectively 96,462, 96,632 and 96,693. The Scottish born numbered 366,486 as against 333,517 in 1921, an increase of nearly 10 per Cent., the proportion per 100,000 rising from 880 to 917. The Irish born who between 1861 and 1921 had shown a continuous diminution both in numbers and proportions show an increase of 16,342 on the 1921 figure of 364,747, but the proportion continues to decline, falling from 963 in 1921 to 954 in 1931. The number of persons born in the Islands of the British Seas, which has shown a continuous increase since 1851, fell between 1921 and 1931 from 38,862 to 36,294, the proportion, which had fluctuated from Census to Census, likewise showing a decrease, viz., from 103 to 91 per 100,000 population, the latter being the lowest figure since that of 1851, viz., 77. The numbers and proportions respecting the above-mentioned and others to whom reference will be made later, viz., the Colonial and Foreign born, those born at sea and those of unstated birthplace, are contained in the tables that appear on the following pages. TABLE LXX.— BIRTHPLACES OF THE POPULATION AT SUCCESSIVE CENSUSES, ENGLAND AND WALES, 1851-1931
As previously stated the number of Scottish born persons enumerated in England and Wales was 366,486, of whom 180,766 were males and 185,720 females, and the following table gives the administrative counties (with associated County Boroughs) and the large towns in which were enumerated the largest numbers of persons of Scottish birth in proportion to their total population in 1931. It will be observed on reference to the Regional figures in the above table that the proportions per 10,000 population of each sex for the South East and the North Regions are appreciably higher than those for England and Wales as a whole, viz., 94 for males and 89 for females. This of course is to be expected so far as the North Region is concerned since the geographical position in relation to Scotland of the counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, combined, in the case of Northumberland and Durham, with the industrial attraction of the Tyne and Tees areas, must hitherto have had considerable influence in increasing the proportion of Scottish born in those counties. The very considerable extent to which geographical proximity is responsible for high proportions of Scottish born is shown by the figures for the N.i and N.2 sub-regions which are for the most part comprised of the counties above-mentioned. These show in respect of the N.1 sub-region particularly, proportions which are 100 per cent, higher than those for the country as a whole, being 194 for males and 176 for females, whilst individual towns within the N.1 and N.2 sub-regions, viz., Carlisle County Borough and the Tyne ports of Newcastle, Tynemouth, Gateshead and South Shields show very much higher proportions in comparison with those for the whole country, ranging from 664 for males and 711 for females in the case of Carlisle to 196 for males and 171 for females in the case of South Shields. Certain areas within Lancashire and Cheshire, i.e., the N.4 sub-region, appear to offer attraction to Scotsmen, Barrow-in-Furness having high proportions of 407 males and 302 females, whilst others prominent in this respect are Stretford Urban District, Wallasey and Birkenhead County Boroughs. The relatively high proportion of Scottish born in the South East Region is doubtless due to the attractiveness of the County of London from social and industrial points of view, particular boroughs within the county having proportions greatly in excess of the male and female proportion of 124 for the county itself, prominent among these being Westminster, (348 males, 376 females), St. Marylebone (243 males, 316 females), Holborn (290 males, 258 females), Chelsea (211 males, 308 females), Kensington (213 males, 307 females) and Hampstead (259 males, 242 females). Areas within the South East Region but outside the County of London contributing materially to the relatively high proportion for the Region are what may be regarded as the dormitory areas of Hendon, Hornsey, Finchley, Wimbledon, Southgate, Ealing and Wood Green, he ports of Gillingham, Southampton and Portsmouth and the seaside resort of Bournemouth. Comparison of the proportions of Scottish born forthevarious areas referred to in Table LXXII with those for the 1921 Census shows that there have been fairly considerable decreases in the proportions for the northern counties of Cumberland, Northumberland and Durham, and increases in respect of London and the surrounding counties, this doubtless being a reflection of the severity of the industrial depression in the north as compared with that in the south. In this connection it may be stated that the number of persons of Scottish birth enumerated in the counties of Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland decreased by 13 per cent. or 117,923, i.e., from 60,004 to 52,081 between 1921 and 1931, whereas the number enumerated in London and the five surrounding counties increased by 26 per cent, or 26,811, i.e., from 101,930 to 128,741 in the same period, an increase of 68 per cent, being recorded in respect of the county of Hertford and over 50 per cent, being recorded in respect of the counties of Middlesex and Surrey. The number of natives of England and Wales enumerated in Scotland at the 1931 Census was 168,640, as compared with the 366,486 Scottish born enumerated in England and Wales, the difference of 197,846 corresponding to the similarly ascertained difference of 139,241 in 1921; so that between 1921 and 1931 England and Wales gained 58,605 population on the movement between the two countries, these figures comparing with a loss of 17,842 between 1911 and 1921. The number of Irish born persons enumerated in England and Wales at the 1931 Census was 381,089, of whom 178,240 were males and 202,849 females, and the following table gives the areas in which the largest numbers in proportion to their total population were enumerated. From the Regional figures it will be seen that, compared with a proportion for the whole country of 93 males and 97 females per 10,000 population, the North Region has proportions of 123 males and 104 females and the South East Region proportions of 102 males and 133 females. The high figure for the Northern Region is due to the large numbers of persons of Irish birth enumerated in the highly industrialised sub-region in closest proximity to Ireland, viz., N.4, consisting of the administrative counties of Lancaster and Chester, proportions of 185 males and 163 females being found in the former, and 156 males and 140 females in the latter county. These proportions will be found to be greatly exceeded by those of the nine individual towns specified in the table, which, apart from Barrow-in-Furness, are centred around either Liverpool or Manchester, and have proportions ranging from 462 males and 392 females in the case of Bootlo County Borough to 255 males and 141 females in the case of St. Helens County Borough. With regard to the South East Region, that part consisting of London Administrative County appears to be even more attractive to the Irish than to the Scottish born, particular metropolitan boroughs having proportions appreciably in excess of those relating to Scottish born. The boroughs with the highest proportions are Westminster (309 males, 439 females), Kensington (231 males, 430 females), Chelsea (277 males, 375 females), St. Marylebone (246 males, 393 females), Holborn (276 males, 320 females), Paddington (233 males, 348 females) and Hampstead (201 males, 360 females). Other areas within the South East Region with considerable numbers of Irish born are the suburban areas of Wimbledon, Hendon and Willesden, the. naval or sea ports of Portsmouth, Gillingham and Southampton and the health resorts of Hove and Bournemouth, whilst prominent in other Regions are the naval port of Plymouth in the South West Region and Merthyr Tydfil in that of Wales. The decline since 1921 in the numbers and proportions of persons of Scottish birth in the northern counties and the concurrent increase in their number and proportions in the area comprising London and the five surrounding counties are even more pronounced in the case of those of Irish birth, the numbers of the latter having decreased by 6,610 (29 per cent.) i.e., from 22,612 to 16,002 in the counties of Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland and increased by 32,434 (34 per cent.) i.e., from 94,289 to 126,723, in the case of London and the five surrounding counties. In the counties of Lancaster and Chester there was between 1921 and 1931 a decrease of 12,980 persons of Irish birth as against a decrease of 2,887 persons of Scottish birth, representing decreases of 11 and 5 per cent, respectively. With regard to sex distribution it will be observed that male proportions are appreciably higher than female in the industrial regions of the North and Wales, whilst in the South East Region the female proportions are considerably higher than the male, this being particularly noticeable in the case of the metropolitan boroughs for which proportions are stated above. Natives of the Isle of Man enumerated in England and Wales numbered 14,918, viz., 6,838 males and 8,080 females, the largest numbers being found in the counties in close proximity to and in direct communication with the Island, viz., Lancashire and Cheshire (N.4 Region) which together contained 4,627 males and 5,266 females of Manx birth, the South East Region being next in order with 849 males and 1,077 females. The towns containing the largest numbers were Liverpool (3,962), Manchester (803), Birkenhead (648), London (599) and Barrow-in-Furness (560). Natives of the Channel Islands numbered 21,376, viz.,-9,352 males and 12,024 females and are widely distributed throughout the country with no such pronounced tendency to settle in particular localities as appears to be the case with those born in the Isle of Man, except that the counties of Southampton, Devon and Dorset, being most directly in communication with the Islands, and London and the five surrounding counties contained proportions in excess of the average, the former having a total of 5,151 persons and the latter 8,705. The age constitution, by sex and quinquennial groups of age, of natives of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, enumerated in England and Wales, is contained in Table 35 of the General Tables Volume. The number of persons enumerated in England and Wales who were born in British Dominions, Colonies and Dependencies outside the British Islands was 225,684 (viz., 109,166 males and 116,518 females). This number represents an increase of 21,218 (viz., 10,814 males and 10,404 females) over the corresponding figure of 1921 and continues a series of figures which on reference to Tables LXX and LXXI will be seen to show for successive Censuses since 1851 increases of appreciable but varying magnitude resulting in the 1851 figure of 33,688 being increased to 225,684 in 1931. The age constitution of the males and females making up this total of 225,684 is given by quinquennial groups of ages in Table 35 of the General Tables Volume, the total including 9,267 persons described as visitors to this country, a decrease of 6,769 on the 1921 figure of 16,036. The distribution of the Colonial born by country of birth together with variation in the several numbers since 1921 is as follows: TABLE LXXIV.— Persons Born in Dominions, Colonies, etc.
From the above figures it will be observed that the total increase of 21,218 is contributed to largely by an increase since 1921 of 15,993 in the number of persons born in India, Ceylon and other colonies of Asia, the Dominion of Canada being the next largest contributor to the increase with a figure of 2,526 which is, however, considerably smaller than the increase between 1911 andi92i, viz., 10,588. With regard to the distribution of the Colonial born in this country reference to Table LXXV will show that whereas for the whole country the proportions per 1,000 of the population of each sex are 57 for males and 56 for females, the Regional figures indicate that in two only of the Regions, viz., the South East (males 99, females 102) and the South West (males 83, females 99) are the proportions considerably higher than those for the country as a whole. The first mentioned of these regions contains London and the surrounding counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire, and although the proportion of Colonial born for both males and females is 94 per 10,000 for this area as a whole, particular areas, more especially Metropolitan Boroughs, situated therein, have proportions very considerably in excess of the average, noteworthy examples being the Metropolitan Boroughs of Kensington (males 315, females 379), Holborn (males 376, females 202), Hampstead (males 311, females 232), Paddington (males 258, females 278), Westminster (males 285, females 237) and St. Marylebone (males 248, females 240). Other towns situated within the South East Region have relatively high proportions of Colonial born, amongst them being residential and health resorts, viz., Hove, Eastbourne, Bournemouth, Hastings and Brighton, prominent sea-port towns such as Gillingham and Portsmouth and the University City of Oxford. The relatively high figures for the South West Region, viz., males 83, females 99, are doubtless due to the attractiveness of the counties comprising the region as residential areas, whilst the popular resorts of Bath and Poole, as well as the sea-port town of Plymouth, each with relatively high proportions of Colonial born, are comprised therein. The proportion figures in respect of the remaining regions and their sub-divisions are very considerably below the average, the proportions in some sub-divisions, however, being increased by reason of the presence of large numbers of seamen at such ports as Cardiff, Newport and South : Shields and of University students at Cambridge. As previously stated, statistics relating to the foreign born population were not, as distinct from 1921, included in the County Part series of volumes, but in the General Tables and Occupation Volumes. Tables 30 and 32 of the former give numbers and proportions of foreign born, enumerated in the whole country and in each region, administrative county, metropolitan borough, county borough and other urban area with population exceeding 50,000, residents and visitors being distinguished in Table 30. In Table 31 of the same volume the foreign born population (residents and visitors together but exclusive of those in respect of whom no country of birth was stated) is analysed by country of birth and nationality for the whole country, for each region and for urban areas in which the foreign born population exceeded 5,000, whilst the total foreign born population of alien and unstated nationality is, in Table 33, analysed by country of birth, age and marital condition for England and Wales, and in Table 34, by age and marital condition only for England and Wales and each region. Occupation statistics relating to the total foreign born of alien and unstated nationality (aged 14 years and over) area contained in Tables 15 and 19 of the Occupation Tables Volume, the former giving the numbers for the whole country engaged in a condensed list of occupations by country of birth, and the latter the total numbers for each region without distinction as to country of birth. It will be seen from the above table that the pronounced decrease between 1911 and 1921 in the number of persons of foreign birth enumerated in England and Wales continued between 1921 and 1931 but at a less rapid rate, the percentage decrease having fallen from 12 to 5 The number of foreign born persons enumerated in England and Wales at the 1931 Census was 312,095 or 7-8 per thousand of the total population as compared with a maximum number in 1911 of 373,516 or 10-4 per thousand The foreign born are shown as consisting of two elements, viz , British subjects and foreigners, the former having increased in number from 100,375 to 128,301 or 278 per cent, since 1921, whilst the latter have decreased from 228,266 to 183,794 or I9'5 Per cent, in the same period British subjects born in foreign countries may be divided into two categories (a)
British subjects by birth and (b)
British subjects by naturalisation, the latter including, for Census purposes, women of foreign nationality who, by marrying British husbands, have acquired a British status by marriage (a) British Subjects by Birth
Of the 128,301 British subjects born in foreign countries, viz , 53,673 males and 74,628 females, 63,533, viz , 28,650 males and 34,883 females were returned as British by birth These figures compare with a total of 52,596, viz , 23,518 males and 29,078 females at the 1921 Census and represent an increase of 20-8 per cent , the male and female figures representing 0-15 per cent, and 0-17 per cent, respectively of the total population of each sex in this country The continents in the order of their contribution to the numbers of persons of British birth were as follows:— The United States of America—as for 1921—contributed far more than any other single country, viz , 8,958 males and 11,155 females, or nearly one-third of the whole, whilst the 1921 total figures for Argentina, Brazil and Chile, viz , 2,421, 1,466 and 1,295 were increased in 1931 to 2,984, 1,745 and 1,537 respectively The European countries mainly contributing to the 10,337 rnales and 12,971 females of British birth were, in order, France—2,889 males, 3,852 females, Germany —1,919 males, 2,286 females, Russia—1,125 males, 1,422 females, Belgium—715 males, 895 females, Spain—594 males, 742 females, and Italy—549 males, 682 females The only other countries returning over 1,000 persons were Egypt—2,022 males, 2,085 females, and China— 1,858 males and 2,049 females (b) British Subjects by Naturalisation.
The number of persons classified as naturalised British subjects, inclusive of those who gave no country of birth, was 64,768, viz., 25,023 males and 39,745 females. These figures compare with a total of 47,779, viz., 19,718 males and 28,061 females at the 1921 Census and represent an increase of 36 per cent., the male and female figures representing 0-13 per cent, and 0-19 per cent, respectively of the total population of each sex. As previously stated, the figures relating to females include those of foreign nationality who have acquired a British status by marriage and this accounts for the number of females being considerably in excess of the males. The intercensal increase on the number of females, viz., 42 per cent, is, however, considerably greater than that for the males, viz., 27 per cent. The continent of Europe contributed the great majority of the naturalised British subjects, viz., 56,378, or 22,827 males and 33,551 females, these figures representing 87 per cent, of the total number of such subjects or 92 per cent, of the males and 85 per cent.'of the females. The respective European countries which made the largest contributions to the numbers were, in order, Poland—6,190 males, 5,896 females, Russia—4,463 males, 4,965 females, Germany— 3,166 males, 5,696 females, France—1,020 males, 5,786 females, Belgium—511 males, 1,911 females, Italy—853 males, 1,061 females and Switzerland—455 males, 1,331 females, and from these figures it will be observed that there was a high preponderance of women from France particularly, and from Belgium and Switzerland, the excess in the case of Germany being noteworthy also. The United States of America is the only country outside Europe from which any considerable numbers of naturalised British subjects originated, the females in that case, viz., 4,785 being greatly in excess of the males, viz., 1,302. The number of persons enumerated in England and Wales who were returned as "born at sea" was 3,972, viz., 1,668 males and 2,304 females, these numbers comparing with 5,651 persons in 1921, viz., 2,498 males and 3,153 females, the proportion per 100,000 of the total population being 10 in 1931 compared with 15 in 1921. Of the total, more than 99 per cent, of whom were returned as residents in this country, 96 per cent., viz., 3,809 persons (1,595 males and 2,214 females) were described as British by birth, 2-2 per cent., viz., 88 persons (35 males and 53 females) as British by naturalisation, and 1-9 per cent., viz., 75 persons (38 males and 37 females) as of alien nationality. Particulars relating to the age distribution and the marital condition of the alien population born at sea will be found in Table No. 33 of the General Tables Volume. It will be seen from Table LXXVI that 183,794 persons (100,509 males and 83,285 females) are described as foreigners, this number being inclusive of 4,235 foreign born persons (1,939 males and 2,296 females) in respect of whom no country of birth was stated, but exclusive of 75 persons (38 males and 37 females) of alien nationality born at sea. These figures show that whereas at the Census of 1911 foreigners comprised 7-9 per 1,000 of the total population of this country, the proportion fell to 4-6 per 1,000 at the Census of 1931 being lower than at any Census since that of 1881. The successive decreases by nearly 20 per cent, in the number of foreigners enumerated at each of the Censuses of 1921 and 1931 however, have been accompanied by appreciable increases of 13-2 and 27-8 per cent, respectively in the number of British subjects born in foreign countries at the last two Censuses, the proportionate increase between 1921 and 1931 in the number of one of the constituents of this category, viz., naturalised British subjects being as high as 36 per cent. For reasons already stated no attempt has been made on this occasion to classify the alien population by nationality as well as by country of birth: Table 31 of the General Tables Volume providing (1) a classification by birthplace of the 179,559 persons who stated a place of birth and at the same time either gave or failed to give their nationality and (2) statistics as to the numbers of those whose nationalities did not correspond to the country of birth as stated. The remainder of the foreign born of alien or unstated nationality, viz., 4,235 persons (1,939 males and 2,296 females) gave no place of birth and are therefore omitted from this table. Of the 179,559 foreign born persons above referred to, 91 per cent, of whom were described as residents of this country and 9 per cent, as visitors, 159,556 or 89 per cent, of the whole gave Europe as their birthplace, Poland heading the list of individual countries with 31,423, followed by Russia (including Finland)—24,959, Italy—16,878, France—15,628, and Germany— 14,981. The only other country with a number in excess of 10,000 was the United States of America with 11,220. The numbers and the proportions per cent, of the total foreigners from the principal countries concerned are shown in the following table with figures for 1911 and 1921 for purposes of comparison. TABLE LXXVII.— BIRTHPLACES OF PERSONS OF FOREIGN NATIONALITY 1911, 1921 AND 1931
From the above table it will be observed that the 1931 figures relating to Russia (including Finland), viz., 24,959, compares with 49,360 in 1921, but it should be explained that the apparent decrease is due to the inclusion in 1931 of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with "Other European Countries," causing considerable increase in that category, whereas they were included with Russia in 1921. Comparability between the figures of 1911 and 1921 in respect of European countries was very considerably disturbed by changes arising out of the war as will be seen by the very large variations between the figures relating to those countries most directly affected thereby. No such abnormal variations appear as between the Censuses of 1921 and 1931, the considerable decrease in 1931 in the total number of foreigners being distributed over the whole range of European countries, the only countries in respect of which any appreciable increase between 1921 and 1931 is shown being Germany, Austria and Switzerland with percentage increases of 21, 11 and 9 respectively. Countries in respect of which the largest numerical decreases were shown are France, with a decrease of 8,031 or 34 per cent., Belgium—3,634 or 38 per cent., Poland—4,113 or 12 per cent., and Italy—2,220 or 12 per cent. Other countries such as Portugal and Greece have much higher percentage decreases but they are in respect of much smaller numbers. With regard to countries outside Europe, citizens of the United States of America show a decrease of 7,951 or 41 per cent., as compared with an increase of 5,534 or 41 per cent, between 1911 and 1921. The first table (LXXVIII) shows the proportion per 10,000, of the foreign born, by sex, of alien and unstated nationality, irrespective of country of birth, enumerated in (1) England and Wales, (2) each region, and (3) areas, such as metropolitan boroughs and large towns, in which the proportions of either or both sexes are appreciably higher than those for the country as a whole. The second table (LXXIX) shows the total number of persons without distinction of sex of particular foreign countries of birth enumerated in (1) the whole country, and (2) each region. From the first of these tables it will be seen (1) that for the country as a whole there were 53 per 10,000 males and 40 per 10,000 females of alien or unstated nationality, (2) that for the South East Region the proportions were more than double of those for the whole country and (3) that for Greater London the proportions were treble and for London Administrative County more than four times the average for the whole country. The Administrative County of London, which contained about 92,000 foreign persons of alien or unstated nationality or 50 per cent, of the total of this class, contained areas with proportions much in excess of the average for the county, the most prominent in this respect being Stepney, with 25,341 aliens, i.e., over 27 per cent, of the total aliens in the county, and over 11 per cent, of the local population. Other metropolitan boroughs with relatively large numbers of aliens were Holborn—(2,992 or 8 per cent, of the borough population), Westminster (7,165 or 5 per cent.), Bethnal Green (4,513), Hampstead (3,401), and St. Marylebone (3,592), each with 4 per cent. The South East Region, apart from London, contains several areas which, for varied reasons, appear to possess attractions as places of residence of the foreign population of this country. Suburban areas of the Metropolis such as Hendon, Finchley, Willesden, Hornsey and Wimbledon will be seen to have proportions ranging from five times to twice those for the whole country, whilst the seaside resorts of Hove, Southend-on-Sea, Bournemouth, Brighton, Hastings and the University City of Oxford are prominent also in this respect. The remaining regions of the country have proportions ranging from about one-half to one quarter of the normal, the prominence amongst these of the sub-regions W.i, N.4 and N.2, being due to the relatively high numbers found (1) in the administrative counties of Glamorgan and Monmouth with their sea-port towns of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport; (2) in Lancashire with the important industrial centres of Manchester and Salford and the great sea-port of Liverpool; (3) the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire with the sea-ports of Kingston-upon-Hull and Middlesbrough. The second table (LXXIX) as above-stated, shows how the actual numbers of foreigners, according to their country of birth, are distributed through the several regions and sub-regions. From the figures it will be seen that Greater London, which contained 114,318 (or 62 per cent.) of the total number of foreigners, had a very considerable representation from each of the countries referred to, the percentage of the total from each country ranging from 29 in the case of China to 80 in that of Poland, and being in excess of 50 in respect of ten of the sixteen countries. Natives of Poland, Russia (including Finland), Italy, Germany, France and Switzerland are located in the greatest numbers in the South East Region, particularly Greater London. Outside London and the South East Region, Poles and Russians are to be found mainly in the towns of Leeds (N.3 sub-region) and Manchester, Liverpool and Salford (N.4 sub-region), Italians in Manchester and Liverpool also, as well as in Glamorganshire (W.i sub-region). Germans, French and Swiss are more or less evenly distributed throughout the remaining regions apart from a tendency for each to predominate in the North Region, with not inconsiderable numbers of each in the Midland and South West Regions. Sex, Age, and Marital Condition of Foreigners.
Persons of alien and unstated nationality enumerated in England and Wales numbered 183,869, i.e., 100,547 males and 83,322 females. Table 33 of the General Tables Volume gives for all
foreign countries the constitution by sex and age—by quinquennial groups—of the single, married, widowed and divorced, but for each
country the sex and age constitution of the total persons and the married only. Table 34 of the same volume analyses the foreign born of alien and unstated nationality, for the whole country and for each region, by sex, marital condition and quinquennial groups of age. From the first of these tables it will be seen that males, which constitute 547 of the foreign population, as against 56.3 in 1921, were in excess of females in respect of every country but three, viz., Austria, France and Switzerland. The proportions of males in these cases were 477, 38.8 and 47.8 respectively, the proportions of males in respect of the principal countries with an excess of males being as follows:— The sex, age and marital condition distribution of the foreigners enumerated in this country present some important differences from the like distribution of the total population of England and Wales as will be seen from the following tables in which comparative distributions per 10,000 persons are set forth: From the above table LXXX it will be seen that whereas only 47.9 of the total population of this country are males, 547 of the foreign population are of that sex. The figures relating to age distribution show that the proportion of foreign children at ages 0-4 is only one tenth of the proportion which all children of that age bear to the general population, whilst the proportion of those aged 5-14 is less than one fifth. It is of course natural to expect that the proportion of foreign children will be low, one of the main reasons being that children born to alien parents in this country are British subjects. As immigration into this country from any particular country, which has already a considerable representation here, declines, so will the proportion of children become relatively smaller, e.g., the proportion of children of Russian birth under 15 years of age, which at the Census of 1911 was 1,039 Per 10,000, fell successively to 269 and 116 respectively at the Censuses of 1921 and 1931, that of Poland falling from 858 in 1911 to 420 in 1921, and 59 in 1931. On the other hand, as the proportions at the lower age decrease those at the higher ages necessarily increase, the proportions of foreigners at age groups 15-44, 45-64 and 65 and over, to total foreigners, being in excess of the proportions of like age groups to total population by 7, 63 and 42 per cent, respectively. With regard to marital condition it will be observed that, arising out of the relatively low numbers of foreigners at the earlier ages, the proportion of single foreigners is much lower, and that of married, widowed and divorced foreigners higher than in the general population, foreign married males being very considerably in excess of the married females at each age group. PART VI — BIRTHPLACE AND NATIONALITY
1. Scope of Inquiry.
2. Birthplaces.
3. Natives of Scotland.
4. Natives of Ireland.
5. Natives of Islands of the British Seas.
6. Natives of British Dominions, Colonies and Dependencies.
7. Persons Born in Foreign Countries.
Males
Females
America
12,719
15,998
Europe
10,337
12,971
Asia
3,104
3,288
Africa
2,440
2,569
Australasia
50
57
8. Persons Born at Sea.
9. Foreign Born Persons of Alien Nationality.
Italy
64.1 per cent.
United States
54.7 per cent.
Germany
52.1 per cent.
Poland
52.1 per cent.
Russia
50.4 per cent.