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British people

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British people
The Union Flag, the popular symbol of Britishness.
File:BR05AG 2.jpg
Britannia on a 2005 Britannia Silver Coin.
Total population
~28,000,000+ — ~60,000,000
Regions with significant populations
These figures are estimates based on census data of populations and official surveys of identity.
The British IslesPopulation (ex. RoI): 60,842,003
Identity (UK-only): 27,880,210[1][2]
British Overseas TerritoriesPopulation: 247,899[3]
Languages
Cornish, Dgèrnésiais, English, Irish, Jèrriais, Manx, Scots, Scottish Gaelic,Welsh
Religion
Anglican, Presbyterianism, Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Americans, Australians, Belongers, Canadians, Channel Islanders, Cornish, English, Irish, Manx, New Zealanders, Scottish, Welsh
This article is about the modern identity. For the ancient people, see Brython. For other uses, see Britons (disambiguation).

British people or Britons[4] are inhabitants of Great Britain[5][6] or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man or one of the Channel Islands, or of one of the British Overseas Territories. In an historical context, the word is used refers to the ancient Brythons, the indigenous inhabitants of most of Britain. Linguistically, it can refer to a native speakers of the Brythonic languages, such as Welsh or Breton.

Identity

Identity in Britain (GHS)[7]
Identity Percent
British only 31%
British + Home Nations Identity 15%
Home Nations Identity 49%
Other 5%

Historically, British was expounded as a meta-identity for all of the residents of the British Isles, the number of people in Great Britain identifying themselves as British, as opposed to their national identity, as been declining. For example, it fell in England from 63% in 1991-2 to 48% in 2003, in Scotland from 31% in 1974 to 20% in 2003, and in Wales from 34% in 1978-9 to 27% in 2003. As have those describing themselves as equally British and their national identity.[8]

The 2001 UK General Household Survey (GHS) contained an element measuring the number of people describing themselves as British.[9] The incidence of those willing to call themselves as British in any sense is highest in England, but nowhere commands a majority. Interestingly, it does command a majority of non-White respondents (57%), compared to 45% White respondents. Furthermore, 51% of non-White respondents consider themselves British-only, whereas only 29% of White respondents describe themselves so.[10]

British in any sense (GHS)[11]
Location / Group Percent
England 48%
Scotland 27%
Wales 35%
White 45%
Non-white 57%

Starting in the 2001 census, White Irish and White British were recognised as distinct ethnic groups in Great Britain, while only appearing as White in Northern Ireland. Naturally, numbers of those describing themselves as British in Northern Ireland are divided dramatically across community lines (approximate to religious differences between Catholic and Protestant). An Institute of Governance briefing in 2006[12] described the division between the communities so:

Three-quarters of Northern Ireland’s Protestants regard themselves as British, but only 12 per cent of Northern Ireland’s Catholics do so. Conversely, a majority of Catholics (65%) regard themselves as Irish, whilst very few Protestants (5%) do likewise.

The 2001 UK census measured the numbers of Protestant in Northern Ireland to be 53% and Catholic to be 44%. Combining data from both sources using a weighted mean calculation results in 46% of people in the Northern Ireland as a whole identifying themselves as British.

No official figures exist for the Republic of Ireland, although anecdotally it generally believed to be very small.

Sensitivity around use of term

Main article: British Isles (terminology)

Whether someone refers to their nationality as English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish, it does not necessarily mean that they do not also consider themselves British.[8] For example, a person may be British or Welsh, or equally British and Welsh, or mostly one or the other. However, even when given the widest common choice of options, some people still prefer to identify themselves as exclusively English (17%), Scottish (31%), or Welsh (21%),[8] referring to aspects of their own culture and history which distinguish the nations of Britain from each other.[13]

The use of the term is sensitive in some areas, particularly in Northern Ireland,[14] and can vary in exact meaning depending on context and the author's personal prejudices.[15]

The term British is also used by naturalised immigrants and their descendants. By a slight margin it is the preferred term of non-White residents of the Britain.[16] Thus Black British is common usage, particularly in England, though less so in Scotland where such groups can be, for example, Pakistani Scots.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ National Statistics, Living in Britain 2001 (Households, Families and People: National Identity), 2001
  2. ^ Constitutional Change and Identidy, the Institute of Governance, 2006
  3. ^ List of current overseas territories
  4. ^ Compact Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2007
  5. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Retrieved 9 December 2005.
  6. ^ Definition of Briton. Merriam-Webster Online
  7. ^ National Statistics, Living in Britain 2001 (Households, Families and People: National Identity), 2001
  8. ^ a b c Devolution, Public Attitudes and National Identity (2006) in Devolution and Constitutional Change, ESRC list of authors
  9. ^ National Statistics, Living in Britain 2001 (Households, Families and People: National Identity), 2001
  10. ^ National Statistics, Living in Britain 2001 (Households, Families and People: National Identity), 2001
  11. ^ National Statistics, Living in Britain 2001 (Households, Families and People: National Identity), 2001
  12. ^ Constitutional Change and Identidy, the Institute of Governance, 2006
  13. ^ Gene Expression article February 2005
  14. ^ British? Irish? Or what? from Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland (1968 to the Present) CAIN Web Service (Conflict Archive on the INternet)
  15. ^ [citation needed]
  16. ^ National Statistics, Living in Britain 2001 (Households, Families and People: National Identity), 2001
  17. ^ UK: 25% of ethnic minority Scots have tried drugs, The Herald, Glasgow, 02 November 2001
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