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Demographics of Bradford
Population pyramid of Bradford
Population522,452 (2011)

Population density in the 2011 census in the Bradford Metropolitan District Council area.

Bradford, England is an ethnically and culturally diverse city. The City of Bradford metropolitan borough is the sixth most populous local authority district in the United Kingdom, and includes not only Bradford but also the towns and villages of Keighley, Shipley, Bingley, Ilkley, Haworth, Silsden, Queensbury, Thornton and Denholme.

Built-up area

The Office for National Statistics identifies "Bradford Built-up area subdivision", defined by its own algorithm,[1] as an area of 81.74 km2 (31.56 sq mi) with a 2011 population of 349,561 and a density of 4,280 people per square km.[2] It is a subdivision of the West Yorkshire Built-up Area.

Population

The City of Bradford's total population, according to the 2011 UK census, was 522,452. The population density was 1,428 people per square km.

Ethnicity

Ethnic demography of Bradford over time
Population pyramid of Bradford by ethnicity in 2021
Ethnic makeup of Bradford by single year ages in 2021

The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 1991, 2001 and 2011 censuses in the City of Bradford.

Bradford has had a significant Pakistani population since post war migration began however in recent decades since the ethnicity question was first added in 1991 has the group saw massive growth in proportional size. In 1991, they made up nearly 10% of the city rising to 20.4% in 2011 in two decades. This increase in Pakistanis has generally provided the majority of the growth of the multi-ethnic group of Asian British people within the city however other groups such as Other Asians and Bangladeshi's have also increased, in 1991 Asian British people made up 13.8% of the city rising to just above a quarter (26.8%) in 2011. White British people have declined from above three quarters of the population in 2001 (76.1%) to below two thirds in 2011 (63.9%) in coincide with the decrease of White's overall from 84.4% to 67.4%. Black British people have been in fluctuation, in 1991 they accounted for 1.1%, declining to 0.9% in 2001 then rising again to 1.8% with the majority of the increase coming from Black Africans. Other groups such as Other ethnicities and Mixed people have also increased since 2001.

Ethnic Group 1971 estimations[3] 1981 estimations[4] 1991[5] 2001[6] 2011[7] 2021[8]
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
White: Total 421,351 94.1% 404,500 87% 386,025 84.4% 366,041 78.27% 352,317 67.44% 334,004 61.1%
White: British – – – – – – 355,684 76.06% 333,628 63.86% 309,912 56.7%
White: Irish – – – – 4,759 1.04% 3,479 0.74% 2,541 0.49% 2,139 0.4%
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller[note 1] – – – – – – – – 433 0.08% 849 0.2%
White: Roma – – – – – – – – – – 1,583 0.3%
White: Other – – – – – – 6,878 1.47% 15,715 3.01% 19,521 3.6%
Asian or Asian British: Total – – 48,800 10.5% 62,963 13.79% 89,293 19.09% 140,149 26.83% 175,664 32.1%
Asian or Asian British: Indian – – 12,900 2.8% 11,713 2.56% 12,504 2.67% 13,555 2.59% 14,429 2.6%
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani – – 33,600 7.2% 45,280 9.9% 67,994 14.54% 106,614 20.41% 139,553 25.5%
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi – – 2,300 0.5% 3,653 0.79% 4,967 1.06% 9,863 1.89% 12,403 2.3%
Asian or Asian British: Chinese[note 2] – – – – 720 0.15% 896 0.19% 2,086 0.40% 1,345 0.2%
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian – – – – 1,597 0.34% 2,932 0.63% 8,031 1.54% 7,934 1.5%
Black or Black British: Total – – 6,200 1.3% 5,336 1.16% 4,333 0.93% 9,267 1.77% 10,978 2%
Black or Black British: African – – – – 610 0.13% 970 0.21% 4,993 0.96% 7,061 1.3%
Black or Black British: Caribbean – – – – 3,323 0.72% 3,038 0.65% 3,581 0.69% 2,614 0.5%
Black or Black British: Other Black – – – – 1,403 0.3% 325 0.07% 693 0.13% 1,303 0.2%
Mixed: Total – – – – – – 6,937 1.48% 12,979 2.48% 15,006 2.7%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean – – – – – – 2,611 0.56% 4,663 0.89% 4,426 0.8%
Mixed: White and Black African – – – – – – 449 0.10% 875 0.17% 1,196 0.2%
Mixed: White and Asian – – – – – – 2,926 0.63% 5,677 1.09% 6,458 1.2%
Mixed: Other Mixed – – – – – – 951 0.20% 1,764 0.34% 2,926 0.5%
Other: Total – – 5,350 1.2% 3,020 0.66% 1,061 0.23% 7,740 1.48% 10,760 2%
Other: Arab[note 3] – – – – – – – – 3,714 0.71% 2,734 0.5%
Other: Any other ethnic group – – 5,350 1.2% 3,020 0.66% 1,061 0.23% 4,026 0.77% 8,026 1.5%
Ethnic minority: Total 26,195 5.9% 60,350 13% 71,319 15.6% 101,624 21.7% 170,135 32.6% 212,408 38.9%
Total 447,546 100% 464,850 100% 457,344 100% 467,665 100% 522,452 100% 546,412 100%

Notes for table above

  1. ^ New category created for the 2011 census
  2. ^ In 2001, listed under the 'Chinese or other ethnic group' heading.
  3. ^ New category created for the 2011 census
Distribution of ethnic groups in the Bradford Metropolitan District Council area 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

Ethnicity of school pupils

The ethnicity of school pupils within Bradford has been in flux, with the native White British population declining from a majority of 61.7% in 2004 to a minority of 40.1% of the total school pupil population. This shift has turned Bradford's schools into a majority-minority state, where there are no overall majorities. Asian British school children have risen from 33.1% of the school pupil population to a stagnate 42.7% in 2022, having declined the previous two years from 43.1% in 2020. The largest group within this multi-ethnic amalgamation is British Pakistanis at 36.4% of the total school population. Black British school pupils have risen slightly from 1% to 1.9% with the majority of growth coming from Black Africans. Other groups such as Other ethnicities, Other Whites and Mixed people have also increased as well.

Ethnic group School year[9][10]
2004 2008 2012 2015/16 2019/20 2021/2022
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
White: Total 45,930 62.6% 41,380 56% 39,320 51.1% 40,978 48.7% 46,896 46.3% 46,157 45.5%
White: British 45,300 61.7% 40,027 54.2% 36,885 47.9% 36,629 43.6% 41,350 40.9% 40,577 40.1%
White: Irish 90 85 94 96 0.1% 115 0.1% 113 0.1%
White: Traveller of Irish heritage 20 21 36 31 0.0% 28 0.0% 37 0.0%
White: Gypsy/Roma 70 166 494 1,260 1.5% 1,140 1.1% 1,031 1.0%
White: Other 450 0.6% 1,082 1,809 2,962 3.5% 4,263 4.2% 4,399 4.3%
Asian / Asian British: Total 24,280 33.1% 28,387 38.4% 32,704 42.5% 36,353 43.3% 43,447 43.1% 43,268 42.7%
Asian / Asian British: Indian 1,790 2.4% 1,839 1,838 1,809 2.2% 1,982 2.0% 1,974 1.9%
Asian / Asian British: Pakistani 20,160 27.5% 23,241 31.5% 26,727 34.7% 30,674 36.5% 36,849 36.5% 36,841 36.4%
Asian / Asian British: Bangladeshi 1,750 2,141 2,518 2,851 3.4% 3,315 3.3% 3,153 3.1%
Asian / Asian British: Chinese 80 85 110 88 0.1% 98 0.1% 97 0.1%
Asian / Asian British: Other Asians 500 1,081 1,511 931 1.1% 1,203 1.2% 1,203 1.2%
Black / Black British: Total 700 1% 940 1.3% 1,015 1.3% 1,170 1.4% 1,762 1.7% 1,954 1.9%
Black: Caribbean 340 326 309 284 0.3% 252 0.2% 215 0.2%
Black: African 270 0.4% 488 577 815 1.0% 1,316 1.3% 1,515 1.5%
Black: Other Blacks 90 118 131 107 0.1% 194 0.2% 224 0.2%
Mixed / British Mixed 1,800 2.5% 2,390 3.2% 2,900 3.8% 3,903 4.6% 6,124 6.0% 6,550 6.5%
Other: Total 250 0.3% 557 0.8% 760 1% 961 1.1% 1,566 1.5% 1,880 1.9%
Unclassified 430 0.6% 20 - 225 0.3% 592 0.7% 1,261 1.2% 1,500 1.5%
Total: 73,380 100% 73,860 100% 76,930 100% 83,993 100% 101,056 100% 101,309 100%

Country of birth

UK and foreign born population pyramid of Bradford in 2021. Males and females representing the UK born population while foreign males and females representing the foreign born population.
Country of birth Year
1981[11] 2021[12]
Number % Number %
 United Kingdom 409,202 90.1% 444,478 81.3%
Foreign born 44,990 9.9% 101,938 18.7%
Total 454,192 100% 546,416 100%

Languages

The most common main languages spoken in the City of Bradford according to the 2011 census are shown below.[13]

Rank Language Usual residents aged 3+ Proportion
1 English 424,527 85.31%
2 Punjabi 19,842 3.99%
3 Urdu 16,550 3.33%
4 Polish 5,526 1.11%
5 Bengali (incl. Sylheti and Chatgaya) 4,743 0.95%
6 Pashto 3,580 0.72%
7 Gujarati 2,638 0.53%
8 Arabic 2,398 0.48%
9 Slovak 2,162 0.43%
10 Kurdish 1,275 0.26%
11 Pakistani Pahari (incl. Mirpuri and Potwari) 1,048 0.21%
12 Latvian 985 0.20%
13 Russian 690 0.14%
14 Czech 642 0.13%
15 Tagalog/Filipino 640 0.13%
16 Persian 592 0.12%
17 Italian 564 0.11%
18 French 443 0.09%
19 Lithuanian 436 0.09%
20 Greek 382 0.08%
Other 7,945 1.60%

Religion

Religious makeup of Bradford by single year age groups in 2021

The following table shows the religion of respondents in the 2001, 2011 and 2021 censuses in the City of Bradford.

Religion 1989 estimations[14] 2001[15] 2011[16] 2021[17]
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Holds religious beliefs – – 367,518 78.58 381,876 73.09 362,291 66.3
Christian – – 281,236 60.14 239,843 45.91 182,566 33.4
Muslim 50,000 – 75,188 16.08 129,041 24.70 166,846 30.5
Sikh – – 4,748 1.02 5,125 0.98 4,834 0.9
Hindu – – 4,457 0.95 4,882 0.93 4,757 0.9
Buddhist – – 537 0.11 1,000 0.19 959 0.2
Jewish – – 356 0.08 299 0.06 254 <0.1
Other religion – – 996 0.21 1,686 0.32 2,074 0.4
No religion – – 62,266 13.31 108,027 20.68 154,305 28.2
Religion not stated – – 37,921 8.11 32,549 6.23 29,816 5.5
Total population – – 467,655 100.0 522,452 100.0 546,412 100.0

Industry

Bradford's industry over time

Manufacturing in Bradford has collapsed since the middle half of the 20th century.

See also

References

  1. ^ "2011 Built-up Areas - Methodology and Guidance" (PDF). Office for National Statistics. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  2. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Bradford Built-up area sub division (E35001211)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  3. ^ Jones, P. N. (1978). "The Distribution and Diffusion of the Coloured Population in England and Wales, 1961-71". Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. 3 (4): 515–532. doi:10.2307/622127. ISSN 0020-2754. JSTOR 622127. PMID 12157820.
  4. ^ Simpson, Ludi (March 2004). "Statistics of Racial Segregation: Measures, Evidence and Policy". Urban Studies. 41 (3): 661–681. doi:10.1080/0042098042000178735. ISSN 0042-0980. S2CID 154380697.
  5. ^ 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)
  6. ^ "Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  7. ^ "2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  9. ^ "School and pupil characteristics". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic Year 2021/22". explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  11. ^ "1981 census - small area statistics - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  12. ^ "TS004 - Country of birth - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Download:local authorities: county / unitary". NOMIS. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  14. ^ Le Lohé, M.J. (October 1989). "Political issues". Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 16 (1): 137–144. doi:10.1080/1369183X.1989.9976165. ISSN 1369-183X.
  15. ^ "KS007 - Religion - Nomis - 2001". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  16. ^ "KS209EW (Religion) - Nomis - 2011". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Religion - 2021 census". Office of National Statistics. 29 November 2022. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
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