Italians in the United Kingdom

Italians in the United Kingdom, also called Italian Brits, are people in the United Kingdom with Italian family history. Their families often came from Italy to live in the UK many years ago. These people may have been born in the UK with Italian roots, or they may have moved from Italy themselves. Some also have Italian heritage from other places, like the United States, and later moved to the UK.

Special names are used for Italians in different parts of the UK. For example, those in England are sometimes called Italian English, those in Scotland are called Italian Scots, and those in Wales are called Italian Welsh. This shows how Italian culture is part of life in the United Kingdom in many ways.

History

Roman Britain

Main article: Roman Britain

The Romans from Italy were some of the first people from Italy to live in the British Isles. They came as early as 54 BC when Julius Caesar led groups to southeastern England. Later, in AD 43, Emperor Claudius took control of the islands. Over the next five hundred years, many Roman soldiers, mostly from The Balkans, moved to live permanently in Roman Britain.

Middle Ages

There was ongoing contact with Rome and the wider Catholic world, mainly in parts of Britain where Celtic Christian languages were spoken, such as Brittonic. Trade with the Mediterranean and Italy continued into the seventh century. After the conquest of Anglo-Saxon England in 1066, the first Italian communities in England started with merchants and sailors living in Southampton. London’s Lombard Street was named after a group of bankers and merchants from northern Italy.

The rebuilding of Westminster Abbey showed Italian artistic influence, such as the Cosmati Pavement finished in 1245. In 1303, Edward I made an agreement with Lombard merchants, giving them special rights. The Riccardi bankers from Lucca handled these duties, helping to pay for wars in Wales. Later, the Frescobaldi family from Florence became money lenders to the English crown.

15th to 18th centuries

During the 15th century, there was a small but important group of Italians in England. They included church leaders, scholars, merchants, bankers, and artists. Some historians think the explorer Giovanni Caboto, who reached North America in 1497, got help from the Italian community in London.

After the English Reformation, many Italian Protestants found a welcome in Tudor England, bringing their culture with them. Well-known people like John Florio, a language teacher and translator, and Alberico Gentili, a law scholar who advised Queen Elizabeth I, were part of this community. The arts grew under the Hanoverian kings, bringing more Italian craftsmen, artists, and musicians to Britain. By the 1840s, Italians were a big part of the barometer-making industry in England.

From Napoleon Bonaparte to World War I

The Napoleonic Wars hurt farming in northern Italy, so many farmers moved to the British Isles in the early 1800s. Between the 1820s and 1851, about 4,000 Italian immigrants lived in England, many in London. People from Como were skilled in making barometers, while those from Lucca made plaster figures. Later, people from Parma became organ grinders, and those from the Liri valley made ice cream.

The Italian community was centered around “Little Italy” in London’s Clerkenwell area. By 1901, the Italian population in the UK had grown to 4,051. Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian hero, lived in London and helped build the Italian church of St. Peter in Clerkenwell in 1863. He also started a school for poor children in London.

Second World War

When World War II began, Italians in Great Britain had built respected communities. However, when Italy joined Germany in 1940, many Italians were seen as a threat. Thousands of Italian men were arrested, and some were sent away.

Since 1945

In the 1950s, Italian immigration to places like Manchester, Bedford, and Peterborough began again, mostly from Lazio. By 2009, London had over 50,000 people born in Italy. Other areas with large Italian communities include Manchester and Bedford. Many Italians in Bedford and Peterborough worked for brick companies in the 1950s. By 2007, there were 82 Italian groups in Great Britain.

British companies founded by Italians

Many successful companies in the United Kingdom were started by people from Italy. These businesses are in many areas, like technology, food, and furniture.

Some well-known Italian-founded companies in Britain include Ferranti, which made electrical and computer equipment, and Marconi, a telecommunications company. There are also stores like Arighi Bianchi for furniture and Grattan for catalogues. The hotel and restaurant business Forte and the jewellery maker Thomas Fattorini Ltd are also Italian beginnings. Finally, the popular Italian restaurant chain Carluccio's started in 1999.

Demographics

Population

There is no exact number of Italians living in the UK. In 1971, about 109,000 people born in Italy lived in the UK. By 2021, the UK Census reported around 277,000 people born in Italy living in England and Wales. Other estimates suggest there may be up to 500,000 Italians in the UK, including those who also hold British passports.

Italians have lived in the UK for many years. In 2011, about 146,000 people born in Italy lived in the UK. By 2021, this number had grown. Many Italians also study at UK universities, with over 12,000 Italian students in 2015–2016.

Distribution

Italians and people with Italian heritage live all over the UK. Some places have larger Italian communities, such as London, Manchester, Bedford, and Glasgow. For example, London had over 62,000 people born in Italy in 2011, while Manchester had about 25,000 people of Italian heritage.

Little Italies

• Little Italy in Clerkenwell, London.
• The area around Wardour Street and Old Compton Street in Soho, London used to be known as Little Italy.
• Ancoats in Manchester used to be known as Little Italy.
• The area around Scotland Road in Liverpool used to be known as Little Italy.
• The area around Fazeley Street in Digbeth, Birmingham, used to be known as Little Italy.
• Bedford, where about 8% of the population is Italian or of Italian heritage.
• Hoddesdon, in Hertfordshire has a large Sicilian population.
• Glasgow is the centre of the Scottish Italian community.

Notable individuals

Main article: List of British Italians

Many people in the United Kingdom have Italian roots. This means their families came from Italy. These people are called British Italians. Some were born in the UK but have families from Italy. Others moved from Italy to live in the UK. Some British Italians were born in other countries but have Italian family history and later moved to the UK. This community has helped in many areas of British life.