Italians in the United Kingdom

Italians in the United Kingdom, also known as Italian Brits, are people in the United Kingdom who have Italian ancestry. Their families often came from Italy to live in the UK many years ago, during a time when many Italians moved to other countries. These people might have been born in the UK with Italian family roots, or they might have moved from Italy to the UK themselves. There are also people from other places, like the United States, who have Italian heritage and later moved to the UK.

Special names are used to talk about 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 has become part of life in the United Kingdom in many ways.

History

Roman Britain

Main article: Roman Britain

The Romans from Italy were among the first people from Italy to settle in the British Isles. They arrived as early as 54 BC when Julius Caesar led campaigns in southeastern England, and again in AD 43 when Emperor Claudius invaded and took control of the islands. Over the next five centuries, more than 50,000 Roman soldiers, mostly from The Balkans, moved to live permanently in Roman Britain.

Middle Ages

Continuous contact with Rome and the wider Catholic world was mostly limited to parts of Britain where Celtic Christian languages were spoken, such as Brittonic. Trading with the Mediterranean and Italy continued into the seventh century. After the conquest of Anglo-Saxon England in 1066, the first recorded Italian communities in England began with merchants and sailors living in Southampton. London’s Lombard Street was named after a community of bankers and merchants from northern Italy.

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

15th to 18th centuries

There was a small but influential group of Italians in England during the 15th century. They included church leaders, scholars, merchants, bankers, and artists. Some historians believe the explorer Giovanni Caboto, who reached North America in 1497, received support from the Italian community in London.

After the English Reformation, many Italian Protestants found a welcome home in Tudor England, bringing their culture with them. Famous figures 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, attracting more Italian craftsmen, artists, and musicians to Britain. By the 1840s, Italians dominated the barometer-making industry in England.

From Napoleon Bonaparte to World War I

The Napoleonic Wars damaged 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, with 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 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. A sad event happened when the ship Arandora Star, carrying many Italian people and others to Canada, was sunk by a German submarine in July 1940, causing many deaths.

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 cover many areas, from technology to 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, the number of people born in Italy who lived in the UK was highest at about 109,000. By 2021, the UK Census reported around 277,000 people born in Italy living in England and Wales. However, other estimates suggest there may be as many as 500,000 Italians in the UK when including those who also hold British passports.

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

Distribution

Italians and people in the UK with Italian heritage live all over the country. 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 an estimated 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 the population is about 8% 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, meaning their families came from Italy. These people are known as British Italians. Some were born in the UK with Italian family backgrounds, while others moved from Italy to live in the UK. There are also British Italians who were born in other countries but have Italian ancestry and later moved to the UK. This community has made many contributions to British life in various fields.