Latin American migration to the United Kingdom

For Latinos of British descent, see British Latin American.

Latin American migration to the United Kingdom dates back to the early 19th century. However, before the 1970s, when political and civil unrest became rife in many Latin American countries, the United Kingdom's Latin American community was not particularly large.^[2] Economic migration to the United Kingdom has since increased. Brazilian and Colombian-born residents are the two largest groups standing at 95,000 and 36,000 respectively as of 2019.^[3] A number of refugees and asylum seekers moved to the UK during the late 20th century, however, since the turn of the century, Latin Americans have been migrating to the UK for a wide range of reasons and at present the community consists of people from all walks of life.^[4] The UK is also home to British-born people of Latin American ancestry. During the 2008–2014 Spanish financial crisis, Britain also became one of the favourite European destinations for some of the roughly 1.4 million Latin Americans who had acquired Spanish citizenship.^[5]

British people of Latin American descent

Total population
Est. number of Latin Americans in the United Kingdom 186,500^[1]
Regions with significant populations
London, Liverpool, Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh and Milton Keynes
Languages
Latin American Spanish · Brazilian Portuguese · British English
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic; smaller numbers of Protestants
Related ethnic groups
Spanish Britons · Portuguese Britons

History and settlement

See also: History of Latin America and Immigration to the United Kingdom since 1922

Early presence of political figures

 

Revolutionary Francisco de Miranda established his successful campaign for Latin American independence in London

Latin Americans have inhabited what is now the United Kingdom for centuries, albeit in much smaller numbers than there are currently.^[2] The earliest migrants date back to the late 18th century/ early 19th century, these were politicians and writers who were living largely in London in hope of raising funds for weapons to help free Latin America from Spanish and Portuguese rule.^[2] The reason for London being a prime choice for such individuals to temporarily reside in is that Britain was quite happy to support them and see the Spanish Empire weaken as the British Empire continued to grow across the world.^[2] General Francisco de Miranda a Venezuelan-born, spent fourteen years of his life as a political exile in the British capitol. Originally a member of the Spanish Navy, he made a decision to help free Latin America after witnessing the American War of Independence and French Revolution.^[2] De Miranda was a close ally of British Prime Minister William Pitt, and after several meetings between the two Pitt pledged money from the British government to help Latin America in their wars of independence. The Liberator Simón Bolívar, who played a key role in the Spanish–American War of independence, visited London for six months in 1810 as leader of a Venezuelan diplomatic mission along with the scholar Andrés Bello and Luis López Méndez^[2] to explain why the Junta of Caracas broke relations with the Spanish Monarchy; to the British Foreign Office under secretary Richard Wellesley; seeking British naval and diplomatic protection, however the Spanish ambassador on the grounds Bolivar had at the time no diplomatic capacity to demand self-rule, engaged the British Foreign Office to turn Bolivar away. Bolivar instead returned to Venezuela and his entourage stayed behind in Somers Town, London. Within a matter of years many Latin American countries gained independence, and many Latin American political figures as José Antonio Zea and José Rafael Revenga remained in London in a bid to search for loans to aid the development of their respective new nations.^[2] It wasn't only political figures who took advantage of London's welcoming and safe environment; many Latin American writers who would most likely have been executed or imprisoned for their work in their native lands, published their work in the UK. Good examples of this are the Brazilian Hippolyto da Costa and the Colombian Juan Garcia del Rio.^[2]

Exiles and refugees after 1970

The first significant and large wave of migration from Latin America to the United Kingdom occurred in the 1970s; the Immigration Act 1971 was just one factor that acted as a catalyst for this phenomenon.^[6] Prior to 1971, there were strict rules in place that only allowed residents of current or former British overseas territories and colonies to be granted work permits etc. in the mainland UK.^[6] This change in legislation made it much easier for Latin Americans and other such groups to gain a right to live and work in the UK.^[6] From this point onwards, the Latin American community in the UK began to grow with the arrival of migrant workers and refugees escaping oppressive political regimes.^[6] Some 2,500 exiles from Chile were the first large group of Latin American migrants to the UK when they settled in London in the early 1970s; they consisted of businessmen, professors, and students who had fled their home country due to the ongoing political instability.^[7] Exiles included right wingers fleeing the rule of Salvador Allende and later leftists fleeing the Pinochet regime.^[6][7] Chile wasn't the only source of Latin American refugees in the 1970s and late 20th century in general, many individuals from the likes of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador also requested the right for asylum in the UK. Argentina's military government (National Reorganization Process) which remained in power between 1976 and 1983 was another major push factor which contributed to large-scale Latin American refugee migration to the UK.^[6] Colombians are the largest Latin American group in the UK and they have been arriving in the thousands since the 1970s;^[8] most moved between 1986 and 1997 after they were forced from their homes due to guerrilla and paramilitary violence in Colombia.^[8] Through most of the 20th century, Britain was in fact the most favoured European destination for Colombian migrants and refugees, even ahead of Spain.^[9] Bolivians are a fairly small Latin American refugee group in the UK; during Bolivia's spell of political instability in the late 20th century many instead chose to make a new life for themselves in the United States or other South American nations.^[10] Despite this, the UK still to this day remains the second most popular destination for Bolivian migrants to Europe regardless of status.^[10] Cubans, although relatively small in number, have been migrating to the UK since the early 1960s, fleeing the Communist takeover of Cuba. Most migration happened during the Freedom Flights which started in 1965 when some Cubans chose the UK as an alternative to the United States.

Demographics and population

Unlike the United States Census and the Canadian Census, the United Kingdom Census doesn't include a category for individuals to identify as 'Latin American' and it is therefore fairly difficult to know exactly how many British citizens or residents are of Latin American ethnic or national origin.^[11]

Official statistics on Latin American-born residents

According to the 2001 UK Census, 62,735 Latin Americans in the United Kingdom were born in their respective nations of origin.^[12] There were also a further 1,338 people who stated their birthplace as 'South or Central America' (note that not all South American countries are "Latin").^[12] In 2009, the Office for National Statistics estimated that the number of Brazilian-born people in the UK alone had risen to around 60,000 and the number of Colombian-born to around 22,000. Estimates for other Latin American countries were not made because the sample size did not allow for estimation of the size of smaller groups with sufficient degree of accuracy.^[13]

 

Latin American-born people in the United Kingdom in 2001

Country of birth	Population (2011 census)^[14]^[15]^[16]	Corresponding article
Brazil	52,148	Brazilians in the United Kingdom
Colombia	25,761	Colombians in the United Kingdom
Argentina	10,550
Mexico	9,771	Mexicans in the United Kingdom
Venezuela	9,150
Ecuador	8,767	Ecuadorians in the United Kingdom
Peru	7,246	Peruvians in the United Kingdom
Chile	7,130	Chileans in the United Kingdom
Bolivia	3,765	Bolivians in the United Kingdom
Cuba	2,481
Dominican Republic	1,377
Uruguay	1,364

Other population estimates

A number of other estimates of the population of Latin Americans in the UK are available. A detailed analysis was undertaken in May 2011 which estimated the population to be 186,500 in the UK, of which 113,500 were in London. This figure includes irregular and second generation Latin Americans.^[1]

Population distribution

According to a 2005 report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, based on data from the 2001 Census, the ten census tracts with the largest South American-born populations are all in London. Hyde Park had the highest number of South Americans, followed by Vauxhall North, Kensington, Chelsea, Vauxhall South, Regent's Park, Streatham North, Hammersmith, Streatham South, Hackney South,^[17] and Newham. Outside of London, the largest South American populations were to be found in Oxford, Cambridge, central Manchester, central Bristol, central Edinburgh and Milton Keynes.^[18] More recently, it has been suggested that Liverpool now has the UK's largest Latin American population outside London.^[19]

There are also areas such as the Latin Village in South Tottenham^[20] and Elephant and Castle that have a concentration of Latin American shops and clubs,^[21] although because of gentrification the community in Elephant and Castle has faced being priced out the area.^[22]

Latin Americans acquiring British citizenship

The table below shows the number of Latin Americans who acquired citizenship of the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2008; sorted alphabetically.

Previous nationality	1997^[23]	1998^[24]	1999^[25]	2000^[26]	2001^[27]	2002^[28]	2003^[29]	2004^[30]	2005^[31]	2006^[32]	2007^[33]	2008^[34]	Total
Argentina	22	38	45	62	45	105	120	115	145	120	125	120	1,062
Bolivia	11	19	28	23	30	25	35	50	50	70	75	65	481
Brazil	119	196	178	331	340	330	435	485	565	540	610	605	4,734
Chile	39	61	79	92	125	110	145	130	110	100	90	90	1,171
Colombia	185	272	296	381	375	945	1,000	1,290	1,500	1,580	1,845	1,115	10,784
Costa Rica	3	4	7	12	10	5	10	10	10	15	10	10	106
Cuba	7	8	15	18	30	60	65	90	115	90	90	80	668
Dominican Republic	12	13	19	17	30	55	50	65	55	35	20	35	406
Ecuador	20	33	39	43	55	80	200	325	655	955	745	580	3,730
El Salvador	6	9	5	13	25	15	15	15	10	10	5	15	143
Guatemala	6	13	6	4	10	15	10	10	10	5	20	15	124
Honduras	15	2	9	11	15	5	15	10	10	10	5	10	117
Mexico	26	52	74	116	100	105	145	160	175	145	135	115	1,348
Nicaragua	3	9	8	6	0	10	10	0	5	5	5	10	71
Panama	4	8	4	7	10	10	5	10	20	10	10	25	123
Paraguay	2	0	1	4	0	0	5	15	5	5	0	5	42
Peru	65	78	80	117	105	185	175	180	230	130	220	170	1,735
Uruguay	8	4	4	10	10	10	15	15	10	25	10	10	131
Venezuela	23	40	46	49	60	65	85	95	120	105	155	120	963
												Total	27,939

Cultural impact

Festivals

A number of festivals celebrate Latin American culture in the UK:

• Brazilica Festival (Liverpool)
• Carnaval del Pueblo (London)
• Carnival de Cuba (London)
• El Sueño Existe (Machynlleth)

Newspapers

A newspaper, Noticias Latin America (NLA), was published in London from 1992 until about 2008, but the newspaper ceased publication, and the company was struck off and dissolved in 2010.^[35]

Crónica Latina was probably one of the first Latin American newspapers in London, founded in 1984 by Juan Salgado, first published as Notas de Colombia before adopting the name 'Cronica Latinas' in 1986. The newspaper is no longer in circulation.^[36]

Social and political issues

Assimilation into British culture

Latin Americans residing in the UK often call themselves the "Invisibles", as a reflection of the lack of representation they have in the communities and the fact that there is no formal ethnic minority status for Latin Americans.^[37]

Economics and employment

85% of the Latin American community are employed, many are often in jobs they are over-qualified for, and very few take state benefits.^[38] Some 70% of Latin Americans residing in the UK have some form of education beyond the secondary level, however, they are 10 times more likely to work for less than the minimum wage.^[37] Often, emigrants who come to the country as lawyers or other skilled professions end up having to work in low level positions due to lack of opportunities. 40% of Latin American workers have claimed to experience workplace abuse and exploitation and 11% report being paid less than the national minimum wage – a proportion 10 times higher than the average rate for the British population.^[37]

Asylum seekers and refugees

Many Latin Americans have fled their home countries in search of safety and political asylum in the United Kingdom due to conflicts and civil wars, such as the ongoing Colombian armed conflict that began in 1964.^[39][40]

Notable individuals

Main article: List of Latin Americans in the United Kingdom

See also

• Latin Americans
• Latin America–United Kingdom relations
• Latin American diaspora
• Foreign-born population of the United Kingdom
• Migration from Latin America to Europe
• Spaniards in the United Kingdom
• Portuguese in the United Kingdom
• British Latin American

References

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2. . untoldLondon. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
3. "Population of the UK by country of birth and nationality - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
4. Sofia Buchuck (7 April 2010). . untoldLondon. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
5. Mateos, Pablo (30 October 2015). Ciudadanía múltiple y migración: Perspectivas latinoamericanas. ISBN 9786079367664.
6. "The Central and South American Community in London". Museum of London. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
7. Fernández, Francisco Lizcano (2007). Composición Étnica de las Tres Áreas Culturales del Continente Americano al Comienzo del Siglo XXI. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. ISBN 9789707570528.
8. . Refugee Council. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
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10. "Bolivians in London" (PDF). Runnymede Trust. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
11. "Census 2001 - Ethnicity and religion in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
12. . Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Archived from the original on 4 May 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
13. . Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010. Figure given is the central estimate. See the source for 95 per cent confidence intervals.
14. "Table QS213EW: 2011 Census: Country of birth (expanded), regions in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
15. "Country of birth (detailed)" (PDF). National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
16. . Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
17. "Born Abroad - South America". BBC News. 7 September 2005. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
18. Kyambi, Sarah (2005). . London: Institute for Public Policy Research. Archived from the original on 10 November 2005.
19. Key, Phil (21 December 2007). "Keep the culture real, keep it Latin". Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
20. "The Latin Village | Latinolife". www.latinolife.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
21. Hill, Dave (7 June 2016). "Latin Southwark seeks its place in Elephant and Castle's future". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
22. "The Runnymede Trust | The fight isn't over for Elephant and Castle's Latin American community". www.runnymedetrust.org. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
23. "Persons Granted British Citizenship, United Kingdom, 1997" (PDF). Home Office. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
24. (PDF). Home Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
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33. (PDF). Home Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
34. (PDF). Home Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
35. [1] [2] NOTICIAS LATIN AMERICA LIMITED (newspaper) dissolved, last accounts cover period ending 31 August 2008]
36. Roman-Velazquez, Patria (1999). The making of Latin London: Salsa music, place and identity. Ashgate.
37. Muir, Hugh (4 March 2012). "Hideously diverse Britain: the UK's Latin American community is fighting for recognition". The Guardian. London.
38. "London's Latin American population rises fourfold". BBC News. 19 May 2011.
39. Burrell, Ian (21 August 1997). "Crisis as Colombian refugees flood into Britain". The Independent. London. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
40. Bermúdez Torres, Anastasia (October 2003). "Refugee populations in the UK: Colombians". ICAR Navigation Guide. London: Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees. Retrieved 21 February 2011.

External links

• London Latin American Film Festival
• Visit London - Latin American section
• Reassessing what we collect website – Central and South American London (History of Central and South American London with objects and images)