Population by ethnicity and change 2011-21
Key points
Estimates from Census 2021 show that:
- In the Lancashire-12 area in 2021, the "White" ethnic group had increased by 17,908 people (1.7%) since the 2011 Census, and the "Other than white" ethnicities had risen by 46,104 persons (50.9%).
- The number of usual residents within the "White" ethnic group increased in nine of the Lancashire-12 local authority areas since the 2011 Census. Chorley (up 8,762 people, 8.4%) saw the largest rise in the area, followed by West Lancashire (up 5,198 people, 4.8%), Fylde (up 4,476 people, 6.1%), Ribble Valley (up 3,354 people, 6.0%) and Wyre (up 3,282 people, 3.1%). South Ribble (up 51 people, 0.0%) recorded the smallest rise in the area. Preston (down 8,601 people, -4.5%) saw the greatest reduction in the number of usual residents within the "White" group in the Lancshire-12 area, followed by Pendle (down 3,847, -5.4%) and Hyndburn (down 2,795 people, -3.9%).
- The number of usual residents within the "Other than white" ethnicities rose in all of the Lancashire-12 local authority areas since the 2011 Census. Preston (up 12,710 people, 45.7%) saw the greatest increase in the number of people within the "Other than white" ethnicities, followed by Pendle (up 10,199 people, 56.6%), Burnley (up 5,545 people 50.4%), Hyndburn (up 4,299 people, 43.2%) and Lancaster (up 3,833 people, 61.5%). Wyre saw the smallest numerical increase (932 people, 49.1%). Ribble Valley (up 88.8%, 1,091 people) and West Lancashire (up 75.6%, 1,574 people) saw the largest percentage increases in the area. Rossendale (up 27.5%, 1,158 people) recorded the lowest percentage increase in the area.
- In 2021, 88.9% (1.10 million) of usual residents in the Lancashire-12 area identified their ethnicity as falling within the "White" ethnic group, a decrease from 92.3% (1.08 million) in the 2011 Census.
- The decrease is in line with England and Wales where, in 2021, 81.7% (48.7 million) of usual residents in England and Wales identified their ethnic group as falling within the "White" group, decreasing from 86.0% (48.2 million) in the 2011 Census.
- Within the "White" ethnic group, 85.2% (1.05 million) of the total population in Lancashire-12 identified their specific ethnic sub-group as "English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British", a decrease from 89.7% (1.05 million) in 2011, and down from 92.9% (1.05 million) who identified this way in 2001.
- The next most common ethnic group in Lancashire-12 was "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" accounting for 8.1% (100,031) of the overall population, this ethnic group also saw the largest percentage point increase, up 2.0 points from 6.1% (71,054 people) in 2011.
The interactive Microsoft Power BI report below has nine slides (or pages). Most slides (eg Ethnicity chart) have a navigator bar immediately below the red banner at the top (eg Select district and wards). Some pages also have tabs which change the visible tables or charts within the slide/page being viewed. To the right of the slide/page labels an information button ⓘ gives help for the current page being viewed, while the '?' symbol redirects to a page which includes further information about the data within the report.
Interactive report
Wyre is the least diverse district of Lancashire-12 in 2021, with 97.5% of residents identifying their ethnicity within the "White" group, decreasing from 98.2% in 2011.
The districts with the lowest proportions of residents identifying their ethnicity within the "White" group are Pendle (70.6% in 2021, 79.9% in 2011), Preston (72.6% in 2021, 80.2% in 2011), and Burnley (82.5% in 2021, 87.4% in 2011).
In Pendle, 29.4% of residents identify their ethnicity as "Other than white", with 26.7% identifying their ethnic group within the “Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh” group, and 25.6% identifying as Pakistani (up from 17.1% in 2011). Pendle's highest concentration of residents identifying as Pakistani is in the ward of Whitefield and Walverden (68.5%).
in Preston, 27.4% of residents identify their ethnicity as "Other than white", with 20.2% identifying their ethnic group within the “Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh” group and 12.9% identifying as Indian (up from 10.3% in 2011). At the ward level in Preston, Deepdale has the highest proportion of 42.7% residents identifying as Indian, with the proportions diminishing fairly equally across the remaining 15 wards of Preston, with Lea & Larches having the smallest proportion of 1.5%.
in Burnley, 17.5% of residents identify their ethnicity as "Other than white", 14.7% identified their ethnic group within the “Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh” group, and 10.7% identified as Pakistani (up from 6.8% in 2011).
Of the 15 wards in Burnley, the wards with the highest proportions of residents identifying as Pakistani are Danehouse with Stoneyholme (53.0%), Queensgate (33.0%), Bank Hall (27.5%) and Lanehead (18.2%), with the remaining 11 wards having proportions of 2.7% or less.
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
In the Lancashire-12 area, 0.6% of residents identify their ethnicity within the Black/African/Caribbean/Black British group, an increase from 0.3% in 2011. Preston has the largest proportion of residents who identify their ethnicity within the Black/African/Caribbean/Black British group at 2.4%. The highest proportion being in City Centre ward with 6.0%, followed by Plungington ward with 5.5% (both increasing from 1.8% in 2011).
In England, 4.2% of residents identify their ethnicity within the Black/African/Caribbean/Black British group, an increase from 3.5% in 2011.
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups
Preston has the highest proportion of residents who identify their ethnicity within the high level Mixed/multiple ethnic groups in Lancashire-12, at 2.9% (1.6% in Lancashire-12, 3.0% in England), with the most predominant ethnicity of the group being White and Black Caribbean. Fishwick & Frenchwood, is the ward which has the highest proportion of residents in Preston who identify their ethnicity within the Mixed/multiple ethnic group (4.0%), whilst Ribbleton, Plungington, and St Matthew's all lie in joint 2nd place with 3.7%.
Other than white groups
Across the Lancashire-12 area, proportions of ethnicities "Other than white" have risen since the 2011 Census.
Preston (up 12,710 people, 45.7%) saw the greatest increase in the number of people within the "Other than white" ethnicities, followed by Pendle (up 10,199 people, 56.6%), Burnley (up 5,545 people 50.4%), Hyndburn (up 4,299 people, 43.2%) and Lancaster (up 3,833 people, 61.5%). Wyre saw the smallest numerical increase (932 people, 49.1%). Ribble Valley (up 88.8%, 1,091 people) and West Lancashire (up 75.6%, 1,574 people) saw the largest percentage increases.
In the Lancashire-12 area the 2021 Census results show that Pendle and Preston have the highest proportions of ethnicities "Other than white" (29.6% and 27.6% respectively), and are above England and Wales (18.5%) and England (19.0%). The rest of the Lancashire-12 districts have lower proportions than England and Wales, with the bottom 3 being Wyre (2.6%), West Lancashire (3.2%) and Ribble Valley (3.8%).
Looking at the Ethnic group change slide of the interactive report (above), the "Other than white" tab shows that compared to the 2011 census, the proportions of ethnicities "Other than white" have increased across all the Lancashire-12 districts. The list of highest proportion to lowest remains the same from 2011 to 2021 apart from South Ribble (2.9% to 4.7%), which has moved from below to above Chorley (3.1% to 4.4%), and Ribble Valley (2.1% to 3.8%) moving from below to above Fylde (2.5% to 3.8%).
Lancashire-14 perspective
In the Lancashire-14 area in 2021, the "White" ethnic group had increased by 5,503 people (0.4%) since the 2011 Census, and the "Other than white" ethnicities had risen by 64,754 persons (46.0%).
In 2021, 86.6% (1.33 million) of usual residents in the Lancashire-14 area identified their ethnicity within the "White" group, a decrease from 90.4% (1.32 million) in the 2011 Census. Within the "White" ethnic group, 82.8% (1.27 million) of the total population in the Lancashire-14 area identified their ethnic sub-group as "English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British", a continued decrease from 87.7% (1.28 million) in 2011, and from 91.6% (1.30 million) who identified this way in 2001. The next most common ethnicity in the Lancashire-14 area was the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" group, accounting for 10.4% (158,894) of the overall population, this ethnic group also saw the largest percentage point increase, up 2.5 points from 7.9% (114,830 people) in 2011.
In Blackburn with Darwen unitary authority the number of usual residents within the "White" ethnic group decreased by 8,601 people (-8.4%) since the 2011 Census. This was the largest of five reductions to the "White" ethnic group in the Lancashire-14 area. In contrast, the number of usual residents within the "Other than white" ethnicities in Blackburn with Darwen rose by 15,873 people (34.9%). This was greatest increase of the "Other than white" ethnicities in the Lancashire-14 area since the 2011 Census.
The number of usual residents within the "White" ethnic group also decreased in Blackpool unitary authority, by 3,783 people (-2.8%) since the 2011 Census. This was the fourth largest of the five reductions to the "White" ethnic group in the Lancashire-14 area. The number of usual residents within the "Other than white" ethnicities in Blackpool rose by 2,776 people (58.7%) since the 2011 Census.
Across the Lancashire-14 area, proportions of ethnicities "Other than white" have risen.
In the Lancashire-14 area, the 2021 Census results show that Blackburn with Darwen, Pendle, and Preston have the highest proportions of ethnicities "Other than white" (39.7%, 29.6%, 27.6% respectively), and are above the proportions for England and Wales (18.5%) and England (19.0%). The remaining eleven Lancashire-14 local authority areas, including Blackpool unitary authority, have lower proportions than England and Wales, with the bottom 3 being Wyre (2.6%), West Lancashire (3.2%) and Ribble Valley (3.8%).
Looking at the "Ethnic group change" slide in the interactive report (above) and selecting the "Other than white" tab, it can be seen that compared to the 2011 Census, the proportions of ethnicities "Other than white" have increased across all the Lancashire 14 local authority areas. The list of highest proportion to lowest remains the same from 2011 to 2021 apart from South Ribble (2.9% to 4.7%), which has moved from below to above Chorley (3.1% to 4.4%), and Ribble Valley (2.1% to 3.8%) moving from below to above Fylde (2.5% to 3.8%).
Page updated 31 January 2023