Fewer residents in Bassetlaw identify as English, newly published Census figures reveal

Jon Wroth-Smith, census deputy director, said the recent data highlights we are living in an “increasingly multi-cultural society” , with fewer people saying they belong to a particular nation.

The Office for National Statistics figures show 20 per cent of people in Bassetlaw identified as English only when the census took place last year, down significantly from 73 per cent in 2011.

And 56 per cent selected British only in the recent survey, while 13 per cent chose the identity a decade ago.

Overall, about 96 per cent of people in Bassetlaw chose a UK identity in 2021, down from 97 per cent in 2011.

Across England and Wales, 90 per cent of people identified with at least one UK national identity, slightly down from 92 per cent in 2011.

The proportion of people identifying as English only saw the sharpest fall, from 58 per cent s10 years ago to 15 per cent last year.

Nationally, 55 per cent said they identified as British, up from 19 per cent in the previous census.

The census also revealed shifts in ethnicities, with the proportion of people identifying as white falling to 82 per cent last year from 86 per cent in 2011.

And 74 per cent of the total population identified their ethnic group as white English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British in the survey, down from 81 per cent in 2011.

About 96 per cent of people identified as white in Bassetlaw in 2021, down slightly from 97 per cent in the previous census.

Additionally, 92 per cent identified as white English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British, a decrease from 95 per cent in the previous census.

Mr Wroth-Smith said: “The percentage of people identifying their ethnic group as ‘White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British’, continues to decrease.

“While this remains the most common response to the ethnic group question, the number of people identifying with another ethnic group continues to increase.”

In Bassetlaw 1,455 residents, 1 per cent, identified as Asian or Asian British and 736, 1 per cent, selected black or black British as their ethnicity. A further 1,405, 1 per cent, said they were mixed ethnicity.