English Sikhs
The Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick.
Total population
520,092
0.92% of the total population (2021)
Regions with significant populations
West Midlands172,398 (2.90%)
London144,543 (1.64%)
South East74,348 (0.80%)
East Midlands53,950 (1.11%)
East24,284 (0.38%)
Religions
Sikhism
Languages
British English • Punjabi
Hindi • Urdu

English Sikhs number over 520,000 people and account for 0.92% of England's population in 2021, forming the country's fourth-largest religious group. In 2006 there were 352 gurdwaras in England.[1] The largest Sikh populations in the U.K. are in the West Midlands and Greater London.

Nagar Kirtan Convoy in Barking, London.
Sikh Population History
in England
YearPop.±%
2001 327,343—    
2011 420,196+28.4%
2021 520,092+23.8%
Source: Office for National Statistics
[2][3]

History

The permanent arrival of Sikhism in England is dated to 1850 A.D. with the arrival of Maharajah Duleep Singh (last ruler of the Sikh Empire). The first Sikh place of worship, called a Gurdwara, was opened in 1911 in London and this was partly funded by the Maharaja of Patiala.[4] Prior to this the first Sikh Society called Khalsa Jatha was formed in 1908. [5]

In 2019, the statue of Sikh soldier was unveiled in the West Yorkshire to commemorate the Sikhs martyrs in the World War I and World War II.[6]

Demographics

Geographical Distribution

Top ten English local authorities by Sikh population, 2021 [7]
Local authorityPopulation
Sandwell39,252
Birmingham33,126
Wolverhampton31,769
Ealing28,491
Hillingdon26,339
Hounslow24,677
Slough17,985
Redbridge17,622
Coventry17,297
Walsall17,148
Top ten English local authorities by Sikh proportion, 2021 [8]
Local authorityPercentage
Wolverhampton12.0%
Sandwell11.5%
Slough11.3%
Hillingdon8.6%
Hounslow8.6%
Gravesham8.0%
Ealing7.8%
Oadby and Wigston7.5%
Walsall6.0%
Redbridge5.7%
English Sikhs by region (2001−2021)
Region 2021[9] 2011[10] 2001[11]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
West Midlands 172,398 2.9% 133,681 2.39% 103,870 1.97%
London 144,543 1.64% 126,134 1.54% 104,230 1.45%
South East 74,348 0.8% 54,941 0.64% 37,735 0.47%
East Midlands 53,950 1.11% 44,335 0.98% 33,551 0.8%
East 24,284 0.38% 18,213 0.31% 13,365 0.25%
Yorkshire and the Humber 24,034 0.44% 22,179 0.42% 18,711 0.38%
North West 11,862 0.16% 8,857 0.13% 6,487 0.1%
South West 7,465 0.13% 5,892 0.11% 4,614 0.09%
North East 7,206 0.27% 5,964 0.23% 4,780 0.19%
England 520,092 0.92% 420,196 0.79% 327,343 0.63%

National and Ethnic Origins

Between 2001 and 2011, the proportion of English Sikhs who identified as Indian declined from 91.6% to 74.0%, while the proportion of English Sikhs who identified as "Other Asian" rose from 4.6% to 12.0% and the proportion of English Sikhs who identified as "Other Ethnic group" rose from 0.7% to 9.5%.

English Sikhs by National and Ethnic Origins
2001 2011 2021
Number %Number %Number %
Asian315,14496.27%366,03387.11%422,90685.16%
– Indian299,71791.56%310,84573.98%383,95473.82%
– Pakistani3430.1%3,2680.78%5850.11%
– Chinese760.02%1,0000.24%850.02%
– Bangladeshi1120.03%6570.16%1740.03%
– Other Asian14,8964.55%50,26311.96%38,1087.33%
White6,6252.02%7,2321.72%3,2690.63%
– British5,9531.82%5,2201.24%2,4790.48%
– Irish1460.04%1470.03%700.01%
– Irish Traveller890.02%820.02%
– Roma420.01%
– Other White5260.16%1,7760.42%5960.11%
Mixed2,7220.83%5,0251.2%6,9061.33%
– White and Asian2,0830.64%3,7680.9%5,5161.06%
– White and Black Caribbean630.02%2690.06%1020.02%
– White and Black African300.01%1040.02%510.01%
– Other Mixed5460.17%8840.21%1,2370.24%
Black6140.19%1,4260.34%3000.06%
– African4080.12%5530.13%1390.03%
– Caribbean1400.04%3470.08%1080.02%
– Other Black660.02%5260.13%530.01%
Arab4940.12%800.02%
Other Ethnic group2,2380.68%39,9869.52%86,83016.7%
TOTAL327,343100%420,196100%100%

Sikh Schools

There are currently 13 Sikh Schools in England that teach the national curriculum alongside Sikh values. These schools are often oversubscribed and outperform regular schools, for example the Nishkam High School in Birmingham was recently rated by Ofsted as outstanding in every area.[12] The Nishkam School Trust is also developing a sister school in West London, which is an area with a large Sikh community, which is due to open in September 2016.[13]

The schools include:

  • Akaal Primary School, Derby
  • Atam Academy, Romford
  • Falcons Primary School, Leicester
  • Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Chigwell
  • Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, Hayes
  • Khalsa Primary School, Slough
  • Khalsa Primary School, Southall
  • Pioneer Secondary Academy, Stoke Poges
  • Nishkam Nursery & Primary School, Birmingham
  • Nishkam High School, Birmingham
  • Nishkam School West London, Isleworth
  • Seva School, Coventry
  • The British Sikh School, Wolverhampton

Gurdwaras

Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall, London.

Southall, in London, is home to the largest Sikh temple outside India, known as Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha.[14] It opened in 2003 after almost three years construction and a cost of £17 million.[15] Another large Gurdwara in Gravesend began construction in 2001, and was officially opened in November 2010 .[16] In Sunderland, a former Church of England church has been transformed into a Sikh Gurdwara by the Sunderland Sikh Association.[17]

Many cities, especially those with large Sikh communities, now have several Gurdwaras to cater to their growing congregations. For example, Bradford is a city that now has 6 Gurdwaras. Many Gurdwaras will have had other uses and have been converted from industrial buildings to even former churches that have closed down. Increasingly, Gurdwaras are being purposely built, The Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara in Bradford is an example of a purpose built Gurdwara.[18]

Notable British Sikh organisations

In addition to Gurdwaras there are now a variety of additional organisations which have been setup by Sikhs to support the community:

Sikh Media

Sikhs in England have managed to establish a range of media outlets to propagate and encourage dialogue between Sikhs across the country, predominantly in Punjabi, although increasingly media is produced in English to include the new generation. Many Sikhs still speak Punjabi as a first and second language. In England there are currently no less than 4 Sky channels including, Sikh Channel, Sikh TV, Akaal Channel and Sangat TV, all are also broadcast worldwide and on the internet.[19] There are now also radio stations, which broadcast Gurbani at different times during the morning and evening hours.

In radio there are numerous stations broadcast on analogue in areas with large Sikh communities as well as internationally on the Sky platform, since 2001 Sukh Sagar on Sky channel 0150 is one such station that was also the world's first 24-hour Gurbani (Sikh prayer) radio station.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ [Gurharpal Singh and Darshan Singh Tatla, 'Sikhs in Britain: The Making of a Community' (Zed, 2006)
  2. ↑ "KS209EW (Religion) - Nomis - 2011". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  3. ↑ "KS007 - Religion - Nomis - 2001". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  4. ↑ Bance, Peter (2007). The Sikhs in Britain. 150 Years of Photographs. Sutton. ISBN 0750945117.
  5. ↑ Sikhism in Leicester bbc.co.uk, Sikh Dharamsala, London , accessed 1 June 2022
  6. ↑ "Huddersfield Sikh soldier statue unveiled in Greenhead Park". BBC News. 30 November 2019.
  7. ↑ "Figure 2: Religion, 2021, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  8. ↑ "Figure 2: Religion, 2021, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  9. ↑ "TS030 - Religion Edit query". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  10. ↑ "KS209EW (Religion) - Nomis - 2011". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  11. ↑ "KS007 - Religion - Nomis - 2001". www.nomisweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  12. ↑ Nishkam High School Ofsted report, accessed 1 October 2014
  13. ↑ Nishkam Schools Trust on West London site, accessed 1 October 2014
  14. ↑ museumoflondon.org.uk, accessed 15 January 2009
  15. ↑ "£17m Sikh temple opens". BBC News. 30 March 2003. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  16. ↑ "Gurdwara open to Gravesend Sikhs after eight years work". BBC News. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  17. ↑ "Community spirit boosted by Sikh Temple". BBC. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  18. ↑ Gurdwaras in Bradford, accessed on 1 October 2014
  19. ↑ Future of Sikh Media, accessed on 1 October 2014
  20. ↑ Sukh Sagar radio station, accessed on 1 October 2014
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