Demographics of Wales

Demographics of Wales include population, place of birth, age, ethnicity, religion, and number of marriages in Wales.

Historical population

YearPopulation200 Years of the Census in ... Wales (2001)1536278,0001620360,0001770500,0001801 587,00018511,163,00019112,421,00019212,656,00019392,487,00019612,644,02319912,811,86520113,063,45620213,107,500

The population of Wales doubled from 587,000 in 1801 to 1,163,000 in 1851 and had reached 2,421,000 by 1911. Most of the increase came in the coal mining districts, especially Glamorganshire, which grew from 71,000 in 1801 to 232,000 in 1851, and to 1,122,000 in 1911.Brian R. Mitchell and Phyllis Deane, Abstract of British Historical Statistics (Cambridge, 1962) pp 20, 22 Part of this increase can be attributed to the demographic transition seen in most industrialising countries during the Industrial Revolution, as death-rates dropped and birth-rates remained steady. However, there was also a large-scale migration of people into Wales during the Industrial Revolution.

Current population The 2021 census showed Wales' population to be 3,107,500, the highest in its history. In 2011, 27 per cent (837,000) of the total population of Wales were not born in Wales, including 636,000 people (21 per cent of the total population of Wales) who were born in England. The main population and industrial areas are in South Wales, including the cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport and the nearby valleys, with another significant population in the north-east around Wrexham and Flintshire.According to the 2001 census, 96 per cent of the population was White British, and 2.1 per cent non-white (mainly of British Asian origin). Most non-white groups were concentrated in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea. Welsh Asian and African communities developed mainly through immigration after the Second World War.Davies (2008) p. 391 In the early 21st century, parts of Wales saw an increased number of immigrants settle from recent EU accession countries such as Poland, though a 2007 study showed a relatively low number of employed immigrant workers from the former Eastern Bloc countries in Wales compared to other regions of the United Kingdom. The 2001 UK census was criticised in Wales for not offering Welsh as an option to describe respondents' national identity. Partly to address this concern, the 2011 census asked the question "How would you describe your national identity?". Respondents were instructed to "tick all that apply" from a list of options that included Welsh. The outcome was that 57.5 per cent of Wales' population indicated their sole national identity to be Welsh; a further 7.1 per cent indicated it to be both Welsh and British. No Welsh national identity was indicated by 34.1 per cent. The proportion giving their sole national identity as British was 16.9 per cent, and another 9.4 per cent included British with another national identity. No British national identity was indicated by 73.7 per cent. 11.2 per cent indicated their sole national identity as English and another 2.6 per cent included English with another national identity.

The 2011 census showed Wales to be less ethnically diverse than any region of 'England and Wales': 93.2 per cent classed themselves as White British (including Welsh, English, Scottish or Northern Irish), 2.4 per cent as Other White (including Irish), 2.2 per cent as Asian (including Asian British), 1 per cent as Mixed, and 0.6 per cent as Black (African, Caribbean, or Black British). The lowest proportion of White British (80.3 per cent) was in Cardiff.

In 2001, a quarter of the Welsh population were born outside Wales, mainly in England; about 3 per cent were born outside the UK. The proportion born in Wales varies across the country, with the highest percentages in the South Wales valleys and the lowest in Mid Wales and parts of the north-east. In both Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil, 92 per cent were Welsh-born, compared with only 51 per cent and 56 per cent in the border counties of Flintshire and Powys. Just over 1.75 million Americans report themselves to have Welsh ancestry, as did 440,965 Canadians in Canada's 2006 census.

The total fertility rate (TFR) in Wales was 1.90 in 2011, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1. The majority of births are to unmarried women (58 per cent of births in 2011 were outside marriage). About one in 10 births (10.7 per cent) in 2011 were to foreign-born mothers, compared to 5.2 per cent in 2001.

Vital statistics

Average population Live birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Fertility rates 1929 44,595 1930 43,941 1931 42,330 1932 40,873 1933 39,424 1934 39,956 1935 39,187 1936 37,909 1937 37,175 1938 37,625 1939 37,402 1940 39,319 35,585 3,734 13.9 12.6 1.3 1.84 1941 39,886 35,837 4,049 13.7 12.3 1.4 1.82 1942 43,130 31,360 11,770 15.4 11.2 4.2 2.03 1943 43,270 31,496 11,774 16.0 11.6 4.4 2.11 1944 46,730 30,987 15,743 17.5 11.6 5.9 2.33 1945 41,515 31,892 9,623 15.7 12.1 3.6 2.12 1946 47,566 31,547 16,019 19.0 12.3 6.7 2.55 1947 51,163 33,291 17,872 20.4 13.3 7.1 2.75 1948 47,175 30,095 17,080 17.7 11.3 6.4 2.46 1949 44,337 32,109 12,228 16.6 12.0 4.6 2.35 1950 42,776 33,295 9,481 15.4 12.9 2.5 2.26 1951 41,270 36,005 5,265 15.2 13.3 1.9 2.21 1952 41,388 31,005 10,383 15.1 11.3 3.8 2.23 1953 41,528 31,392 10,136 15.3 12.4 2.9 2.31 1954 40,256 32,822 7,704 15.0 12.3 2.7 2.28 1955 38,876 33,938 4,938 14.8 12.7 2.1 2.25 1956 40,915 32,438 8,477 15.5 12.0 3.5 2.41 1957 41,645 32,696 8,949 15.9 12.3 3.6 2.43 1958 42,460 32,642 9,818 16.2 12.2 4.0 2.50 1959 42,262 32,134 10,128 16.3 12.1 4.2 2.56 1960 44,147 32,715 11,432 17.0 12.3 4.7 2.68 1961 44,923 33,705 11,218 17.4 12.9 4.5 2.75 1962 45,382 33,781 11,601 17.8 13.0 4.8 2.83 1963 47,038 34,763 12,275 18.0 13.2 4.8 2.95 1964 47,502 32,746 14,756 18.3 12.3 6.0 2.99 1965 46,292 33,062 13,230 17.9 12.4 5.5 2.91 1966 44,866 34,643 10,223 17.5 12.8 4.7 2.81 1967 43,706 33,160 10,546 17.0 12.2 4.8 2.73 1968 44,207 34,892 9,315 16.7 12.9 3.8 2.62 1969 43,082 35,953 7,129 16.2 13.5 2.7 2.53 1970 42,487 34,998 7,489 15.8 12.8 3.0 2.47 1971 2,740,000 43,056 34,817 8,239 15.7 12.5 3.0 2.45 1972 2,755,000 39,955 36,000 3,955 14.5 13.1 1.4 2.24 1973 2,772,000 37,597 35,826 1,771 13.6 12.9 0.7 2.08 1974 2,785,000 36,206 35,634 572 13.0 12.8 0.2 1.97 1975 2,795,000 33,972 35,610 -1,638 12.2 12.7 -0.5 1.87 1976 2,799,000 33,738 36,345 -2,607 11.9 13.0 -1.1 1.79 1977 2,800,000 31,765 35,205 -3,440 11.3 12.6 -1.3 1.72 1978 2,804,000 33,308 35,963 -2,665 11.9 12.8 -0.9 1.79 1979 2,810,000 36,174 36,087 87 12.9 12.8 0.1 1.91 1980 2,815,000 37,357 35,149 2,208 13.3 12.5 0.8 1.95 1981 2,813,000 35,842 35,015 827 12.7 12.4 0.3 1.87 1982 2,804,000 35,720 35,152 568 12.7 12.5 0.2 1.86 1983 2,803,000 35,494 35,242 252 12.7 12.6 0.1 1.83 1984 2,800,000 35,861 33,652 2,209 12.8 12.0 0.8 1.83 1985 2,803,000 36,771 35,536 1,235 13.1 12.7 0.4 1.86 1986 2,811,000 37,038 34,712 2,326 13.2 12.3 0.9 1.86 1987 2,822,000 37,816 33,919 3,897 13.4 12.0 1.4 1.88 1988 2,841,000 38,824 33,981 4,842 13.7 12.0 1.7 1.91 1989 2,855,000 38,019 35,134 2,885 13.3 12.3 1.0 1.86 1990 2,861,000 38,866 33,963 4,903 13.6 11.9 1.7 1.91 1991 2,873,000 38,079 34,136 3,943 13.3 11.9 1.4 1.88 1992 2,877,000 37,523 33,792 3,731 13.0 11.7 1.3 1.87 1993 2,883,000 36,578 35,826 752 12.7 12.4 0.3 1.84 1994 2,887,000 35,366 33,824 1,542 12.2 11.7 0.5 1.79 1995 2,888,000 34,477 35,306 -829 11.9 12.2 -0.3 1.77 1996 2,891,000 34,894 34,802 92 12.1 12.0 0.1 1.81 1997 2,895,000 34,520 34,886 -366 11.9 12.1 -0.2 1.81 1998 2,899,000 33,438 33,905 -467 11.5 11.7 -0.2 1.78 1999 2,900,000 32,111 34,929 -2,818 11.1 12.0 -0.9 1.72 2000 2,907,000 31,304 33,501 -2,197 10.8 11.5 -0.7 1.68 2001 2,910,000 30,616 33,249 -2,633 10.5 11.4 -0.9 1.66 2002 2,923,000 30,205 33,314 -3,108 10.3 11.4 -1.1 1.64 2003 2,937,000 31,400 33,810 -2,410 10.7 11.5 -0.8 1.71 2004 2,957,000 32,325 32,317 8 10.9 10.9 0.0 1.76 2005 2,969,000 32,593 32,162 431 11.0 10.8 0.2 1.78 2006 2,985,000 33,628 31,083 2,545 11.3 10.4 1.1 1.82 2007 3,006,000 34,414 32,148 2,266 11.4 10.7 0.7 1.86 2008 3,026,000 35,650 32,066 3,584 11.8 10.6 1.2 1.91 2009 3,039,000 34,937 31,066 3,871 11.5 10.2 1.3 1.87 2010 3,050,000 35,952 31,197 4,755 11.8 10.2 1.6 1.92 2011 3,063,000 35,598 30,426 5,172 11.6 9.9 1.7 1.90 2012 3,074,000 35,238 31,502 3,736 11.5 10.2 1.3 1.88 2013 3,082,000 33,747 32,138 1,609 10.9 10.4 0.5 1.80 2014 3,092,000 33,544 31,439 2,105 10.8 10.2 0.6 1.78 2015 3,099,000 33,279 33,198 81 10.7 10.7 0.0 1.77 2016 3,113,000 32,936 33,047 –111 10.6 10.6 –0.0 1.74 2017 3,125,000 32,176 33,248 −1,072 10.4 10.6 −0.2 1.69 2018 3,139,000 31,274 34,406 –3,132 10.0 11.0 –1.0 1.63 2019 3,153,000 29,704 32,900 -3,196 9.4 10.4 -1.0 1.54 2020 3,170,000 28,638 37,399 -8,761 9.0 11.8 -2.8 1.47 2021(c) 3,107,500 28,781 36,141 -7,360 9.3 11.6 -2.3 1.51 2022 3,134,200 28,296 35,688 -7,392 9.1 11.4 -2.3 1.46 2023 3,167,300 27,374 36,041 -8,667 8.7 11.4 -2.7 1.39 2024 3,178,000 26,832 35,405 -8,573 8.4 11.1 -2.7 1.35 2025 3,175,200 26,282 35,767 -9,485 8.2 11.2 -3.0 1.33 (c) = Census results.

Current vital statistics + Period Live births Deaths Natural increase January—March 2025 6,399 10,122 –3,723 January—March 2026 6,286 9,389 –3,103 Difference –113 (—1.8%) –733 (–7.2%) +620Source:

Place of birth According to the 2011 census 2.2 million (73%) of the usual residents were born in Wales, a reduction of two percent since 2001. In 2001, 590,000 (20%) of the population of Wales was born in England. By 2011, the proportion of English-born citizens of Wales had increased by one percent to 21%. In 2011, 27% (837,000) of the total population of Wales were born outside Wales, and of these immigrants 636,000 (76%) were born in England. Country of birth1991 Tables L01 to L18: Demographic and economic characteristics > L07 Country of birth200120112021Number%Number%Number%Number% 2,758,057 97.28% 2,811,594 96.85% 2,895,585 94.52% 2,892,065 93.07% 2,187,699 77.17% 2,188,754 75.39% 2,226,005 72.66% 2,202,820 70.89% 539,700 19.04% 589,828 20.32% 636,266 20.77% 659,084 21.21% 23,117 0.82% 24,389 0.84% 24,346 0.79% 21,975 0.71% 7,388 0.26% 7,851 0.27% 8,253 0.27% 7,803 0.25% UK not otherwise specified 153 0.01% 772 0.03% 434 0.01% 288 0.01% European Union (EU) Member countries – –35,7831.23%67,5352.20%91,4722.94% Ireland 13,442 0.47% 12,740 0.44% 12,175 0.40% 9,998 0.32% Other Member Countries (joined pre-2001) – – 26,343 1.81% 31,590 1.02% Poland 2,066 0.07% 1,428 0.05% 18,023 0.59% 24,832 0.80% Other Member Countries (joined post-2001) – – 29,017 0.95% 24,792 0.80% Non-UK/EU Countries 55,708 1.92% 100,336 3.28% 123,962 3.99% Total 2,835,073 100.00% 2,903,085 100.00% 3,063,456 100.00% 3,107,499 100.00%

Below are the 5 largest foreign-born groups in Wales according to 2014 ONS estimates. Figures given are the central estimates. See the source for 95 per cent confidence intervals.

Country of birthEstimated population 201320142015

Age

According to the 2011 census, some 563,000 of the population were aged 65 and over, an increase of 56,700 or one percent since 2001. As in 2001, six per cent (178,000) of the population in Wales were children under five, an increase of 11,300. Ages attained (years) Population % of total 0–4 178,301 5.82 5–9 163,079 5.32 10–14 177,748 5.80 15–19 199,120 6.50 20–24 211,924 6.92 25–29 185,728 6.06 30–34 174,694 5.70 35–39 183,045 5.98 40–44 213,155 6.96 45–49 213,155 7.20 50–54 201,599 6.58 55–59 186,923 6.10 60–64 204,885 6.69 65–69 166,007 5.42 70–74 134,543 4.39 75–79 108,202 3.53 80–84 79,232 2.59 85–89 49,360 1.61 90+ 25,200 0.82

Source: 2011 Census: Usual resident population by five-year age group and sex, local authorities in the United Kingdom, Accessed 23 December 2012

National identity

2011