UK LIVE BIRTHS BY ETHNICITY

UK Births by Ethnicity: What the Data Shows

This page presents official ONS data on live births by ethnicity in England and Wales from 2007 to 2024. The data is drawn directly from the Office for National Statistics' Birth Characteristics dataset (2007–2022) and the newer Linked Births dataset (2023–2024), covering every year in which ethnicity of birth has been recorded.

How Has the Ethnic Makeup of Births Changed?

In 2007, White British babies accounted for around 70% of all live births with a stated ethnicity in England and Wales. By 2024, that figure had fallen to approximately 54%. Over the same period, births to families from Asian, Black, Mixed, and other ethnic backgrounds have risen both in absolute numbers and as a share of total births.

The most significant growth has been among babies of Indian, Pakistani, and Black African heritage, as well as those recorded as Mixed or multiple ethnic groups. Meanwhile, Black Caribbean births have declined steadily, and births in the Any other White background category rose sharply until around 2017 before beginning to fall.

UK Birth Rate by Ethnicity – Key Trends

• White British births have fallen in every year from 2012 to 2024, dropping from 476,328 to 318,934 – a decline of over 33%.
• Pakistani births remained relatively stable at around 27,000–29,000 per year from 2007 to 2022, before rising sharply to 33,244 in 2024.
• Indian births dipped in the mid-2010s but have surged to 32,155 in 2024, the highest figure in the dataset.
• Black African births peaked in 2010, declined through the 2010s, then rebounded strongly to 31,870 in 2024.
• Mixed / Multiple ethnicity births have grown consistently, from 26,254 in 2007 to 40,739 in 2024, reflecting rising rates of inter-ethnic relationships.

Understanding the Data

The ethnicity recorded at birth registration is based on the baby's ethnicity, not the mother's or father's. This is recorded on the birth certificate as part of the civil registration process in England and Wales. Categories follow the standard ONS ethnic group classification: White British, Any other White background, Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, Any other Asian background, Black African, Black Caribbean, Any other Black background, Mixed/multiple ethnic groups, and Any other ethnic group.

A "Not stated" category existed in the data from 2007 to 2022. This was significant in early years (over 60,000 births in 2007–2008) but fell substantially over time as recording improved. The 2023 and 2024 datasets from the newer ONS Linked Births publication no longer include a "Not stated" category.

Why Do People Search for This Data?

Demographic data on births by ethnicity is widely used by researchers, journalists, policymakers, and members of the public interested in understanding population change in the UK. Common reasons include:

• Tracking demographic shifts and the changing ethnic composition of newborns in England and Wales
• Understanding the impact of immigration and birth rates on the UK population over time
• Academic research into fertility rates by ethnic group
• Informing public debate around multiculturalism, integration, and population projections

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of UK births are White British?

In 2024, approximately 54% of live births with a stated ethnicity in England and Wales were recorded as White British, according to ONS data. This is down from around 70% in 2007.

Where does this data come from?

All data on this page comes from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The 2007–2022 figures are from the Birth Characteristics dataset (Table 20), and the 2023–2024 figures are from the Linked Births dataset (Table 6). Links to the original data are provided above.

Does this data cover Scotland and Northern Ireland?

No. This data covers England and Wales only. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate civil registration systems and publish their own birth statistics through National Records of Scotland and NISRA respectively.

How far back does the ethnicity data go?

The ONS began routinely publishing births by ethnicity from 2007 onwards. Prior to this, ethnicity of the baby was not systematically recorded on birth registrations. Older birth statistics include the parents' country of birth but not ethnic group.

What does the projection show?

The dotted projection line extends the average annual rate of change observed between 2021 and 2024 forward to 2029. This is a simple linear extrapolation based on post-COVID trends and should not be treated as a forecast. Actual future figures will depend on birth rates, immigration, and changes in how ethnicity is recorded.