What is the ethnic population of liverpool uk
Executive summary
Liverpool’s ethnic profile is recorded by the 2021 Census: the city had about 486,100 residents and a clear White British majority (77% identifying as White English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British), leaving roughly 23% of residents in non‑White British groups according to Liverpool City Council’s summary of ONS data [1] [2] [3]. Detailed ONS outputs and local analyses show a more granular picture — Asian groups accounted for 5.7% in 2021, Black-identifying groups increased substantially since 2011, and different data presentations produce slightly different “White overall” totals depending on whether Other White and White Irish are aggregated [4] [5] [6].
1. What the headline numbers say: size, White British share, and the non‑White share
The 2021 Census snapshot used by Liverpool City Council and reproduced in secondary summaries places Liverpool’s usual resident population at about 486,100 and reports that 77% described themselves as White English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British — a figure Liverpool Council summarises as leaving 23% of the city’s population identifying as non‑White British [1] [2] [3].
2. The more detailed breakdown: Asian, Black, mixed and “Other White” nuances
ONS visualisations and local breakdowns show that 5.7% of Liverpool residents in 2021 identified within the “Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh” category, up from 4.2% in 2011, while other ONS-derived tabulations and encyclopedic summaries indicate Black-identifying groups (including Black African and Caribbean and mixed Black categories) made up around 5.2% of the population in 2021; additionally some sources separate “Other White” (non‑British White) and White Irish, which can raise “White overall” figures into the low‑to‑mid 80s percent depending on aggregation [4] [2] [6].
3. Trends and interpretation: where change has been fastest
Local region analysis points to dynamic change: the Liverpool City Region saw a large proportional increase in residents identifying as Black between 2011 and 2021 (reported as +154%, an absolute regional rise of about 23,000 people), and non‑UK‑born and non‑UK‑identity populations also grew — underscoring that Liverpool’s ethnic composition is becoming more diverse even if a White British majority remains the headline fact [5] [2].
4. Why sources disagree slightly and where to find the fine print
Apparent discrepancies stem from aggregation choices and which category is reported as the headline: Liverpool Council highlights “White English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British = 77%” and therefore frames non‑White British as 23% [1], while some secondary compilations present “White overall (including Other White and White Irish)” nearer to 84% [6]. The raw ONS local authority tables and the downloadable “Population by ethnicity and local authority 2021” CSV contain the full category‑by‑category counts for verification [7]. Users seeking ward‑level or age‑specific ethnic proportions should consult Liverpool’s interactive census reports and the ONS visualisations cited by the council [8] [4].
5. Caveats, recent updates and limits of this account
All figures above derive from the 2021 Census and local authorities’ published summaries and analyses; Liverpool City Council maintains updated dashboard pages and headline indicators (with later ONS mid‑year estimates referenced) but full post‑2021 shifts are not comprehensively captured here — the council’s demographics pages note data to September 2025 but rely on ONS releases for official change [9]. The reporting cites multiple sources and alternative aggregations so the strongest, evidence‑based claim is that Liverpool in 2021 had a large White British majority (77% White British) with roughly one in four residents from non‑White British ethnic groups and measurable increases among Asian and Black populations since 2011 [1] [4] [2] [5].