This statistic shows the percentage of the population of the United Kingdom that that had English as their main language in 2011. There was a lower percentage of non-English/Welsh speakers in Wales than in any of the other countries, and England had the highest percentage of non-English speakers.
Proportion of the population of the United Kingdom whose main language was English in 2011, by country*
United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
Survey time period
March 27, 2011
Age group
3 years and older
Method of interview
Postal questionnaire
Supplementary notes
*English or Welsh in Wales.
The data originates from the 2011 National Census.
Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland sourced seperately: Scotland, page 28
Northern Ireland, page 43
**For Scotland the question was phrased as the language spoken in the home, rather than the main language of the respondent.
Critics of the 2011 Scottish census argue that by including the option of "Scots" as the language spoken in the home, the figures may not be accurate due to a different interpretation of what "Scots" was.
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Statistics on "Languages in the United Kingdom (UK)"
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Office for National Statistics (UK). (March 4, 2013). Proportion of the population of the United Kingdom whose main language was English in 2011, by country* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 25, 2020, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/329347/census-first-language-england-wales-population/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Proportion of the population of the United Kingdom whose main language was English in 2011, by country* ." Chart. March 4, 2013. Statista. Accessed May 25, 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/329347/census-first-language-england-wales-population/
Office for National Statistics (UK). (2013). Proportion of the population of the United Kingdom whose main language was English in 2011, by country* . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 25, 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/329347/census-first-language-england-wales-population/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Proportion of The Population of The United Kingdom Whose Main Language Was English in 2011, by Country* ." Statista, Statista Inc., 4 Mar 2013, https://www.statista.com/statistics/329347/census-first-language-england-wales-population/
Office for National Statistics (UK), Proportion of the population of the United Kingdom whose main language was English in 2011, by country* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/329347/census-first-language-england-wales-population/ (last visited May 25, 2020)
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