This statistic shows the distribution of first languages, other than English or Welsh, spoken in England and Wales in 2011 at the time of the National Census, by language group.EU European languages were the most commonly spoken, possibly due to the proximity of their countries, but also due to the freedom of movement within the European Union.2.4 percent of the total population spoke a South Asian language as their first language. This category included Indian languages such as Panjabi, Urdu, Bengali, which were the third, fourth and fifth most common foreign first languages in England and Wales.
Foreign languages spoken within England and Wales in 2011, by language group*
Characteristic
Share of population
EU European languages
2.9%
South Asian languages
2.4%
East Asian languages
0.7%
African languages
0.5%
Arabic
0.3%
West/central Asian languages
0.3%
Turkish
0.2%
Russian
0.1%
Non-EU European languages
0.1%
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Share of population2.9%2.9%2.4%2.4%0.7%0.7%0.5%0.5%0.3%0.3%0.3%0.3%0.2%0.2%0.1%0.1%0.1%0.1%EU European languagesSouth Asian languagesEast Asian languagesAfrican languagesArabicWest/central Asian languagesTurkishRussianNon-EU European languages
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Office for National Statistics (UK). (March 4, 2013). Foreign languages spoken within England and Wales in 2011, by language group* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/329443/census-most-common-language-group-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Foreign languages spoken within England and Wales in 2011, by language group*." Chart. March 4, 2013. Statista. Accessed May 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/329443/census-most-common-language-group-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK). (2013). Foreign languages spoken within England and Wales in 2011, by language group*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/329443/census-most-common-language-group-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Foreign Languages Spoken within England and Wales in 2011, by Language Group*." Statista, Statista Inc., 4 Mar 2013, https://www.statista.com/statistics/329443/census-most-common-language-group-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK), Foreign languages spoken within England and Wales in 2011, by language group* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/329443/census-most-common-language-group-uk/ (last visited May 15, 2025)
Foreign languages spoken within England and Wales in 2011, by language group* [Graph], Office for National Statistics (UK), March 4, 2013. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/329443/census-most-common-language-group-uk/
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