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British Jamaicans

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Jamaican British
Jamaica United Kingdom
Regions with significant populations
London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol
Languages
English (British English, Jamaican English), Jamaican Patois
Religion
Predominantly Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Caribbean British, Chinese Jamaicans, Jamaicans of African descent , Jamaican Americans, Jamaican Canadians, Indo-Jamaicans, Japanese Jamaican

Jamaican Briton or Jamaican British is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer to people who were born in Jamaica or who are of Jamaican descent.

History

Although there are records to show of Black people mostly from Jamaica living in Britain during the 17th and 18th Centuries, it was not until the arrival of the Empire Windrush on June 22, 1948 which saw significant numbers of Caribbeans, in particular Jamaicans, arrive in the UK. This has since become an important landmark in the history of modern multicultural Britain. During the post World War II era the presence of these immigrants was requested to help reconstruct the British economy. Industries such as British Rail, the NHS and London transport recruited almost exclusively from Jamaica.

Jamaican populations

See also: Lists of U.K. locations with large Jamaican populations

Jamaicans exist in all areas of the UK, especially in the capital. Brixton, Gospel Oak and Tottenham in particular, have some of the largest Jamaican communities in the country, it is thought that Jamaicans make up the fifth single largest ethnic group in London, after the White English, Indians, Poles and the Irish - see here. Birmingham is a diverse city home to many cultures including a large Jamaican population estimated to be about 60,000 as reported on the CRE website. The Lozells and Handsworth parts of the city have especially large communities of Jamaican origin. Jamaican populations can be found throughout much of the East and West Midlands. Manchester also has a large black and in particular Jamaican population, the area of Moss Side is considered the home of Afro Caribbean Manchestser. According to the 2001 UK Census 146,401 Jamaican born people were living in the UK, which made up the UK's seventh largest immigrant group that year (behind the Irish, Indians, Pakistanis, Germans, Americans (US) and Bangladeshis). Including British born Jamaicans in 2008 there are an estimated 420,000 Jamaican Britons, which make up the largest subgroup of the 750,000 strong British African-Caribbean community (around 55%).

Notable Jamaican Britons

See: List of Jamaican British people

See also

References