Nordic and Scandinavian people in the United Kingdom refers to people from the Nordic countries who settled in the United Kingdom, their descendants, history and culture. There has been exchange of populations between Scandinavia and Great Britain at different periods over the past 1,400 years. Over the last couple of centuries, there has been regular migration from Scandinavia to Great Britain, from families looking to settle, businesspeople, academics to migrant workers, particularly those in the oil industry.
A study into the Scandinavian ancestry of British peoples found that there is evidence of particular concentrations in the Isle of Man, Shetland and Orkney; and to a lesser degree, in the Western Isles of Scotland and in the Wirral, West Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire in England.[1] [2] [3] [4]
The 2001 UK Census recorded 22,525 people born in Sweden, 18,695 in Denmark, 13,798 in Norway, 11,322 in Finland and 1,552 in Iceland.[5]
In more recent estimates by the Office for National Statistics, Sweden was the only Scandinavian country to feature in the top 60 foreign countries of birth of UK residents in 2013, with an estimated 27,000 people.[6]
The table below includes Britons with significant recent Nordic ancestry.
| Name | ) --> | class=unsortable | Image | Ancestry | class=unsortable | Occupation and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Danish-born Scottish chess grandmaster | |||||
| Alicia Agneson | Sweden | Actress who moved to London at age 15 | ||||
| Denmark | English-Icelandic musician, singer and songwriter of Danish descent through his mother. | |||||
| Alexandra of Denmark | Denmark | |||||
| Sir Ove Arup | Denmark | British engineer, founder of Arup | ||||
| Richard Ayoade | Norway | British comedian and actor with a Norwegian mother. | ||||
| Svend Bayer | Denmark | Potter | ||||
| Elynor and Zoe Bäckstedt | Sweden | Welsh racing cyclists, daughters of Swedish racing cyclist Magnus Bäckstedt | ||||
| Antonia Bernath | Norway | Actress | ||||
| Tom Blomqvist | Sweden | Racing driver, son of Swedish rally driver Stig Blomqvist | ||||
| W. D. Caröe | Denmark | Architect | ||||
| Roald Dahl | Norway | Author | ||||
| Sophie Dahl | Norway | Fashion model and granddaughter of Roald Dahl | ||||
| Camilla Dallerup | Denmark | Ballroom dancer, a former professional on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing | ||||
| Britt Ekland | Sweden | Actress and Bond Girl | ||||
| Johan Eliasch | Sweden | UK-based businessman, chairman & CEO of sporting goods manufacturer Head and deputy treasurer of the Conservative Party | ||||
| Mariella Frostrup | Norway | Journalist and radio and television presenter | ||||
| Charles Hambro | Denmark | Banker and politician, part of the Hambros Banking dynasty | ||||
| Gustav Holst | Sweden | English composer and music teacher, best known for his orchestral suite The Planets | ||||
| Ashley Jensen | Denmark | Scottish actress | ||||
| Ulrika Jonsson | Sweden | Television personality | ||||
| Synnøve Karlsen | Norway | Actress | ||||
| Jessica Kellgren-Fozard | Sweden | YouTuber | ||||
| Jonas Kellgren | Sweden | First professor of rheumatology in the UK | ||||
| Felix Kjellberg | Sweden | Swedish YouTuber who moved to Brighton. | ||||
| Magnus Lund | Norway | English rugby union player | ||||
| John Lundstram | Norway | English footballer | ||||
| Jessica Madsen | Denmark | actress | ||||
| Magnus Magnusson | Iceland | Television presenter, notably for the BBC's Mastermind, and novelist | ||||
| Sally Magnusson | Iceland | News presenter and daughter of Magnus Magnusson | ||||
| Rosita Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough | Sweden | Artist and noblewoman | ||||
| Jan Mølby | Denmark | Former professional footballer who spent much of his career at Liverpool F.C. | ||||
| Kirsten O'Brien | Norway | TV presenter | ||||
| Hans Rausing | Sweden | Billionaire heir to the Tetra Pak/Tetra Laval dynasty | ||||
| Toby Regbo | Norway | Actor | ||||
| Christian Salvesen | Norway | Shipowner and businessman | ||||
| Edward Theodore Salvesen | Norway | Scottish lawyer, politician and judge | ||||
| Peter Schmeichel | Denmark | Former Manchester United goalkeeper; his son Kasper spent his childhood in Manchester. | ||||
| Sofia Sjöborg | Sweden | Equestrian; born and raised in London and represents Sweden in international competitions. | ||||
| Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury | Sweden | Peer and runner | ||||
| Steve Simonsen | Denmark | English goalkeeper | ||||
| Rupert Svendsen-Cook | Norway | English Formula BMW UK race car driver | ||||
| Sandi Toksvig | Denmark | Comedian | ||||
| Christian Wolmar | Sweden | Journalist, author, and railway historian | ||||
| Patrick Wymark | Finland | English actor |