| Group: | South Africans in the United Kingdom |
| Population: |  South Africa-born residents in the United Kingdom: 235,060 – 0.4% (2021/22 Census) : 211,447– 0.4% (2021)[1] : 15,253 – 0.3% (2022)[2] : 5,733 – 0.2% (2021) Northern Ireland: 2,627 – 0.1% (2021)[3] South African citizens/passports held: 50,407 (England and Wales only, 2021)[4] Ethnic South Africans: South Africans in White ethnic group: 57,648 South Africans in Black ethnic group: 7,922 South Africans in Mixed ethnic group: 1,620 (England and Wales only, 2021)[5] |
| Popplace: | London, South East England |
| Langs: | English (British, South African), Afrikaans |
| Rels: | Predominantly: Christianity (AnglicanismCalvinismMethodism) Minority: Judaism, Traditional African religion, Irreligion |
South Africans in the United Kingdom include citizens and residents of the United Kingdom with origins in South Africa.
According to the 2011 UK census, 186,355 South African-born people were resident in England, 4,668 in Wales, 10,607 in Scotland and 1,847 in Northern Ireland. The 2021 UK census recorded 211,447 South African-born people residing in England, 5,733 in Wales, and 2,627 in Northern Ireland.[6] [7]
Unlike the country of South Africa itself, the majority of the South African diaspora living in the United Kingdom are White South Africans. Of all people identifying as South African in England and Wales, 86% identify as white, while 12% identify as black and 2% as mixed.[8] According to the 2021 Census, the majority of South African born people in the UK live in Surrey and South West London, particularly in Elmbridge, Woking, and Merton.[9]
This list includes those who were born in South Africa and those who were born in another country but primarily raised in South Africa.
South African born British people have contributed heavily in sports, especially in Commonwealth sports such as Cricket and Rugby. 17 South African born players have played for the England national cricket team and over a dozen have played for both the England and Scotland national Rugby Union teams collectively.
| Alex Bell | Scotland Footballer with 1 cap in 1912 | |
| Allan Lamb | England Cricketer between 1982 and 1992 | |
| Amanda Craig | novelist | |
| Andrew Feinstein | former politician | |
| Andrew Surman | England U-21 Footballer with 4 caps and 1 goal between 2007 and 2008 | |
| Andrew Strauss | England Cricketer between 2003 and 2012 | |
| Angelique Rockas | British Actress, Producer and Activist | |
| Antony Sher | British Actor | |
| Basil D'Oliveira | England Cricketer between 1966 and 1972 | |
| Pornographic actress, Internet personality. | ||
| Beth Tweddle | British Gymnast, three time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist | |
| Bill Perry | England Footballer with 3 caps and 2 goals between 1955 and 1956 | |
| Brad Barritt | England and British and Irish Lion Rugby Union Player with 26 appearances between 2012 and 2015 | |
| Bob Holness | British Quiz Show Host | |
| Brian Stein | England Footballer with 1 cap in 1984 | |
| Cameron Norrie | British Tennis Player and former world number 66 | |
| Caspar Lee | British YouTuber and Vlogger with 7.5 million+ subscribers (Born in UK but raised in South Africa) | |
| Ciara Charteris | producer and former actress | |
| Chris Froome | British cyclist, 7 time grand tour winner and Olympic bronze medallist | |
| Chris Smith | England Cricketer between 1983 and 1986 | |
| Colin Viljoen | England Footballer with 2 caps in 1975 | |
| Craig Kieswetter | England Cricketer between 2010 and 2013 | |
| David Ribbans | England Rugby Union player | |
| Deborah Levy | novelist | |
| Doreen Mantle | British Actress | |
| Elize du Toit | British Actress | |
| Eric Abraham | producer and former journalist | |
| Frances Rivett-Carnac | British sailor, Olympic gold medalist | |
| Frank Osborne | England Footballer with 4 caps and 3 goals between 1922 and 1926 | |
| Gordon Hodgson | England Footballer with 3 caps and 1 goal between 1930 and 1931, 241 goals for Liverpool FC | |
| Ian Greig | England Cricketer in 1982 | |
| Jaco van Gass | British Paralympic Cyclist, Paralympic Champion | |
| Jade Dernbach | England Cricketer between 2011 and 2014 | |
| Jason Roy | England Cricketer from 2014 | |
| Jenny Runacre | British actress | |
| Johan Steyn | Judge and peer | |
| John Hewie | Scotland Footballer with 19 caps and 2 goals between 1956 and 1960 | |
| Jonathan Trott | England Cricketer between 2007 and 2015 | |
| J. R. R. Tolkien | British Author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and World War 1 veteran | |
| Justin Rose | English Golfer, Major winner, Olympic champion and former world number one | |
| Justine Waddell | British producer and former actress | |
| Keaton Jennings | England Cricketer from 2016 | |
| Keri-anne Payne | British Swimmer, two time world champion and Olympic silver medalist | |
| Kevin Pietersen | England Cricketer between 2004 and 2014 | |
| Kyle Edmund | British Tennis Player and world number 14 | |
| Lillian Board | British middle-distance runner and Olympic silver medalist | |
| Mark Shuttleworth | British Millionaire | |
| Michael Lumb | England Cricketer between 2010 and 2014 | |
| Mike Catt | England Rugby Union player, 2003 World Cup winner | |
| Matt Prior | England Cricketer between 2004 and 2014 | |
| Neil Broad | British tennis player, former British number one and Olympic silver medalist | |
| Natalie Steward | British swimmer, Olympic silver and bronze medalist | |
| Nicky Hambleton-Jones | British Television Presenter | |
| Oti Mabuse | dancer | |
| Peter Hain | British Politician | |
| Prue Leith | restaurateur and television personality | |
| Quintin Brand | Second World War Royal Air Force Officer | |
| Reg Osborne | England Footballer with 1 cap in 1927 | |
| Richard Mason | novelist | |
| Robin Smith | England Cricketer between 1988 and 1996 | |
| Ronald Harwood | British Playwright | |
| Rupert Obholzer | British rower and Olympic bronze medalist | |
| Sid James | British Actor | |
| Simon Lessing | British triathlete | |
| Stuart Abbott | England Rugby Union player, 2003 World Cup winner | |
| Stuart Meaker | England Cricketer between 2011 and 2012 | |
| Teignmouth Melvill | British polo player, Olympic gold medalist | |
| Tom Curran | England Cricketer from 2017 | |
| Tony Greig | England Cricketer between 1972 and 1977 | |
| Vanessa Zachos | actress | |
| William Rawson | England Footballer with 2 appearances between 1875 and 1877 | |
| Zola Budd | British distance runner and Olympian |
| Name | Occupation | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Bale | actor | South African father |
| Ben Barnes | actor | South African mother |
| Kegs Chauke | footballer | South African parents |
| Joan Collins | actress, author and columnist | South African father |
| Jackie Collins | novelist | South African father |
| Emma Corrin | actress | South African mother |
| Hector Janse van Rensburg | painter and cartoonist | South African father |
| Asanda Jezile | singer | South African parents |
| Natasha Kaplinsky | news presenter | South African father of Polish descent |
| Andrew Lincoln | actor, director | South African mother |
| Gugu Mbatha-Raw | actress | South African father |
| Sienna Miller | actress, model, and fashion designer | South African mother |
| Sem Moema | politician | South African parents |
| James Musa | Footballer | South African parents |
| Malachi Napa | footballer | South African mother |
| Daniel Radcliffe | actor | South African mother |
| Anna Shaffer | actress | South African parents |
| Dan Smith | singer | South African parents |
| Savannah Steyn | actress | South African descent |
| David Suchet | actor | South African father |
| Ellora Torchia | actress | South African mother |
| Hannah van der Westhuysen | actress | South African father |
| Andy Zaltzman | comedian, radio personality | South African father |