Census output confirms that England and Wales is the home to a large number of ethnic and religion-based groups; these groups might collectively be referred to as cultural groups. Many of the larger of these groups have been the subject of much research; however, this presentation focuses on five smaller groups – Arabs, Buddhists, Chinese, Jews, and Sikhs – each of which constitutes only about half of one per cent of the England and Wales population. Most of these groups have individually received limited attention and this is the first study to consider them in parallel, making use of data from the 2011 census. The primary focus of the paper is the spatial distribution of the groups, set in the context of a brief examination of socio-economic differences. In addition to presenting information in terms of traditional distribution indices, a graphic representation of the degree of concentration of the groups is presented. The work also specifically considers whether Jews, as the longest established of these groups in Britain, act as pathfinders for the future spatial distribution of other cultural groups. The results are used to challenge traditional perspectives of dispersal and spatial assimilation of migrant groups; positing that the benefits of congregation will prevent ultimate dispersion.

1. Towards Dispersal or
Congregation? The Spatial
Distribution of Smaller
Cultural Groups in England
and Wales
Philip Sapiro

2. • England and Wales Census – ethnic group
question 1991; religion question 2001.
• ‘a widespread recognition that religion is
an important element of ethnicity and a
cultural marker of difference’ (Aspinall
2000, p589).
• ‘cultural group’ refers to sub-populations
defined by either religion or ethnic group
or both.
Introducing Cultural Groups
2

3. • Socio-economic progress – increasing
levels of education, employment, and
income (Park, 1926); and
• Cultural assimilation – behavioural,
structural, identificational, and marital
assimilation (Gordon, 1964); lead to
• Migration from settlement areas and
dispersal into host community (Massey,
1985).
Traditional Assimilation Theory
3

4. • Socio-economic progress and cultural
assimilation – dispersed among wider
population? No!
• US studies: three major National Jewish Population Surveys
(NJPS); repeated local studies (examples: New York, San
Francisco, Nashville, Philadelphia, Cleveland).
• UK studies: qualitative and semi-quantitative national
studies; local studies of Redbridge, Sheffield, Leeds, and the
London area.
Jewish Distribution in USA & UK
4

5. • Newman (1985) - distribution of Jews in Britain:
– migrated from areas of original settlement
– with a pattern of strong congregation in particular
suburbs
• Waterman & Kosmin (1987, p245) describe as
‘creating ethnic clusters but avoiding segregation,
while at the same time integrating functionally into
the host society’ .
• Their key question (p255): ‘What implications does
this phenomenon carry for understanding similar
processes amongst other … groups in Britain?’
Key Issue under Investigation
5

6. • Are other (small) groups following the
spatial distribution trajectory established
by Anglo-Jewry; are Jews acting as path-
finders?
• Can we, a generation later, with census
questions on religion and ethnic group,
now provide a definitive answer?
Key Research Question
6

7. Jews as forerunners
Source: Author assessment based on Census data; Labour Force Survey; and Bluck
2006; Rees and Butt 2004; Schmool and Cohen 1998; Peach and Gale 2003
7
Group Population Profiles 1931-2011 (England and Wales)
0%
50%
100%
150%
1931 1951 1971 1991 2011
PopulationasPercentageof
2011population
Jewish
Sikh
Chinese
Buddhist
Arab

8. Socio-economic comparison
Source: 2011 census tables DC2101EW, LC2107EW, DC2202EW, DC2204EW, DC2205EW, DC2207EW, LC2404EWls, LC2405EWls,
DC4202EW, LC4204EW, LC4207EW, LC4208EW, LC5204EW, DC5209EWla, DC6201EW, LC6205EW, DC6206EW, LC6207EW, DC6216EW,
DC6217EW.)
8
All Usual
Residents
White
British
Arab Chinese Jewish Sikh
Demographic / Cultural
Age 0 to 15 18.9 22.7 37.8 16.1 20.1 20.5
Age 65 and over 16.4 18.8 3.4 5.0 21.0 8.3
United Kingdom born 86.6 97.9 27.6 23.7 81.1 56.6
With only non-British identity 7.3 0.3 43.2 48.0 8.6 16.8
Areas of Employment
Manufacturing 8.9 9.4 5.0 4.2 3.8 9.9
Wholesale and retail trade 15.9 16.1 15.5 12.0 14.1 22.2
Transport and storage 4.9 4.7 5.9 2.3 2.7 8.5
Accommodation and food services 5.6 4.7 11.3 26.7 2.8 5.2
Professional, scientific and technical 6.6 6.5 7.1 10.7 15.9 5.8
Education 9.9 10.2 9.1 8.2 13.3 7.1
Human health and social work 12.5 12.2 14.8 10.1 11.2 9.8
Social/Educational
Professional/ managerial positions 35.4 35.1 44.4 43.6 54.6 31.8
Living in Owned or shared ownership 64.3 68.1 26.8 50.8 73.3 78.1
2 or more cars or vans available 32.2 34.2 15.5 21.5 35.7 46.6

9. Maturity – Year of Arrival
Source: analysed from the 2011 Census Microdata Individual Safeguarded Sample (Regional) file
9
UK
born
Year of arrival in UK
Total
Sample
sizeGroup before
1971
1971-
1990
1991-
2000
2001-
2006
2007-11
non-
student student
Arab 28% 2% 11% 17% 17% 16% 9% 100% 11431
Chinese 24% 5% 15% 11% 16% 17% 12% 100% 19647
Jewish 81% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 1% 100% 13135
Sikh 56% 15% 12% 5% 6% 4% 1% 100% 21135

10. Recent Arrivals - Characteristics
Source: analysed from the 2011 Census Microdata Individual Safeguarded Sample (Regional) file
10
No
qualifications
Degree
Qualifications
managerial/
professional
& higher
technical
Owns home
(outright or
mortgage) Sample Size
Group
UK
born
2007-
11
UK
born
2007-
11
UK
born
2007-
11
UK
born
2007-
11
UK
born
2007-
11
Arab 13% 17% 45% 39% 38% 28% 42% 15% 594 1097
Chinese 5% 12% 66% 54% 48% 39% 70% 27% 1880 1493
Jewish 19% 11% 43% 56% 48% 61% 78% 16% 7512 291
Sikh 7% 18% 48% 27% 39% 13% 87% 46% 6331 731
White
British 25% 27% 29% 71% 1,736,952

11. Marital Assimilation
Source: 2001 tables C0400, C0629, C0056, C0849; 2011 tables CT0458,CT0459, CT0460, CT0461, and 2011
un-numbered tables from ‘What does the 2011 Census tell us about inter-ethnic relationships’:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-365449
Note that 2011 data include same-sex civil partnerships in the married column
11
Married All partnerships
2001 total
non-group
partner total
non-group
partner
Jewish 108,984 23,610 22% 119,626 31,232 26%
Sikh 141,607 6,583 5% 146,563 9,137 6%
Chinese 79,712 17,608 22% 87,610 21,820 25%
2011
Jewish 107,734 24,240 22% 119,953 32,551 27%
Chinese 119,982 32,844 27% 145,772 45,448 31%
Arab 71,423 22,455 31% 79,173 28,049 35%

12. Spatial Distribution of Groups (2011)
Source: 2011 census tables DC2201EW, DC6201EW and DC6205EW.
12
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
2.5%
1 10 100 1000
Proportionof2011EnglandandWalesgroup
populationineachMSOA
MSOAs ordered by reducing proportion of E&W population for
each group (log scale)
Jewish
Sikh
Arab
Chinese
Asian Buddhist
White British

13. Change in Spatial Distribution 2001-11
Source: 2001 census tables CAST03 and CAST10; 2011 census tables DC6201EW and DC6205EW.
13

14. • Proportion in the London Area:
– White British : 10%
– Sikhs and Chinese: one third
– Asian Buddhists: 2 in 5
– Arabs: almost half
– Jews: over 3 in 5
Source – 2011 census tables KS201EW, KS208EW, LC2201EW and RUC11_OA11_EW.
London Focus of Groups
14

15. 15

16. • Jewish – primarily suburban (and beyond);
highly concentrated in one or two corridors
• Sikh – very similar to Jewish (congregated
in suburbs); some inner area presence
• Arab – overlap of inner and outer suburbs,
but suburbanising
• Chinese – inner and outer suburbs (skilled
and less-appropriately skilled waves?)
Summary of Group Locations
16

17. • Are other (small) groups following the
spatial distribution trajectory established
by Anglo-Jewry; are Jews acting as path-
finders?
Conclusions
17

18. • Are other (small) groups following the
spatial distribution trajectory established
by Anglo-Jewry; are Jews acting as path-
finders?
YES!
Conclusions
18

19. • Are other (small) groups following the
spatial distribution trajectory established
by Anglo-Jewry; are Jews acting as path-
finders?
YES!
• But speed with which this happens and the
degree of group congregation may vary
from group to group.
Conclusions
19

20. • Aspinall, P. J. (2000). Should a Question on 'Religion' be Asked in the 2001 British Census? A Public
Policy Case in Favour. Social Policy & Administration, 34(5), 584-600.
• Bluck, R. (2006). British Buddhism : teachings, practice and development: New York : Routledge, 2006.
• Gordon, M. M. (1964). Assimilation in American life : the role of race, religion, and national origins: New
York : Oxford University Press, 1964.
• Massey, D. S. (1985). Ethnic residential segregation: a theoretical synthesis and empirical review.
Sociology and Social Research, 69(3), 315-350.
• Newman, D. (1985). Integration and Ethnic Spatial Concentration: The Changing Distribution of the
Anglo-Jewish Community. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 10(3), 360-376
• Park, R. E. (1926). The urban community as a spatial pattern and a moral order. In E. W. Burgess (Ed.),
The urban community (pp. 3-18). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Peach, C., & Gale, R. (2003). Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs in the New Religious Landscape of England.
Geographical Review, 93(4), 469-490.
• Rees, P., & Butt, F. (2004). Ethnic change and diversity in England, 1981-2001. Area, 36(2), 174-186.
• Schmool, M., & Cohen, F. A. (1998). A profile of British Jewry: Patterns and trends at the turn of a
century: Board of Deputies of British Jews London.
• Simpson, L. (2012). More segregation or more mixing? The Dynamics of Diversity: evidence from the
2011 Census. Manchester: Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE).
• Waterman, S., & Kosmin, B. (1987). Ethnic identity, residential concentration and social welfare: the
Jews of London. In P. Jackson (Ed.), Race and racism (pp. 254-271). Hemel Hempstead: Allen &
Unwin.
All census data used in this presentation are Crown Copyright and reproduced or adapted from data from
ONS (the Office for National Statistics) licensed under the Open Government Licence v.2.0, and all 2011
census tables referred to can be accessed via http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/data_finder
References
20