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Nordic and Scandinavian diaspora in the United Kingdom

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Scandinavian Britons
Nordic britter, Nordisk briter, Nordic britisk
Regions with significant populations
All over the United Kingdom, in particular, England, London, Liverpool, Manchester, Mainland Scotland and Scottish Islands
Languages
English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian,
Icelandic, Faroese
Religion
Lutheran
Related ethnic groups
Scandinavian people, Germanic people

Scandinavian migration to the United Kingdom is a phenomenon that has been occurring for nearly 1,500 years. Today, tens of millions of people living in the United Kingdom have some Scandinavian ancestry.

Vikings and the Danelaw

Scandinavian settlement in the UK began with the Viking invasions of the British Isles. These are thought to have begun with the sacking of the monastery at Lindisfarne off the Northumbrian coast as early as AD 793, followed by attacks on Jarrow (794) and the Columban church of Iona (976, 802, 806). Scandinavian Vikings soon dominated the sea routes and coastlines stretching from Norway to Shetland, Orkney, Scotland, the Hebrides and Ireland. The period of Scandinavian political and cultural domination in this region lasted until 1472 when Orkney and Shetland became part of Scotland. Scandinavian immigration had a greater impact on the more sparsely-populated areas of the British Isles, especially the Northern Isles and the Hebrides. Early in the 11th century the king of Denmark became king of England as well. And in 1066 there were separate invasions by the king of Norway, Harald Hardrada, and duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, the latter the descendant of Scandinavian settlers in northern France.

The Danelaw, was a name given to a part of the British Isles, now northern and eastern England, in which the laws of the Danes held sway over Anglo-Saxon tradition. Its origins lay in the Viking expansion of the 8th century, and a Scandinavia which saw the onset of a rise in productivity and the subsequent growth in populations. Its name is also used to describe the set of legal terms and definitions which were to be treatise between Alfred the Great and the Norwegian warlord Guthrum the Old Guthrum, which were put down following Guthrum's defeat at the Battle of Edington, in 878. Later, in 886, the Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum was created, founding the boundaries of their kingdoms, with provision for relations between the English and the Danes.

Modern migration

Over the last couple of centuries, there has been regular migration from the Nordic countries to the United Kingdom from families looking to settle, businesspeople, academics to migrant workers, particularly those in the oil industry. Because of Nordic people's long history and presence in the UK, it is unknown how many Britons have Nordic ancestry.

Religion and culture

Nordic Lutherans have worshipped in England since the 16th century, and the first official congregation was established in London in 1669, used by Germans and Scandinavians. By the end of the 17th century, two further congregations (one German and one Nordic) had been established. Now there are Lutheran congregations in all parts of Britain and Lutheran worship is conducted in a wide range of languages, reflecting its international character - German, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish and Icelandic[2].
There are several long-established Nordic churches in London. All seek to provide Lutheran Christian worship and pastoral care to their respective national communities in their own languages. Many of the churches also organise language classes and organise a wide range of social activities.
Nordic culture is very vibrant with a range of events taking place from barbecues organised by The Finnish Church in London to bonfire and firework displays organised by the Dansk Skt Hans KFUK, to Swedish midsummer (Svensk Midsommar) parties, in particular, the Små grodorna, held at London's Hyde Park and organised by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce.

Notable individuals

The table below includes Britons with significant recent Scandinavian ancestry.

Name Ancestry Occupation
Sir Ove Arup Denmark engineer, founder of Arup
Olav Bjortomt Norway Quiz player
Roald Dahl Norway novelist, short story author and screenwriter
Sophie Dahl Norway fashion model and granddaughter of Roald Dahl
Camilla Dallerup Denmark ballroom dancer who competes in 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 Party deputy treasurer of the Conservative Party
Mariella Frostrup Norway journalist and television presenter
Charles Hambro Denmark a banker and politician, part of the Hambros Banking dynasty
Christian Salvesen Norway shipowner & businessman
Edward Theodore Salvesen Norway lawyer, politician and judge
Jacob Aagaard Denmark Danish born Scottish Grandmaster of Chess
Richard Ayoade Norway stand-up comedian and actor
Magnus Lund Norway English rugby union player
Gustav Holst Sweden British composer and was a music teacher best known for his orchestral suite The Planets
Ulrika Jonsson Sweden television personality
Magnús Magnússon Iceland television presenter, notably for the BBC's Mastermind & novelist
Sally Magnusson Iceland news presenter and daughter of Magnús Magnússon
Trude Mostue Norway celebrity veterinary surgeon and television presenter
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
Peter Schmeichel Denmark former Manchester United goalkeeper and whose son Kasper spent his childhood in Manchester
Rupert Svendsen-Cook Norway Formula BMW UK race car driver
Sandi Toksvig Denmark Comedienne
Mai Zetterling Sweden Actress

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Country-of-birth database". Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  2. ^ The history of Nordic Lutheran Churches in the UK
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