Nordic and Scandinavian diaspora 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.

Scandinavian ancestry of British peoples Prior to the Viking Age, the Jutes were an early Germanic tribe who settled in present-day southern England in the 5th century, and may have been of Scandinavian origin. As many as 20,000-35,000 Scandinavian migrants may have settled in England during the Viking Age in the 8th-11th centuries. 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.Excavating Past Population Structures by Surname-Based Sampling: The Genetic Legacy of the Vikings in Northwest England

The Normans established a ruling class in medieval England, following the Norman conquest of 1066, with most kings of England from the 11th to 13th century also being Dukes of Normandy. Normans were, in part, the French-speaking descendants of Scandinavian settlers in northern France after the establishment of the Duchy of Normandy in 910 AD.

Several British surnames are indicative of Scandinavian roots. Some, including Cobain, Gamble, Hemming, Ransom, Thorburn and Tordoff are derived from Scandinavian given names. Others, such as Bond, are derived from Scandinavian legal terms, while Dench and Norman originate as ethonyms for Scandinavians.

Contemporary migration 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.

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. Figure given is the central estimate. See the source for 95 per cent confidence intervals.

Notable individuals

The table below includes Britons with significant recent Nordic ancestry.

Name Image AncestryOccupation and notes Jacob Aagaard Denmark Danish-born Scottish chess grandmaster Thelo Aasgaard Norway Footballer for Rangers F.C. and Norway. Born and grew up in Liverpool: of Norwegian descent through his father Alicia Agneson Sweden Actress who moved to London at age 15 Damon Albarn Denmark English-Icelandic musician, singer and songwriter of Danish descent through his mother. Alexandra of Denmark Denmark Queen of the United Kingdom, consort of Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India Marit Allen Norway fashion journalist and costume designer Marc Almond Norway Singer-songwriter of Norwegian descent through his mother. 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 MyAnna Buring Sweden actress W. D. Caröe Denmark Architect Georgina Castle Sweden Actress Izzy Christiansen Denmark Former footballer for Manchester City, Lyon, Everton and England 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 Sandra Dickinson Finland actress Carl Johannes Edwards Finland stained glass artist 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 Harry Julius Emeléus Finland chemist Mariella Frostrup Norway Journalist and radio and television presenter Adeline Genée Denmark Ballet dancer 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 Agnete Hoy Denmark potter Carl Jenkinson Finland Footballer, formerly of Arsenal F.C. and England, also represented Finland at under-19 and under-21 level. Mother is a Swedish-speaking Finn 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. Sonja Kristina Sweden Rock singer and frontwoman of Curved Air, maternal granddaughter of Swedish actress Gerda Lundequist Gertrude Lawrence Denmark actress / performer Magnus Lund Norway English rugby union player John Lundstram Norway English footballer Jessica Madsen Denmark actress Mikko Mäkelä Finland filmmaker 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 Nils Ramming Sweden footballer Hans Rausing Sweden Billionaire heir to the Tetra Pak/Tetra Laval dynasty Sigrid Rausing Sweden Philanthropist and publisher Toby Regbo Norway Actor Christian Rodska Denmark 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. Sasha Siem Norway Singer-songwriter and composer 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 Georgia Tennant Finland actress and producer Sandi Toksvig Denmark Comedian Charly Wegelius Finland Directeur sportif and former racing cyclist, son of Finnish equestrian Christopher Wegelius Christian Wolmar Sweden Journalist, author, and railway historian Patrick Wymark Finland English actor

See also Denmark–United Kingdom relations Finland–United Kingdom relations Iceland–United Kingdom relations Norway–United Kingdom relations Sweden–United Kingdom relations Swedes in the United Kingdom Danelaw Scandinavian migration to France References