South Africans in the United Kingdom

South Africans in the United Kingdom include citizens and residents of the United Kingdom with origins in South Africa.

Demographics

According to the 2011 UK census, 186,355 South African-born people were resident in England, 10,607 in Scotland, 4,668 in Wales and 1,847 in Northern Ireland. The 2021 UK census recorded 211,447 South African-born people residing in England, 15,253 in Scotland, 5,733 in Wales, and 2,627 in Northern Ireland.

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. According to the 2021 Census, the majority of South African born people in the UK live in Surrey and South West London, particularly in Putney, Wimbledon, Elmbridge, Woking, Sutton and Merton.

Notable South Africans in the United Kingdom

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. +NameOccupationAlex BellScotland Footballer with 1 cap in 1912Allan LambEngland Cricketer between 1982 and 1992Amanda CraignovelistAndrew Feinsteinformer politicianAndrew SurmanEngland U-21 Footballer with 4 caps and 1 goal between 2007 and 2008Andrew StraussEngland Cricketer between 2003 and 2012Angelique RockasBritish Actress, Producer and ActivistAntony SherBritish ActorBasil D'OliveiraEngland Cricketer between 1966 and 1972 Belle Delphine Pornographic actress, Internet personality.Beth TweddleBritish Gymnast, three time world champion and Olympic bronze medalistBill PerryEngland Footballer with 3 caps and 2 goals between 1955 and 1956Brad BarrittEngland and British and Irish Lion Rugby Union Player with 26 appearances between 2012 and 2015Sir Bradley FriedBritish businessman, ex-chair of the Court of Directors of the Bank of England, chair of Goldman Sachs International Bob HolnessBritish Quiz Show HostBrian SteinEngland Footballer with 1 cap in 1984Cameron NorrieBritish Tennis Player and former world number 66Caspar LeeBritish YouTuber and Vlogger with 7.5 million+ subscribers (Born in UK but raised in South Africa)Ciara Charterisproducer and former actressChris FroomeBritish cyclist, 7 time grand tour winner and Olympic bronze medallistChris SmithEngland Cricketer between 1983 and 1986 Chumisa Dornford-May musical theatre actress (daughter of Mark Dornford-May and Pauline Malefane) Cleve September musical theatre actorColin ViljoenEngland Footballer with 2 caps in 1975Craig KieswetterEngland Cricketer between 2010 and 2013David RibbansEngland Rugby Union playerDeborah LevynovelistDoreen MantleBritish ActressElize du ToitBritish ActressEric Abrahamproducer and former journalistFrances Rivett-CarnacBritish sailor, Olympic gold medalistFrank OsborneEngland Footballer with 4 caps and 3 goals between 1922 and 1926Gordon HodgsonEngland Footballer with 3 caps and 1 goal between 1930 and 1931, 241 goals for Liverpool FCIan GreigEngland Cricketer in 1982Jaco van GassBritish Paralympic Cyclist, Paralympic ChampionJade DernbachEngland Cricketer between 2011 and 2014Jason RoyEngland Cricketer from 2014Jenny RunacreBritish actressJohan SteynJudge and peerJohn HewieScotland Footballer with 19 caps and 2 goals between 1956 and 1960Jonathan TrottEngland Cricketer between 2007 and 2015J. R. R. TolkienBritish Author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and World War 1 veteranJustin RoseEnglish Golfer, Major winner, Olympic champion and former world number oneJustine WaddellBritish producer and former actressKeaton JenningsEngland Cricketer from 2016Keri-anne PayneBritish Swimmer, two time world champion and Olympic silver medalistKevin PietersenEngland Cricketer between 2004 and 2014Kyle EdmundBritish Tennis Player and world number 14Lillian BoardBritish middle-distance runner and Olympic silver medalistLizelle BisschoffFilm theorist, academic, curator and the founder of the Africa in Motion film festival in ScotlandMark ShuttleworthBritish MillionaireMichael LumbEngland Cricketer between 2010 and 2014Mike CattEngland Rugby Union player, 2003 World Cup winnerMatt PriorEngland Cricketer between 2004 and 2014Neil BroadBritish tennis player, former British number one and Olympic silver medalistNatalie StewardBritish swimmer, Olympic silver and bronze medalistNicky Hambleton-JonesBritish Television PresenterOti MabusedancerPeter HainBritish PoliticianPrue Leithrestaurateur and television personalityQuintin Brand Second World War Royal Air Force OfficerReg OsborneEngland Footballer with 1 cap in 1927Richard MasonnovelistRobin SmithEngland Cricketer between 1988 and 1996Ronald HarwoodBritish PlaywrightRupert ObholzerBritish rower and Olympic bronze medalistSid JamesBritish ActorSir Sidney Kentridge British lawyer who played a leading role in a number of the most significant political trials in Apartheid South AfricaSimon LessingBritish triathleteStuart AbbottEngland Rugby Union player, 2003 World Cup winnerStuart MeakerEngland Cricketer between 2011 and 2012Teignmouth MelvillBritish polo player, Olympic gold medalistTom CurranEngland Cricketer from 2017Tony GreigEngland Cricketer between 1972 and 1977Vanessa ZachosactressWilliam RawsonEngland Footballer with 2 appearances between 1875 and 1877Zola BuddBritish distance runner and Olympian

British people of South African ancestry

Name Occupation LinkChristian BaleactorSouth African fatherBen BarnesactorSouth African motherKegs Chaukefootballer South African parentsJoan Collinsactress, author and columnistSouth African fatherJackie CollinsnovelistSouth African fatherEmma CorrinactressSouth African motherHector Janse van Rensburgpainter and cartoonistSouth African fatherAsanda JezilesingerSouth African parentsNatasha Kaplinskynews presenterSouth African father of Polish descentAndrew Lincolnactor, directorSouth African motherGugu Mbatha-RawactressSouth African fatherSienna Milleractress, model, and fashion designerSouth African motherSem MoemapoliticianSouth African parents James MusaFootballerSouth African parentsMalachi NapafootballerSouth African motherDaniel RadcliffeactorSouth African motherAnna ShafferactressSouth African parentsDan SmithsingerSouth African parentsSavannah SteynactressSouth African descentDavid SuchetactorSouth African fatherEllora TorchiaactressSouth African motherHannah van der WesthuysenactressSouth African fatherAndy Zaltzmancomedian, radio personalitySouth African father

See also

South Africa–United Kingdom relations South African diaspora Immigration to the United Kingdom British diaspora in Africa

References