English New Zealanders
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2 million[citation needed] (of full or partial ancestry) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Nation-wide | |
| Languages | |
| English | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Pākehā |
English New Zealanders are New Zealanders of English descent, or English-born people currently living in New Zealand. After British explorer James Cook arrived in New Zealand in 1769, many non-Polynesians began to visit and settle New Zealand, in particular, whalers, sealers, and ex-convicts from Australia, often of British (including English) ancestry.[1] After New Zealand became a colony of Britain in 1840, the country began to receive thousands of immigrants, with over 90% of them being from Britain and Ireland, with about half of them coming from England.[2][3]
Of New Zealand's English immigrants, most of them predominately originated from the south-west counties of Cornwall and Devon, with significant numbers also coming from England's southeast of London and Kent.[4] As of the early 21st century, it is estimated that at least 80% of New Zealanders have some British ancestry,[5] which especially includes English given that at least half of immigrants that came from the United Kingdom were English. What this demonstrates[dubious ] is that out of a population of 5 million, around 2 million people in New Zealand are of English ancestry, likely making the English diaspora one of, if not the largest ethnic group in the country.
Due to British colonisation, and the large numbers of English immigrants from the 19th century, English culture and language has had a profound impact on New Zealand society. For instance, English is by far the predominant and most widely spoken language in the country, with approximately 4.4 million speakers (c. 95% of the population) as of the 2018 census.[6] Also, based on the same census, England has remained as the most common place where immigrants to New Zealand come from.[6]
Population
As of the 2018 New Zealand census, about 260,000 (8.3%) Europeans in the country stated that they were born in the United Kingdom, making the UK the most common place of origin for immigrants to New Zealand.[7] England in particular, has always been a significant source of immigration. This was very much the case in the 19th century, where emigration from England ranged from 64.7% in the 1840s, to 49.7% by the 1871 census.[8]
English culture in New Zealand
Some of the most popular sports in New Zealand such as cricket, netball, rugby union and league, are of English origin.[9]
References
- ^ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "History of immigration". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "Summary". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "Where did they come from?". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "The English". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "Country Profile: New Zealand". 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ a b "2018 Census totals by topic – national highlights". www.scoop.co.nz. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "2018 Census ethnic group summaries | Stats NZ". www.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "Where did they come from?". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "Top 5 Popular Sports In New Zealand Till Now | Neo Prime Sport". 27 March 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2022.