Nordic migration to the United Kingdom
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nordic Britons Nordic britter, Nordisk briter, Nordic britisk, Pohjoismaiden britit |
|---|
 Notable Nordic Britons: Roald Dahl        |
| Total population |
|
Between 120,000 and 750,000
|
| 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, Finnish, Icelandic, Faroese |
| Religion |
| Christian, Lutheran, Protestant |
| Related ethnic groups |
| Scandinavian people, Germanic people |
Nordic migration to the United Kingdom is a phenomenon that has been occurring for nearly 1,500 years. Today, numerous British people have Nordic/Scandinavian ancestry.
Contents |
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Famous Britons with Nordic ancestry
| Name | Ancestry | Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- BBC Born Abroad - Sweden
- BBC Born Abroad - Denmark
- BBC Born Abroad - Finland
- Nordic Night - The best parties for the Scandinavian expatriates in UK
- The Swedish Church, London
- Danish Society UK
- Lundums The one and only Danish restaurant in London
- London's first Nordic Bar
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