Baltic people in the United Kingdom

Baltic British

Total population
(Baltic-born residents 4,363 Lithuanian-born (2001 Census) 74,000 Lithuanian-born (2010 ONS estimate) 4,275 Latvian-born (2001 Census) 32,000 Latvian-born (2010 ONS estimate) 2,005 Estonian-born (2001 Census))
Regions with significant populations
London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow
Languages
English, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian.
Religion
Christianity · Judaism
Related ethnic groups
Baltic people

Baltic people in the United Kingdom are those born or raised in the UK, or residents, who are of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian origin. Baltic nations are a part of the wider region of Northern Europe and cooperate with the Nordic countries.

Overview

Baltic countries together three countries on the south-eastern coast of the Baltic sea:

• Estonia - sometimes considered Nordic, linguistically tied to Finland, while culturally and historically to Sweden and Denmark (Tallinn, the capital of the country, was built by the Danes), also Russia and Germany; Estonia is one of the least religious countries in Europe, before Lutheran Protestantism.

• Latvia - linguistically and culturally and tied to Lithuania and Germany, historically to all its neighbours as well as Sweden, Poland and Germany; like in the UK, the major religion is Protestantism with a significant number of Catholics and atheists.

• Lithuania linguistically and culturally tied to Latvia, historically to Belarus, Poland, Ukraine and Germany, as well as Sweden, Denmark and Russia. Vast majority of the population is Catholic, with significant minority of atheists and Protestants. Once had an important Jewish community.

History, population and settlement

In the early 20th century, many Latvian and Lithuanian refugees began to settle in Glasgow and at its height in the 1950s, there were around 10,000 in the Glasgow area.

During the first period of Estonian independence in the inter-war years, Great Britain, and, especially, London, became a magnet for many young people from Estonia wishing to learn English. This was made easier by a bi-lateral agreement drawn up by the British (Agreement A), which allowed foreigners to live with English families and get board and lodging in return for housekeeping duties. After the initial influx, the number of Estonian immigrants gradually reduced as people were more able to find work and, as a result, they gravitated to a few towns and cities, in particular London, Leicester and Bradford, with smaller communities in and around Bolton, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Nottingham, Bournemouth and some north of the border in Scotland. In the early 1950s, many Estonians left to live in other countries, leaving less than 6000 in Britain.

Significant numbers of Baltic people came to the UK in 1947 under a government backed scheme called 'Westward Ho'. The first group of Displaced Persons (DPs) from the British zone of occupation of Germany arrived in the UK in 1947, called the 'Balt Cygnets'.

See also

• Lithuanians in the United Kingdom
• Lithuanian Scots

Bibliography

• Burrell, Kathy and Panayi, Panikos: Histories and Memories: Latvians and Their History in Britain [1]
• Budriuniene, Jolonta: Regeneration of the Lithuanian Emigrant Press: Fifteen Years' Experience [2]

External links

• Anglija.lt - Website for Lithuanians living in the UK
• The Baltic Music information centre UK
• UK Baltic Study Group
• Association of Estonians in Great Britain
• Bradford Eesti Kodu Club
• Great Britain Lithuanian Youth Association
• Latvians in Britain
• Latvian National Council
• Straumeni or Catthorpe Manor - Latvian cultural centre
• London Latvian Choir
• Latvian Welfare Fund/Daugavas Vanagu Fonds
• Rowfant House
• Latvians in London
• United London Latvian Church
• Uklietuvis.com - Website for UK Lithuanians