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Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern Irish, Irish or British, or a combination thereof.[1]
National identity[]
Map of predominant national identity in the 2011 census in Northern Ireland. Stronger blue is more British. Stronger green is more Irish.
In Northern Ireland, national identity is complex and diverse. The question of national identity[2] was asked in the 2011 census with the three most common identities given being British, Northern Irish and Irish. Most people of Protestant background consider themselves British, while a majority of people of Catholic background are native Irish. This has origins in the 17th-century Plantation of Ulster.
In the early 20th century, most Ulster Protestants and Catholics saw themselves as Irish, although Protestants tended to have a strong sense of Britishness also.[3] Following the Home Rule Crisis and Irish War of Independence, Protestants gradually began to abandon Irish identity,[3] as Irishness and Britishness came to be seen moreso as mutually exclusive. In 1968 – just before the onset of the Troubles – 39% of Protestants described themselves as British and 20% of Protestants described themselves as Irish, while 32% chose an Ulster identity.[4] By 1978, following the worst years of the conflict, there had been a large shift in identity amongst Protestants, with the majority (67%) now calling themselves British and only 8% calling themselves Irish.[4][5] This shift has not been reversed.[5] Meanwhile, the majority of Catholics have continued to see themselves as Irish.[4]
From 1989, 'Northern Irish' began to be included as an identity choice in surveys, and its popularity has grown since then.[5] Some organizations have promoted 'Northern Irish' identity as a way of overcoming sectarian division. In a 1998 survey of students, this was one of the main reasons they gave for choosing that identity, along with a desire to appear 'neutral'.[6] However, surveys show that 'Northern Irish' identity tends to have different meanings for Catholics and Protestants.[6] Surveys also show that those choosing 'Northern Irish' alone regard their national identity as less important than those choosing British and Irish.[6]
In recent Northern Ireland censuses, respondents could choose more than one national identity. In 2021:[7]
- 42.8% identified as British, alone or with other national identities
- 33.3% identified as Irish, alone or with other national identities
- 31.5% identified as Northern Irish, alone or with other national identities
The main national identities given in recent censuses were:
| National identity of Northern Ireland residents[8][7] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | 2011 | 2021 | |
| British only | 39.9% | 31.9% | |
| Irish only | 25.3% | 29.1% | |
| Northern Irish only | 20.9% | 19.8% | |
| British & Northern Irish | 6.2% | 8.0% | |
| Irish & Northern Irish | 1.1% | 1.8% | |
| British, Irish & Northern Irish | 1.0% | 1.5% | |
| British & Irish | 0.7% | 0.6% | |
The numbers for each identity were as follows:
Template:Bar chart
Template:Bar chart
National Identity by Religion (2011)[9]
Those people in Northern Ireland who fall into the category of other religions amounts to less than one percent of the population.
| National Identity | All | Catholic | Protestant and other Christian | Other religions | No religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British | 48.4% | 12.9% | 81.6% | 50.1% | 55.9% |
| Irish | 28.4% | 57.2% | 3.9% | 12.4% | 14.0% |
| Northern Irish | 29.4% | 30.7% | 26.9% | 18.0% | 35.2% |
| English, Scottish or Welsh | 1.6% | 0.8% | 1.5% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| All other | 3.4% | 4.4% | 1.0% | 29.1% | 7.1% |
Detail by Religion (2011)[10]
Note that Northern Ireland is made up of approximately 42% Protestant; 41% Roman Catholic; 17% no religion; and 0.8% other religions.
| National Identity | All | Catholic | Protestant and other Christian | Other religions | No religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British only | 39.9% | 10.3% | 68.3% | 42.4% | 42.9% |
| Irish only | 25.3% | 53.2% | 2.1% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| Northern Irish only | 20.9% | 26.9% | 14.5% | 12.0% | 23.7% |
| British and Northern Irish only | 6.2% | 0.9% | 11.1% | 3.3% | 7.9% |
| Irish and Northern Irish only | 1.1% | 2.0% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| British, Irish and Northern Irish only | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 2.1% |
| British and Irish only | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| English, Scottish or Welsh only | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 2.1% | 3.5% |
| Other | 4.0% | 4.7% | 1.6% | 29.9% | 8.7% |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
National Identity by District (2011)[11]
Map of districts of Northern Ireland colour coded to show the predominant national identity. Stronger green indicates a higher proportion of people describing themselves as Irish. Stronger blue indicates a higher proportion of people describing themselves as British. Percentages show the difference between the proportion of people describing themselves as Irish and the proportion of people describing themselves as British. Data from 2011 census
| District | British | Irish | Northern Irish | English, Scottish or Welsh | All Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antrim | 55.2% | 20.1% | 30.4% | 2.3% | 3.9% |
| Ards | 73.6% | 7.5% | 31.9% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| Armagh | 44.4% | 32.4% | 27.1% | 1.1% | 3.9% |
| Ballymena | 69.0% | 11.1% | 27.9% | 1.4% | 3.8% |
| Ballymoney | 60.6% | 16.4% | 30.9% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Banbridge | 61.1% | 16.2% | 31.8% | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| Belfast | 43.2% | 34.8% | 26.8% | 1.5% | 5.1% |
| Carrickfergus | 76.5% | 5.3% | 30.3% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Castlereagh | 66.2% | 14.7% | 31.3% | 1.5% | 2.6% |
| Coleraine | 62.4% | 14.5% | 31.6% | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| Cookstown | 37.3% | 33.5% | 32.1% | 1.2% | 3.7% |
| Craigavon | 48.3% | 25.6% | 28.7% | 1.4% | 6.4% |
| Derry | 23.7% | 55.0% | 24.6% | 1.4% | 2.0% |
| Down | 40.2% | 32.2% | 34.1% | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| Dungannon | 30.9% | 38.8% | 27.1% | 0.9% | 9.6% |
| Fermanagh | 37.2% | 36.1% | 29.5% | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Larne | 69.8% | 10.1% | 31.4% | 2.1% | 1.2% |
| Limavady | 42.2% | 32.0% | 30.7% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Lisburn | 55.6% | 24.7% | 28.7% | 2.0% | 2.4% |
| Magherafelt | 31.4% | 42.7% | 29.8% | 1.0% | 2.8% |
| Moyle | 38.6% | 34.1% | 32.1% | 2.2% | 1.4% |
| Newry and Mourne | 20.2% | 53.0% | 27.6% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Newtownabbey | 66.5% | 13.4% | 31.2% | 1.3% | 2.4% |
| North Down | 71.1% | 9.1% | 33.0% | 3.0% | 2.4% |
| Omagh | 28.6% | 40.9% | 32.7% | 1.1% | 3.4% |
| Strabane | 33.0% | 39.2% | 31.8% | 1.4% | 1.3% |
National identity by religion or religion brought up in for each district (2011)[11]
| District | Catholic | Protestant and other Christian | Other Religion or None | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British | Irish | Northern Irish | All Other | British | Irish | Northern Irish | All Other | British | Irish | Northern Irish | All Other | |
| Antrim | 23.1% | 43.7% | 34.2% | 7.1% | 80.6% | 3.1% | 27.8% | 3.3% | 60.4% | 6.5% | 26.8% | 19.0% |
| Ards | 34.1% | 31.7% | 38.2% | 6.4% | 80.9% | 3.7% | 30.4% | 2.2% | 67.7% | 6.0% | 35.1% | 9.1% |
| Armagh | 7.1% | 62.5% | 28.7% | 6.2% | 81.6% | 3.6% | 25.7% | 2.3% | 49.3% | 10.5% | 25.1% | 25.3% |
| Ballymena | 24.6% | 38.9% | 34.7% | 11.0% | 83.6% | 2.7% | 25.7% | 2.5% | 62.3% | 6.5% | 28.4% | 14.4% |
| Ballymoney | 19.0% | 44.5% | 38.8% | 4.1% | 81.1% | 2.9% | 27.2% | 2.2% | 65.1% | 8.4% | 28.0% | 13.3% |
| Banbridge | 22.6% | 41.7% | 39.4% | 4.5% | 81.2% | 3.8% | 27.7% | 2.0% | 59.1% | 8.3% | 33.8% | 11.5% |
| Belfast | 11.7% | 64.3% | 25.0% | 5.6% | 78.3% | 5.5% | 28.7% | 3.6% | 47.7% | 13.3% | 27.5% | 26.3% |
| Carrickfergus | 41.1% | 24.6% | 35.6% | 10.7% | 82.0% | 3.0% | 29.2% | 2.4% | 68.3% | 5.3% | 33.7% | 8.5% |
| Castlereagh | 22.1% | 50.0% | 34.5% | 6.3% | 81.3% | 3.9% | 29.9% | 2.3% | 61.9% | 8.9% | 33.7% | 11.8% |
| Coleraine | 25.0% | 39.2% | 36.5% | 8.4% | 79.1% | 4.3% | 29.3% | 2.6% | 56.5% | 10.3% | 33.4% | 16.8% |
| Cookstown | 8.1% | 53.8% | 37.7% | 5.2% | 82.5% | 3.6% | 24.0% | 2.1% | 44.2% | 9.1% | 24.4% | 31.5% |
| Craigavon | 12.2% | 51.2% | 31.5% | 10.6% | 82.5% | 3.2% | 26.3% | 2.7% | 49.9% | 9.1% | 26.7% | 26.4% |
| Derry | 7.3% | 70.5% | 24.3% | 2.5% | 76.7% | 7.2% | 25.9% | 3.5% | 39.4% | 24.7% | 21.9% | 26.2% |
| Down | 20.1% | 47.4% | 37.1% | 2.9% | 77.4% | 5.6% | 28.7% | 3.6% | 52.1% | 14.4% | 32.1% | 16.7% |
| Dungannon | 5.7% | 57.6% | 28.6% | 13.0% | 79.6% | 4.5% | 24.5% | 3.0% | 33.3% | 12.0% | 22.8% | 42.1% |
| Fermanagh | 11.4% | 56.2% | 32.4% | 4.8% | 77.1% | 6.2% | 25.5% | 3.0% | 43.4% | 16.8% | 24.0% | 28.1% |
| Larne | 38.8% | 30.6% | 37.7% | 3.0% | 81.7% | 3.0% | 28.6% | 2.5% | 64.1% | 6.5% | 35.4% | 12.1% |
| Limavady | 18.1% | 50.5% | 34.4% | 2.5% | 79.8% | 4.1% | 24.9% | 2.5% | 51.4% | 10.9% | 28.8% | 18.7% |
| Lisburn | 16.5% | 58.6% | 27.8% | 4.3% | 80.2% | 4.7% | 29.0% | 3.2% | 62.2% | 8.8% | 30.3% | 13.9% |
| Magherafelt | 6.5% | 62.1% | 33.0% | 3.8% | 82.4% | 4.2% | 23.1% | 2.3% | 46.9% | 13.4% | 30.2% | 22.1% |
| Moyle | 14.6% | 53.1% | 35.3% | 2.8% | 76.3% | 5.0% | 27.8% | 3.3% | 49.4% | 17.8% | 23.8% | 19.8% |
| Newry and Mourne | 7.1% | 64.7% | 28.0% | 5.0% | 76.3% | 5.8% | 26.8% | 3.8% | 34.6% | 22.8% | 22.1% | 28.9% |
| Newtownabbey | 24.7% | 46.1% | 34.1% | 5.7% | 80.9% | 3.4% | 30.1% | 1.7% | 63.1% | 7.3% | 32.1% | 12.3% |
| North Down | 37.1% | 31.5% | 36.1% | 9.7% | 78.8% | 5.2% | 31.9% | 3.4% | 63.7% | 7.9% | 35.7% | 11.6% |
| Omagh | 8.7% | 55.7% | 36.0% | 4.4% | 78.5% | 4.9% | 25.0% | 2.5% | 40.6% | 15.9% | 23.7% | 28.9% |
| Strabane | 8.9% | 57.4% | 35.4% | 2.6% | 79.2% | 4.7% | 25.2% | 1.9% | 40.9% | 21.1% | 25.5% | 26.4% |
National Identity by Age (2011)[12]
Map of districts of Northern Ireland colour coded to show the predominant national identity amongst Catholics. Stronger green indicates a higher proportion of Catholics describing themselves as Irish. Blue indicates a higher proportion of Catholics describing themselves as British than as Irish. Percentages show the difference between the proportion of Catholics describing themselves as Irish and the proportion of Catholics describing themselves as British. Data from 2011 census
| Ages attained (years) | British | Irish | Northern Irish | English, Scottish or Welsh | All other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 15 | 45.1% | 31.4% | 30.5% | 0.9% | 3.6% |
| 16 to 24 | 44.2% | 32.3% | 29.6% | 1.5% | 3.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 40.5% | 31.0% | 30.0% | 1.7% | 8.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 47.3% | 28.7% | 29.3% | 2.1% | 4.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 50.8% | 28.3% | 28.0% | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 54.5% | 24.9% | 28.8% | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 57.5% | 21.3% | 29.8% | 1.7% | 0.4% |
| 75 to 84 | 58.6% | 19.6% | 29.1% | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| 85 and over | 61.7% | 18.0% | 26.5% | 2.0% | 0.2% |
Surveys[]
Template:Image frame In 1998 the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey started asking respondents whether they think of themselves as British, Irish, Ulster, or Northern Irish. According to the 2019 survey of this series, individuals from Northern Ireland identify as:[13]
- British (39%)
- Irish (25%)
- Northern Irish (27%)
- Ulster (1%)
- Other (8%)
Template:Image frame In the 2007 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey,[14] the question was asked, "thinking about each of these national identities in turn, how strongly do you feel yourself to be [Irish/British/Northern Irish/Ulster?]" Individuals responded for each of the identities as follows:
Northern Irish[15]
- Very strongly 50%
- Not very strongly 34%
- Not at all 15%
- Don't know 0%
British[16]
- Very strongly 37%
- Not very strongly 41%
- Not at all 22%
- Don't know 0%
Irish[17]
- Very strongly 36%
- Not very strongly 41%
- Not at all 23%
- Don't know 0%
Ulster[18]
- Very strongly 31%
- Not very strongly 40%
- Not at all 28%
- Don't know 1%
See also[]
- Demography of Northern Ireland
- Ulster Scots people
- Ulster Protestants
- List of districts in Northern Ireland by national identity
References[]
- ↑ Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey 2018
- ↑ CAIN - 2011 Census, Background Information on Northern Ireland Society - Population and Vital Statistics
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Walker, Brian. "British or Irish - who do you think you are?". Belfast Telegraph, 10 December 2008.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Moxon-Browne, Edward. "National identity in Northern Ireland". Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: First Report. Blackstaff Press, 1991.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Conflict and Consensus: A Study of Values and Attitudes in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Institute of Public Administration, 2005. pp.60-62
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 McKeown, Shelley. Identity, Segregation and Peace-building in Northern Ireland. Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. p.32
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "2021 Census. Main statistics for Northern Ireland: Statistical bulletin - National identity". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/census-2021-main-statistics-for-northern-ireland-phase-1-statistical-bulletin-national-identity.pdf.
- ↑ "Northern Ireland Census 2011 Key Statistics Summary Report". https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/2011-census-results-key-statistics-summary-report.pdf.
- ↑ "Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service". http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/Download/Census%202011_Winzip/2011/DC2239NI%20(a).ZIP.
- ↑ "Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service". http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/Download/Census%202011_Winzip/2011/DC2237NI%20(a).ZIP.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service". http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/Download/Census%202011_Winzip/2011/DC2240NI%20(a).ZIP.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ "Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey 2007". Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey. ARK - Access Research Knowledge. 22 December 2009. http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt/2007/Community_Relations/index.html.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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