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2. Religion, Ethnicity and Country of Origin
Key findings:
- Most Glaswegians retain the religion of their upbringing, and the major religious communities recruit largely through birth. The major exception is with people of 'no religion', of whom many come from Christian backgrounds.
- There is considerable evidence of intra-Christian conversions; little movement between the Christian and other major tradition; and almost no movement between the other major faiths. Similarly inter-Christian intermarriage is common in Glasgow, although we find relatively high rates of 'endogamy' amongst Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs
- Most Glaswegians from the Christian or Jewish faiths, or within 'Another religion', or 'no religion' describe their ethnic background as 'White'.
- Most Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims describe their background as either 'Indian' or 'Pakistani/Other South Asian'. Thus there are very strong associations between 'Asian' ethnicities and these three religious communities.
- Roughly equal proportions of Glasgow's Buddhists are of a 'White' or 'Chinese' background.
2.1 - Religion and Religious Background
2.1.1 Table 1.1 revealed some disparity between Census returns for current religion and religion of upbringing and comparing these allows us to consider whether religious and denominational boundaries are fixed, or whether they are permeable. In short can, and do, individuals change their religious affiliations and, if so, are there any discernible patterns amongst Glaswegians?
2.1.2 Table 2.1 summarises the relationship between current religion and religion of upbringing amongst eight religious groups (the amalgamated groups of 'Other Christian' and 'Another religion' are excluded here):
Table 2.1 Current religion by religion of upbringing
% by column | None | Church of Scotland | Roman Catholic | Buddhist | Hindu | Jewish | Muslim | Sikh |
|---|
(brought up as) |
|---|
None | 53.4 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 13.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
|---|
Church of Scotland | 25.6 | 91.4 | 1.6 | 12.2 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
|---|
Catholic | 11.7 | 1.1 | 93.4 | 7.6 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
|---|
Buddhist | 0.1 | * | * | 54.4 | 0.1 | 0 | * | * |
|---|
Hindu | * | * | * | 0.5 | 93.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
|---|
Jewish | 0.1 | * | * | 0.2 | 0.2 | 87.1 | * | 0.4 |
|---|
Muslim | 0.2 | * | * | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0 | 95.8 | 0.8 |
|---|
Sikh | * | * | * | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 93.3 |
|---|
Other Christian | 5.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 5.8 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
|---|
Not answered | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 5.2 | 2.4 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 3.7 |
|---|
TOTAL | 99.9 | 100.2 | 100.1 | 99.8 | 99.9 | 99.9 | 99.9 | 99.8 |
|---|
Base | 131,189 | 182,172 | 168,733 | 1,194 | 1,209 | 1,083 | 17,792 | 2,374 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.1.3 The first thing to be noted is the 'diagonal' emphasised in bold. Here this represents the proportions within each religious group who say they were brought up in that faith. In other words, it shows the proportion of, say, Sikhs who were brought up as Sikhs. In most cases this diagonal represents a large majority within the religious group - very large majorities within the Church of Scotland (91%), Catholic (93%), Hindu (94%), Jewish (87%), Muslim (96%), and Sikh (93%) groups were brought up within that faith. Thus recruitment into these religious groups is largely by birth - relatively few people appear to be come into these religious groups through conversion.
2.1.4 There are two exceptions to this pattern. Only just over half of the Buddhist group say they were brought up as Buddhists. More than a quarter (26%) of Glasgow's Buddhists were brought up as Christians; a smaller proportion were brought up in 'no religion' (14%), and relatively few (1%) were brought up in other religious traditions. Buddhism, therefore, seems to be marked out as proving successful in attracting converts from a Christian, or broadly 'secularised', background. However, it must be emphasised that the actual numbers here are very small - just 306 Glaswegians are converts to Buddhism from a Christian background.
2.1.5 A rather more substantial exception is the group describing their current religion as 'none'. Again around half of this group (53%) were brought up outwith a religion, with most of the remainder (42%) having been 'recruited' from those with Christian backgrounds. In numerical terms, this represents 55,690 Glaswegians brought up as Christians, and 779 Glaswegians brought up in other faith traditions, who now regard their religion as 'none'. Thus, in total, 10% of all Glaswegians have moved from a religious background to a current religion of 'none'.
2.2 - Movement and Inter-Marriage Between Religious Groups
2.2.1 The above data indicate that there is some permeability of faith boundaries, particularly in that there is some movement between a Christian upbringing and a current religion of 'none'. But how permeable are specific religious boundaries, and can we find evidence of conversion between, rather than out of, religious faiths? Table 2.2a shows the destinations of individuals according to their religious upbringing: it shows the proportions from each background who have remained in that faith, those who have 'moved' out into a current no religion, and those who have converted into a new faith. It might be noted here that 'moved' is used in a loose sense. Whilst 'moving' may suggest a relatively passive process of 'drifting away' from one's religious background many of those moving into the 'no religion' category and discarding their religious background may in fact be doing so as deliberatively as a person who converts into a different faith.
Table 2.2(a) Religious upbringing and current religion
% by column | None | Church of Scotland | Roman Catholic | Buddhist | Hindu | Jewish | Muslim | Sikh |
|---|
Same faith | n.a. | 79.9 | 88.7 | 70.0 | 88.7 | 73.7 | 96.5 | 91.0 |
|---|
Different faith | 9.8 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 9.3 | 4.4 | 9.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 |
|---|
Now no religion | 89.7 | 16.1 | 8.6 | 18.0 | 5.0 | 9.9 | 1.4 | 2.3 |
|---|
Not answered | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 3.3 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 99.9 | 100.1 | 100.1 | 100 | 100.1 | 99.9 |
|---|
Base | 78,151 | 208,449 | 177,688 | 929 | 1280 | 1279 | 17667 | 2433 |
|---|
Notes to table
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
'n.a.' denotes 'not applicable'.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.2.2 Table 2.2a demonstrates that some religious traditions have been rather more successful than others in retaining the loyalties of their adherents. Thus we find fairly high 'retention' rates amongst those brought up as Catholics (of whom 89% describe their current religion as Catholic) or as Hindus (again 89%), or Sikhs (91%), and exceptionally high rates amongst Muslims (96%). It may be, of course, that what these individuals are retaining is not a close attachment to, and involvement with, their faith group, but an attachment to a particular religious identity. In terms of religious commitment - attending religious services, for example - the attachment of many of these individuals may be entirely nominal.
2.2.3 There are two other points of interest in Table 2.2a. It should be stressed that the 'no religion' group is not simply growing (as shown in earlier tables) but is also self-sustaining in that most people (90%) of a 'no religion' background describe their current religion as 'none'. Thus, unless there is a marked change in religious trends (and there is no evidence of such), the 'no religion' group will continue to expand strikingly.
2.2.4 The second point is that although most 'religious mobility' leads from Christian backgrounds to a current religion of 'none', the data do show that there is a low level of inter faith conversion. Although, proportionately these are small we should be alert to the numerical size of 'conversions' as, in real numbers, specific 'convert' groups may be more numerous than some of the smaller faith communities. Table 2.2b illustrates the size of those 'convert' groups numbering over 100 persons:
Table 2.2(b) Religious 'conversions' in Glasgow (selected)
Upbringing | Current religion | Number |
|---|
None | Church of Scotland | 3,245 |
|---|
None | Roman Catholic | 1,593 |
|---|
None | Other Christian | 1,497 |
|---|
Church of Scotland | Roman Catholic | 2,772 |
|---|
Roman Catholic | Church of Scotland | 2,003 |
|---|
Any Christian | Muslim | 186 |
|---|
Any Christian | Buddhist | 306 |
|---|
Notes to table
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.2.5 The highest number of 'conversions' are found amongst those moving from a 'no religion' upbringing into a Church of Scotland current religion, although it must be stressed that these 3,245 individuals are somewhat dwarfed by the 33,644 persons of a Kirk background moving in the opposite direction. Likewise, the 1,593 'gains' by Catholicism from the 'no religion' group are outweighed by 'losses' of 15,295. Strikingly, for each 'gain' these mainstream churches have made from the 'no religion' category there have been 10 'losses'. This statistic, more than any other, probably best illustrates the secularising erosion now evident within these Christian traditions in Glasgow and beyond.
2.2.6 There is also considerable movement between the Church of Scotland and Catholic groups, with 4,775 having moved between these categories in their lifetime. The movement between Protestant and Catholic will be even greater when 'other Christians' are considered: although not shown in the table another 1,487 Glaswegians have moved (in either direction) between the Catholic and 'Other Christian' groups.
2.2.7 By contrast there is relatively little movement between the Christian faiths and the other major traditions with the two minor exceptions shown in the table. Some 306 Buddhists and 186 Muslims came from a Christian background, with relatively few Glaswegians moving in the opposite directions. There is almost no movement between the other traditions, with the total of individuals who have moved (in any direction) between Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism numbering just 74.
2.2.8 How far are boundaries of faith communities reflected in that most intimate area, the choice of spouse or partner? Tables 2.2c and 2.2d illustrate the extent to which marriages in Glasgow are religiously endogamous ( i.e. the extent to which both spouses are of the same religion), compared to the rate amongst married couples and amongst cohabiting couples in Scotland as a whole. Unfortunately Glasgow data for cohabiting couples is not yet available. ( NB - the data show married and cohabiting couples living in the same household and thus does not include separated married couples).
2.2.9 Three religious groups show markedly high rates of in-marriage, with most married Muslims (93%), Sikhs (91%), and Hindus (86%) married to a person of the same faith. By sharp contrast Kirk Presbyterians and Catholics are much more likely to 'marry out'. One-third of Glasgow's Catholics have 'married out' - that this rate is lower than that found in Scotland as a whole in part reflects the greater concentration of Catholics in west central Scotland - in short Glasgow Catholics will have a proportionately wider choice of Catholic partners in the surrounding population than, say, Catholics in Aberdeen or Inverness. The reverse demographic pattern will, in part, explain the slightly lower relative rate of Church of Scotland rate of endogamy in Glasgow.
Table 2.2(c) Extent of religious endogamy in Glasgow
| None | Church of Scotland | Roman Catholic |
|---|
% married to spouse of same religion (Glasgow) | 65.1 | 75.3 | 68.8 |
|---|
% married to spouse of same religion (Scotland) | 67.4 | 81.3 | 59.4 |
|---|
% cohabiting with partner of same religion (Scotland) | 70.9 | 59.6 | 33.9 |
|---|
Notes to table
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
Table 2.2(d) Extent of religious endogamy in Glasgow
| Buddhist | Hindu | Jewish | Muslim | Sikh |
|---|
% married to spouse of same religion (Glasgow) | 63.0 | 85.7 | 62.2 | 93.0 | 91.1 |
|---|
% married to spouse of same religion (Scotland) | 45.8 | 81.6 | 71.3 | 88.7 | 86.1 |
|---|
% cohabiting with partner of same religion (Scotland) | 24.8 | 27.1 | 14.4 | 46.9 | 31.9 |
|---|
Notes to table
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.2.10 The extent of Protestant-Catholic intermarriage should be stressed here - 19.7% of married Glasgow Catholics are married to someone who describes themselves as Church of Scotland or Other Christian. When we add to this the (unknown) number of Protestants and Catholics cohabiting, and the (also unknown) number who converted prior to marriage - which earlier figures suggest may be considerable - the boundary between Christian traditions seems to be fairly porous.
2.2.11 The Census data on 'conversion' and on intermarriage serve to signal that religious communities are not discrete, bounded entities existing in separate social worlds. The boundaries between religious groups may be very porous indeed, and 'different' communities may be connected by individual life histories, families and life partners.
2.3 - Religion and Ethnicity
2.3.1 Some religious groups have quite distinctive ethnic profiles, as shown in tables 2.3a and 2.3b, and whilst the number of Glaswegians belonging to 'non-Western' faiths is relatively small, the importance of these faiths to the city's minority ethnic communities is striking. The overwhelming majority of Christians, and the non religious, describe their ethnic background as 'White', as do most of Glasgow's Jewish community:
Table 2.3(a) Religion by Ethnic origin
% by column | None | Church of Scotland | Roman Catholic | Other Christian | Jewish |
|---|
White | 96.6 | 99.6 | 99.2 | 95.4 | 96.4 |
|---|
Indian | 0.2 | * | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
|---|
Pakistani / Other South Asian | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
|---|
Chinese | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0 |
|---|
Other | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.0 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100 | 100.1 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 131,189 | 182,172 | 168,733 | 23,488 | 1,083 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.3.2 By contrast an overwhelming majority of Hindus (95%) and Sikhs (93%), and a very large majority of Muslims (85%) describe their background as either 'Indian' or 'Pakistani/Other South Asian'. Thus there are very strong associations between 'Asian' ethnicity and these three religious communities. However, it might also be noted that small minorities within these groups are 'White':
Table 2.3(b) Religion by Ethnic origin
% by column | Buddhist | Hindu | Muslim | Sikh | Another religion |
|---|
White | 40.7 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 94.6 |
|---|
Indian | 2.1 | 82.1 | 1.0 | 89.3 | 0.9 |
|---|
Pakistani / Other South Asian | 6.3 | 12.6 | 83.8 | 3.5 | 1.2 |
|---|
Chinese | 41.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.2 |
|---|
Other | 9.5 | 1.8 | 9.5 | 2.9 | 2.2 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100.1 | 100.0 |
|---|
Base | 1,194 | 1,209 | 17,792 | 2,374 | 3,799 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.3.3 The small proportion (6%) of Glasgow Muslims describing themselves as 'White' number 997 - thus the association with 'Muslim' with 'Asian' should be tempered by the fact that there are approximately as many 'White' Muslims in Glasgow as there are Buddhists or Jewish people. An even larger proportion of Glasgow's Muslims describe their ethnic origin as 'Other', numbering 1,693, making Glasgow's Muslim community more ethnically mixed than is perhaps generally realised by outsiders. The most ethnically mixed religious group in Glasgow (at least in terms of the restrictive data available from the Census) is the city's Buddhists. Roughly equal proportions of Glasgow's Buddhists are of a 'White' (41%) or 'Chinese' (41%) background, whilst smaller but notable proportions are 'Asian' (8%) or 'Other' (10%).
2.3.4 Finally, the overwhelming majority of those respondents answering 'Another religion' prove to be white.
2.3.5 The above tables show how each religion is made up in ethnic terms, but it is also interesting to consider how each ethnic group is made up in religious terms. Table 2.3c represents the data in this way.
Table 2.3(c) Ethnic origin by religion
% by column | White | Indian | Pakistani / Other S.Asian | Chinese | Other |
|---|
None | 23.2 | 7.0 | 2.8 | 64.5 | 19.9 |
|---|
Church of Scotland | 33.3 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 7.7 |
|---|
Roman Catholic | 30.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 4.5 | 14.9 |
|---|
Other Christian | 4.1 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 5.6 | 11.4 |
|---|
Buddhist | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 12.7 | 1.9 |
|---|
Hindu | * | 23.8 | 0.9 | * | 0.4 |
|---|
Jewish | 0.2 | 0.1 | * | 0 | 0.6 |
|---|
Muslim | 0.2 | 4.4 | 84.8 | 0.4 | 28.8 |
|---|
Sikh | * | 50.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.2 |
|---|
Another religion | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
|---|
Not answered | 7.7 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 11.8 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100.2 | 100.1 | 100.1 | 99.9 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 546,359 | 4,173 | 15,587 | 3,876 | 5,874 |
|---|
Notes to table
denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%;
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.3.6 Most 'White' Glaswegians describe themselves either as Christians (68%) or as of no religion (23%). Very few (around 1% combined) describe themselves as Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim or Sikh. Glasgow's 'Indian' population are religiously mixed with just over half (51%) being Sikhs, and around a quarter (24%) Hindu. Rather smaller proportions are of no religion, Christian or Muslim.
2.3.7 The 'Pakistani / Other South Asian' group are largely of the Muslim faith (85%). This, in fact, may understate the extent to which this group are Muslim as most of those who did describe their religion as Muslim gave no answer on the religious question (8% of this ethnic category did not answer the current religion question).
2.3.8 The Chinese community have a distinctive religious profile in that they are the only ethnic group in which the largest religious category - and in this case a large majority (65%) - is represented by those who said their current religion was 'none'. Although the Chinese make up a significant proportion of Glasgow's Buddhists, Buddhism remains very much a minority taste amongst the city's Chinese population. Indeed as many of Glasgow's Chinese describe themselves as Christian (13%) as describe themselves as Buddhist (13%).
2.3.9 Section 1 discussed different 'clusters' within the city of certain religious groups - notably Muslims, Jewish people and Sikhs in the south of the city, and the clusters of Buddhists, Muslims and the non-religious in areas of 'Kelvin-Woodlands'. Here we wish to illustrate the extent to which religion does or does not map onto ethnic origin. We do not have space here to develop this analysis for all 79 wards, and instead we investigate ethnic differences within two specific groups - Buddhists and Muslims- in different parts of the city.
2.3.10 Turning first to the Muslim community, table 2.3d illustrates the ethnic background of Muslims in five wards. Three (Pollokshields East; Maxwell Park; Strathbungo) fall within the 'Southside' area described in Section 1; another in the 'Kelvin-Woodlands' area (Woodlands); and the last is Royston ward, which includes the Sighthill district, home to a number of asylum seekers. It is immediately clear that whilst very large majorities of Muslims in the 'Southside' wards and in Woodlands are of a Pakistani or other South Asian background, the Muslim population of Royston is far more ethnically diverse. Indeed, only a minority of Royston's Muslims come from a Pakistani/South Asian background, with around half falling into the amorphous 'other' category, and a notable minority (17%) describing their ethnicity as 'White':
Table 2.3(d) Muslim ethnicity by selected ward
% by column | Maxwell Park | Pollokshields East | Royston | Strathbungo | Woodlands |
|---|
White | 2.2 | 1.2 | 16.7 | 3.7 | 2.5 |
|---|
Indian | 0.1 | 1.3 | 0 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
|---|
Pakistani / Other South Asian | 96.4 | 95.9 | 35.3 | 90.4 | 88.2 |
|---|
Chinese | 0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
Other | 1.3 | 1.5 | 47.8 | 5.0 | 8.6 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100.1 | 99.9 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 1282 | 3176 | 695 | 1068 | 1024 |
|---|
Notes to table
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.3.11 Table 2.3e examines the more notable wards amongst the Buddhist community (namely those described earlier in table 1.5h). It might be recalled that, in overall terms, there was a rough split amongst Glasgow's Buddhists between those of a White background and those of a Chinese background, each ethnic group comprising around 40%. In the four wards examined here, however, we find (despite the relatively small numbers of Buddhists) that 'Chinese' Buddhists predominate, constituting a majority of Buddhists in three of the wards, and just under half in the remaining ward. Indeed, these four wards together comprise 39% of all Buddhists of Chinese origin, compared to just 13% of all Buddhists of White origin. This suggests two things: that the apparent cluster of Buddhists in 'Kelvin-Woodlands' actually reflects the relatively high number of people of Chinese origin in the area, and that 'White' Buddhists are found pretty evenly spread (along with other people of White origin) across the entire city:
Table 2.3(e) Buddhist ethnicity by selected ward
% by column | Anderston | Kelvingrove | Merchant City | Woodlands |
|---|
White | 25.9 | 24.7 | 10.3 | 21.8 |
|---|
Indian | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
Pakistani / Other South Asian | 1.2 | 4.7 | 0 | 10.9 |
|---|
Chinese | 66.7 | 47.1 | 82.1 | 60.0 |
|---|
Other | 4.9 | 23.5 | 7.7 | 7.3 |
|---|
TOTAL | 99.9 | 100 | 100.1 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 81 | 85 | 78 | 55 |
|---|
Notes to table
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4 - Religion and Country of Origin
2.4.1 As table 2.4a illustrates most Christians - in particular the Church of Scotland and Catholic groups - were born in Europe, as were most of the no-religion and Jewish groups:
Table 2.4(a) Religion by Continent of birth
% by column | None | Church of Scotland | Roman Catholic | Other Christian | Jewish |
|---|
Europe | 96.9 | 99.4 | 99.1 | 93.6 | 92.5 |
|---|
Africa | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 1.4 |
|---|
Asia | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.0 |
|---|
North America | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 3.0 |
|---|
South America | 0.1 | * | * | 0.1 | 0.3 |
|---|
Oceania | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
|---|
Other | * | * | * | * | 0.2 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100.1 | 100.2 | 100.1 | 100 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 131,189 | 182,172 | 168,733 | 23,488 | 1,083 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.2 The remaining religions show as might be expected, a markedly different pattern. Whilst a majority of Sikhs and Muslims were born in Europe a significant minority were born in Asia, with the Asian born constituting a majority of Hindus. To some extent mirroring the ethnic profile of Glasgow's Buddhists we find a roughly even split amongst them between those born in Europe and those born in Asia:
Table 2.4(b) Religion by Continent of birth
% by column | Buddhist | Hindu | Muslim | Sikh |
|---|
Europe | 49.5 | 32.8 | 52.4 | 61.3 |
|---|
Africa | 0.3 | 6.5 | 3.8 | 1.5 |
|---|
Asia | 48.5 | 59.5 | 43.3 | 36.8 |
|---|
North America | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
|---|
South America | 0 | 0.2 | * | 0 |
|---|
Oceania | 0.3 | 0.6 | * | * |
|---|
Other | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100.1 | 100 | 100.2 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 1,194 | 1,209 | 17,792 | 2,374 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.3 If we disaggregate these continent-level data into specific countries and regions we find that almost all of Glasgow's Church of Scotland group were born in Scotland (97%), as were the overwhelming majority of Glasgow's Catholics (93%). It might be noted that despite the common association of Scottish Catholicism with Ireland, relatively few of Glasgow's Catholics were born in either Northern Ireland or the Republic (taken together, 3%). This said, Irish-born Catholics number 5,714 making them more numerous than some of the other religious groups under discussion here.
2.4.4 Most of those who described their current religion as 'none' were born in Scotland (87%), although many were born elsewhere in the United Kingdom (8%). In numerical terms, 9,638 of this group were born in England, again a fairly substantial number of people.
2.4.5 Although most 'other Christians' (63%) were born in Scotland, a very sizeable minority were not, with 4,542 born in England, 1,226 born on the island of Ireland, and 1,030 in other parts of western Europe. Many of these England-born 'other Christians' will in all probability make up a significant proportion of Glasgow's Episcopalian/Anglican population:
Table 2.4(c) Religion by Country/Region of Birth (selected)
% by column | None | Church of Scotland | Roman Catholic | Other Christian |
|---|
Scotland | 86.9 | 97.0 | 92.7 | 62.9 |
|---|
Other UK | 8.3 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 25.1 |
|---|
Other Europe | 2.8 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 10.0 |
|---|
Elsewhere | 2 | 0.4 | * | 2 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100.1 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 131,189 | 182,172 | 168,733 | 23,488 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding. Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.6 By contrast the only remaining group with a Scotland-born majority are the Jewish community, of whom three-quarters (75%) were born in Scotland. Around half of the remainder were born in England (12%). Just under half of Glasgow's Sikhs were born in Scotland (48%), with a sizeable minority (13%) born in other parts of the United Kingdom. Most of the remainder (33%) were Indian-born. Glasgow's Muslims show a slightly different pattern, with a very sizeable minority born in Scotland (43%), and just under one third (30%) born in Pakistan. As many Glasgow Muslims were born in the Middle East as were born in other parts of the United Kingdom (both 7%). A majority of Hindus are Asian-born with almost half (48%) born in India. One quarter (25%) were born in Scotland. Again the Buddhist profile seems to - in some part at least - overlap with its distinctive ethnic profile. Almost equal numbers of Buddhists were born in Scotland (37%) or the 'Other Far East' (37%), many of the latter probably from Hong Kong:
Table 2.4(d) Religion by Country/Region of Birth (selected)
% by column | Buddhist | Hindu | Jewish | Muslim | Sikh |
|---|
Scotland | 37.2 | 25.1 | 74.8 | 42.7 | 47.7 |
|---|
Other UK | 9.8 | 7.4 | 12.4 | 7.4 | 13.4 |
|---|
Other Europe | 2.5 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 0.4 |
|---|
Africa | 0.3 | 6.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
|---|
Middle East | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 7.4 | 0 |
|---|
China | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | * | * |
|---|
Other Far East | 37.1 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 |
|---|
India | 0.6 | 47.6 | 0 | 2.9 | 32.9 |
|---|
Pakistan | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 29.9 | 0.7 |
|---|
Other South Asia | 5.1 | 8.8 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 2.8 |
|---|
Elsewhere | 1.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100.2 | 100 | 100 | 100.1 | 100.1 |
|---|
Base | 1,194 | 1,209 | 17,792 | 17,792 | 2,374 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.7 Again it is illuminating to turn these data around and examine how the people born in certain countries and regions break down by religious group. This is shown in tables 2.4e and 2.4f.
2.4.8 Relatively unsurprisingly, most of those people born in Scotland are either Christian (68%) or of 'no religion' (22%). Rather more of those born in England are of 'no religion' (39%), and this group also contain a relatively high proportion of 'other Christians', again, in some part, reflecting Episcopalians/Anglicans brought up in a Church of England background. Those born in Northern Ireland are disproportionately 'other Christian', again reflecting a number who will have carried their specific Irish Presbyterian or Episcopalian background with them. Unsurprisingly, most of those born in the Irish Republic describe their current religion as Catholic.
2.4.9 Those of Eastern European birth fall into three broad groups - those of 'no religion' (17%); Christians (40%, a majority of whom are Catholic); and Muslim (28%). To some extent these Eastern European Christians and Muslims may comprise some refugees and some currently seeking asylum:
Table 2.4(e) Selected area of birth by Religion
% by column | Scotland | England | Northern Ireland | Republic of Ireland | Eastern Europe |
|---|
None | 22.1 | 39.3 | 19.9 | 6.6 | 16.5 |
|---|
Church of Scotland | 34.3 | 12.2 | 11.6 | 2.6 | 1.6 |
|---|
Roman Catholic | 30.4 | 12.9 | 34.0 | 81.7 | 25.3 |
|---|
Other Christian | 2.9 | 18.5 | 25.0 | 2.0 | 13.3 |
|---|
Buddhist | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 | * | 0 |
|---|
Hindu | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
Jewish | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | * | 1.5 |
|---|
Muslim | 1.5 | 5.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 28.1 |
|---|
Sikh | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.2 | * | 0.2 |
|---|
Another religion | 0.5 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.5 |
|---|
Not answered | 7.8 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 12.1 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100.1 | 99.8 | 100 | 100 | 100.1 |
|---|
Base | 515028 | 24508 | 4496 | 5113 | 1294 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.10 A majority of those born in the Middle East are Muslim (66%), with a significant minority being Christian (12%). Very significant proportions of those born in China (75%) and 'Other Far East' (46%) describe their religion as 'none'. Amongst those born in 'Other Far East' the proportion of Christians (22%) outnumbers Buddhists (16%). Thus, although a substantial number of Buddhists were born in the Far East the reverse is not true - relatively few Far East-born Glaswegians are Buddhists.
2.4.11 Those Glaswegians born in India are divided between Sikhs (33%), Hindus (24%) and Muslims (22%). Interestingly, although very few Glasgow Muslims were found to be Indian-born (3% - see table 2.4d), over one-fifth (22%) of Glasgow's Indian-born are Muslims. Finally, almost all those born in Pakistan describe themselves as Muslim (89%), with most of the remainder (8%) having failed to answer the current religion question:
Table 2.4(f) Selected area of birth by Religion
% by column | Middle East | China | Other Far East | India | Pakistan | Other S. Asia |
|---|
None | 7.8 | 74.9 | 45.6 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 3.2 |
|---|
Church of Scotland | 2.6 | 2.1 | 6.1 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
|---|
Roman Catholic | 2.9 | 1.1 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 4.0 |
|---|
Other Christian | 6.3 | 3.8 | 8.4 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 5.2 |
|---|
Buddhist | 0.1 | 8.8 | 16.0 | 0.3 | * | 10.2 |
|---|
Hindu | 0.1 | 0 | 1.0 | 24.3 | 0.1 | 17.3 |
|---|
Jewish | 1.0 | 0 | * | 0 | * | 0 |
|---|
Muslim | 66.4 | 0.5 | 6.7 | 22.2 | 88.8 | 37.4 |
|---|
Sikh | 0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 33.0 | 0.3 | 11.2 |
|---|
Another religion | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
|---|
Not answered | 10.8 | 8.1 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 7.9 | 10.6 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100.1 | 99.9 | 100.1 | 99.9 | 100.2 | 100.1 |
|---|
Base | 1995 | 730 | 2766 | 2364 | 5995 | 597 |
|---|
Notes to table
* denotes a percentage falling below 0.1%
Percentages need not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.12 Earlier we saw that Glasgow's Muslim community was largely of Pakistani/South Asian ethnicity. Table 2.4g looks again at the Muslim community - in particular within three specific Parliamentary constituencies. Govan, where around 12% of the population is Muslim, comprises much of the 'Southside' area discussed above. Maryhill constituency includes the Woodlands ward which has a relatively high concentration of Muslims. Springburn has been chosen since a sizeable proportion of its Muslim population live in Royston ward where we might expect to find a fairly significant number of asylum seekers and refugees.
2.4.13 As we might have expected the Muslim community in Springburn has a strikingly different profile in terms of birthplace than is found in the other two areas. Whilst almost half (48%) of Govan Muslims were born in Scotland this is a little lower in Maryhill (43%) and significantly lower in Springburn (16%). Similarly, whilst a notable minority of Muslims in Govan (34%) and Maryhill (28%) were born in Pakistan, this accounts for only about one-in-nine (or 11%) in Springburn.
2.4.14 Indeed the profiles of Govan and Maryhill's Muslims are fairly similar in this respect except that rather more of the Muslim community in Maryhill was born in the Middle East (11% as compared to 2% in Govan). By sharp contrast, Middle Eastern-born Muslims make up over a quarter (28%) of Springburn's Muslim community, and the constituency also contains relatively large proportions of Muslims born in 'other South Asia', Eastern Europe, and Africa. These are precisely the areas that we would expect Muslim persons seeking refugee status in the United Kingdom to be fleeing from:
Table 2.4(g) Muslim birthplace by selected Parliamentary constituency
% by column | Govan | Maryhill | Springburn |
|---|
Scotland | 47.9 | 43.3 | 16.4 |
|---|
Other UK | 8.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
|---|
Eastern Europe | 1.0 | 1.3 | 11.0 |
|---|
Africa | 1.7 | 5.0 | 13.3 |
|---|
Middle East | 2.0 | 10.8 | 28.3 |
|---|
Pakistan | 33.7 | 28.2 | 11.0 |
|---|
India | 3.4 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
|---|
Bangladesh | 0.1 | 1.4 | 3.0 |
|---|
Other South Asia | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.8 |
|---|
Elsewhere | 1.0 | 2.5 | 5.9 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 7042 | 1689 | 1314 |
|---|
Notes to table
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.15 Place of birth also offers us some limited clues about what kind of groups might make up the 'other Christian' category. For example, 4% of all Glaswegians were born in England, and 1% in Northern Ireland, but these proportions rise to 19% and 5% of Glasgow's 'other Christians'. Some within this group, though by no means all, will belong to Anglican or Episcopalian and other specific religious traditions. Table 2.4h shows that certain areas of the city have more England-born or Northern Ireland-born 'other Christians' than others:
Table 2.4(h) 'Other Christian' birthplace by selected Parliamentary constituency
% by column | Govan | Kelvin | Maryhill |
|---|
Scotland | 62.2 | 40.5 | 52.2 |
|---|
England | 21.0 | 26.1 | 25.4 |
|---|
Northern Ireland | 3.6 | 10.5 | 8.2 |
|---|
Wales | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.7 |
|---|
Elsewhere | 13.3 | 22.0 | 13.5 |
|---|
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100 |
|---|
Base | 2672 | 4809 | 2687 |
|---|
Notes to table
Source: Census of Scotland, 2001
2.4.16 Kelvin is notable for its relatively high proportions of 'other Christians' who were born in England, Northern Ireland, or 'Elsewhere'. In Kelvin almost 10% of the 'other Christian' group were born in Western Europe.
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