View source for British Moroccans

{{Short description|Moroccan diaspora in the UK}}
{{infobox ethnic group
| group            = British Moroccans
| population       = '''Moroccan-born residents'''<br/>12,348 (2001 Census)<br/><br/>21,880 (2011 Census)<br/>'''Other population estimates'''<br/>34,000 (2015 ONS estimate)
| popplace         = [[London]], [[Greater Manchester]], [[Birmingham]], [[Leeds]], [[Liverpool]], [[Sheffield]], [[Glasgow]], [[Bradford]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Cardiff]], [[Newcastle Upon Tyne]], [[Leicester]], [[York]], [[Huddersfield]], [[Slough]], [[St Albans]], [[Crawley]], [[Trowbridge]] and [[Blackburn]]
| langs            = [[British English]], [[Moroccan Arabic]], [[Berber languages|Berber]], [[French language|French]] and  [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| rels             = Majority; [[Sunni Islam]] and Minority; [[Christianity]]
| related-c        = [[British Arabs]], [[Moroccan diaspora]], [[Algerians in the United Kingdom]] and [[British Libyans]]
| native_name      = 
| native_name_lang = 
| related_groups   = 
}}

'''British Moroccans''' are citizens and/or residents of the [[United Kingdom]] whose ethnic origins lie fully or partially in [[Morocco]].

==Migration history==
Mass migration from Morocco to the United Kingdom began in the 1960s, primarily consisting of migrant workers recruited to work in the hotel and catering industries. The community has grown significantly due to high birth rates as well as sponsored migration of dependents.<ref name="MoroccoTimes">{{citation|url=http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=7539|periodical=Morocco Times|title=Darija in London's Notting Hill: Moroccan community in GB struggle for recognition|date=2005-06-21|access-date=2009-08-17|last=Rhanem|first=Karima|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060129163802/http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=7539|archive-date=2006-01-29|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Population and distribution==
The [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]] recorded 12,348 Moroccan-born people residing in the UK.<ref name="OECD">{{citation|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/23/34792376.xls |title=Country-of-birth database |publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] |access-date=2008-12-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617032129/http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/23/34792376.xls |archive-date=2009-06-17 }}</ref> 2009 estimates reported by the Runymede Trust suggested between 65,000 and 70,000 people of Moroccan origin reside in the UK.<ref name="Runnymede">{{citation|url=http://www.runnymedetrust.org/publications/117/74.html|title=British Moroccans: Citizenship in Action|first=Myriam|last=Cherti|publisher=Runnymede Trust|year=2009|isbn=978-1-906732-20-2|access-date=2009-08-07}}</ref> The [[Office for National Statistics]] estimates the Moroccan-born population to have been 34,000 in 2015.<ref>{{ONSCoB2015|accessdate=30 May 2017}}</ref> Outside of London, [[Trowbridge]], the county town of [[Wiltshire]], has the highest population of Moroccans in the UK.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/934213.backing_for_link_to_morocco/|title=Backing for link to Morocco|date=2006-09-22|periodical=Wiltshire Times|access-date=2008-12-02}}</ref> In 2009, the town became the first in the UK to be [[Town twin|twinned]] with a city from a Muslim country – [[Oujda]] – due to large number of resident families with roots in the town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trowbridge plans Moroccan link-up |url=https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/7417417.trowbridge-plans-moroccan-link-up/ |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald |language=en}}</ref>

According to the [[2011 UK Census]], a total of 21,880 people born in Morocco were residing in the UK: 21,016 were recorded in England, 230 in Wales,<ref>[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-qs203ew.xls "2011 Census: QS203EW Country of birth (detailed), local authorities in England and Wales"]. Office for National Statistics. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2019</ref> 530 in Scotland <ref>[http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/censusresults/release2a/rel2a_COB_detailed_Scotland.pdf "Country of birth (detailed)"] (PDF). National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 10 October 2019</ref> and 104 in Northern Ireland.<ref>[http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/Download/Census 2011_Excel/2011/QS206NI.xls "Country of Birth – Full Detail: QS206NI"]{{dead link|date=August 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.. Retrieved 10 October 2019</ref>

The National Association of British Arabs categorises Morocco-born immigrants as Arabs. Based on census data, it indicates that they are the sixth-largest population of [[British Arab]]s by country of birth.<ref name="Naba11a">{{cite web|title=REPORT ON THE 2011 CENSUS – MAY 2013 – Arabs and Arab League Population in the UK – Appendix 6 – Countries of Birth of UK Arabs|url=http://www.naba.org.uk/library/reports/appendix_6.html|publisher=National Association of British Arabs|access-date=22 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008073407/http://www.naba.org.uk/library/reports/appendix_6.html|archive-date=8 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Notable British-Moroccans or Moroccans in the United Kingdom ==
{{Further|:Category:British people of Moroccan descent}}

*[[Adam Gemili]]: Professional sprinter
*[[Amelle Berrabah]]: singer and member of girl band ''[[Sugababes]]''
*[[Chico Slimani]] (Youssef Slimani): Singer
*[[Houda Echouafni]]: actress (of Moroccan and Egyptian origins)
*[[Hiba Elchikhe]]: actress
*[[Kamal El-Hajji]], [[British Empire Medal|('''BEM''']]): (Mohammed Amal El-Hajji) [[Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons]] (in 2015)
*[[Karim Zeroual]]: Television presenter
*[[Karima Adebibe]]: Model
*[[Kieran Djilali]]: Professional football player
*[[Laila Rouass]]: Actress
*[[Layla El]]''':''' Model, dancer, and former WWE wrestler. 
*[[Malika Zouhali-Worrall]]: Documentary filmmaker
*[[Mariah Idrissi]]: Muslim Hijab-wearing model, public speaker, and online personality.
*[[Moe Sbihi]], ('''[[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]]'''): (Mohamed Karim Sbihi) Rower and twice Olympic medal winner
*[[Nabil Elouahabi]]: Actor
*[http://www.globalthinkersforum.org/people/souad-talsi-mbe/ Souad Talsi]''',''' [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|('''MBE''')]]''':''' Founder of Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women's Centre

== Associations ==

* [https://www.al-hasaniya.org.uk/ Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women's Centre]
* [https://almanaar.org.uk Al Manaar Mosque (The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre - MCHC)]
* [http://www.moroccanmemories.org.uk Moroccan Memories foundation: Memories in Britain (Oral & Visual Achieve)] 
* [http://www.noortrust.org Al-Noor Youth Trust] 
* [[The Council for Arab-British Understanding]][https://www.caabu.org/ (Caabu)]
==See also== 
{{Portal|Morocco|United Kingdom}} 
* [[Morocco–United Kingdom relations]] 
* [[Moroccan diaspora]] 
* [[Immigration to the United Kingdom]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.yabiladi.com/forum/read-44-659229.html Moroccan Londoner Forum]
*[http://www.moroccanstar.co.uk/ Moroccan Star]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081006135350/http://www.mcuk.org.uk/ Moroccan Community in the UK]

{{Moroccan diaspora}}
{{AfricansinUK}}
{{Portal bar|Morocco|United Kingdom}}
[[Category:African diaspora in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:British people of Moroccan descent| ]]
[[Category:Moroccan diaspora in Europe]]
[[Category:Muslim communities in Europe]]
[[Category:Immigration to the United Kingdom by country of origin|Morocco]]
[[Category:Islam in the United Kingdom]]