Assyrians in the United Kingdom

British Assyrians

Fr Habib, the Chaldean Catholic Priest in London
Regions with significant populations
Mainly London A few in Manchester
Languages
English, Assyrian
Religion
Chaldean Catholic Church, Assyrian Church of the East, Ancient Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox
Related ethnic groups
Assyrian Australians, Assyrian Americans, Assyrian Canadians

British Assyrians, also known as Assyrian Brits, English Assyrians and Assyrians in the United Kingdom, are members of the Semitic, Eastern Aramaic speaking Assyrian ethnic group (also known as Chaldo-Assyrians and some by the denominational term Chaldean Catholics) born or residing in the United Kingdom, numbering approximately 8,000 persons. They are the indigenous Non-Arab, Pre-Arab and Pre-Islamic descendants of the ancient Mesopotamians, and the Assyrians, in particular (see Assyrian continuity and Assyria).

Most have migrated from their ancient homelands in northern Iraq, north east Syria, south east Turkey and north west Iran.

Concentrations of Assyrians are found in Greenford and in Hanwell, both towns within the London Borough of Ealing. Assyrians mostly migrated from northern Iraq, southeast Turkey, northwest Iran and northeast Syria, an area encompassing the Assyrian homeland. Migration was largely triggered by long standing ethnic and religious persecution in their homelands.

Assyrians today still speak Akkadian-influenced Aramaic as a mother tongue. They descend from the ancient Assyrians and Mesopotamians. They are the indigenous population of what is today Iraq, southeast Turkey and northeast Syria.