Welsh Italians
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| Welsh Italians
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|---|
| Total population |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Gower Peninsula, Swansea, West Wales and some parts of East Wales |
| Languages |
| English, Welsh, Italian |
| Religion |
| Christian: Mostly Roman Catholic |
| Related ethnic groups |
| Italians |
Italian Welsh are citizens of Wales whose ancestry wholly or partly originates in Italy. Most Italian immigration to Wales has taken place in the 19th century[1] and is still happening. The most densely Italian populated areas of Wales are the Gower and Swansea, where there is a locally famous Italian ice cream shop called Joe's Ice Cream which was started up by an Italian immigrant called Luigi Casearini[2]. Other less densely populated areas of Wales are West Wales and East Wales.
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[edit] Famous Italian Welsh
Famous Welsh Italians include Joe Calzaghe a worldwide famous championship boxer, Enzo Maccarinelli another worldwide Championship boxer, Luigi Casearini the founder of Joe's Ice Cream. The footballer Giorgio Chinaglia grew up in Swansea. The well-known actor Victor Spinetti is of Italian-Welsh ancestry. Furthermore, the chef Angela Hartnett claims Italian ancestry through her Welsh-born mother.
[edit] History of Italian immigrants to Wales
Italian immigration to Wales started as far back as the Industrial Revolution when the population of Wales was only just 587,128 in 1801, most Italian immigration to Wales has taken place in 19th century and still is today. The population of Wales grew from 587,128 in 1801 to 1,162,139 in 1851 partly because of immigration and partly the demographic transition.
Most Italian immigrants probably migrated to Wales from Southern Italy, looking for a better quality of life in Great Britain. In the 20th century many catholic Italians started plying their trade in the business by opening many Bracchi (Italian Cafes) around the Gower, Swansea and some parts of the Valleys, however this had a knock on effect on the Protestant Welsh population of the valleys and many disputes about cafes opening on a Sunday took place.[1]
The Welsh population increased even further to 2,420,921 by 1911, mostly because of Irish, English and Scottish immigration.
[edit] Pre- Industrial Revolution settlement
So far, demographic records from the 19th century in Wales suggest that there could be 100,000 to 150,000 Welsh Italians living in Wales, however Welsh genetics suggest that the whole of the Welsh population is Mediterranean descended [[1]]. In 2003 Prof. Steve Jones from Aberystwyth studied Welsh male genetics and compared them to English male genetics and he discovered that the Welsh male Y chromosome was very similar to that of the Basques of Northern Spain [[2]] which suggests that at a time before the invasion and settlement of Italian Romans in Wales the original celts who settled into Wales before recorded history were Nomadic tribesmen who walked up from Northern Spain, through France and across through Cornwall and into Wales, primarily setting up small Celtic villages in South Wales.
[edit] See also
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