Hungarians in the United Kingdom

Hungarians in the United Kingdom include Hungarian born immigrants to the UK and their descendants, of which there are a substantial number. Since Hungary joined the European Union in 2004, the UK's Hungarian population has grown significantly, with the Hungarian-born population rising from 13,000 in 2001 to 52,000 in 2011. This is estimated to have increased to 79,000 in 2014 with 22,000 living in London.

History

The first Hungarian student known by name to have matriculated at Oxford was one Nicolaus de Ungeria, and it is likely that he spent some time in London. Scores of Hungarian students came to study at English and Scottish universities, but the first to settle in London for good was János Bánffyhunyadi (1576–1646) in 1608. He dabbled in alchemy and became a lecturer in chemistry at Gresham College. Marrying an Englishwoman, he had a house in London, which was often visited by his fellow countrymen passing through. In 1659, after a short spell in Oxford, Pál Jászberényi settled in London, where he opened a public school for the children of noblemen. He taught them Latin, using innovative techniques. One of the most resourceful scholars who made their home in the London of Pepys and Wren was János Mezolaki. He was teaching Latin and philosophy. He died as a patient of Bedlam, in 1693.^[1]

Many Hungarians (as with other displaced persons from Central Europe) came to Britain during and after World War II. Also, up to 200,000 Hungarians left after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and settled across other countries of the Western world, especially those forming the Western Bloc. This included refugees to the UK ^[2] such as the actor, Sandor Elès.

Since Hungary joined the European Union in 2004, the UK's Hungarian population has grown significantly. It was estimated that 13,159 Hungarian-born people were resident in the UK at the time of the 2001 UK Census.^[3]

According to the 2011 census there were 48,308 Hungarian-born residents in England and Wales.^[4] 17,803 were in London where they made up 0.22% of the population. Just 576 were in North East England, making up 0.02% of the population there. The Hungarian-born population in England and Wales was 0.5% of the population of Hungary. By comparison the Polish-born population of 579,121 was 1.5% of the population of Poland. The Polish-born population is more spread-out around England and Wales. 55% of the Hungarian-born population were in London and South East England, compared to 41% of the Polish-born population and 30% of the total population. There were also 2,943 Hungarian-born residents in Scotland out of a total population of 5,295,403 (0.06%),^[5] and 999 Hungarian-born residents in Northern Ireland out of a total population of 1,810,863 (0.06%).^[6] This gives a 2011 census total for the whole of the United Kingdom of 52,250.

The Office for National Statistics estimated that in 2014 there were 79,000 Hungarian-born people resident in the UK, 42,000 males and 37,000 females.^[7] Of these, 69,000 were estimated to be in England, 4,000 in Wales, 3,000 in Scotland and 4,000 in Northern Ireland. 22,000 were estimated to be living in London with a further 11,000 in South East England.^[8]

Famous Hungarian immigrants and Britons of Hungarian origin

Literature and media

• John Halas (Halász János) (1912 – 1995) - animator
• Arthur Koestler (Kösztler Artur) (1905–1983) – novelist, journalist
• Mina Loy - artist, poet, playwright, novellist
• George Mikes (Mikes György) (1912–1987) – writer
• Baroness Emma Orczy (Orczy Emma) (1865–1947) – writer
• Stephen Parmenius (Budai Parmenius István) (1555–around 1583)^[9] – student, poet
• Egon Ronay (Rónay Egon) (1915–2010) – food critic
• Henrietta Seredy (Seredy Henrietta) – writer
• Petronella Wyatt - journalist

Musicians and performers

• Eva Magyar- actress
• Gábor Baraker (1926–1983) – actor
• Miki Berenyi – singer^[10]
• Oscar Deutsch (1893–1941) - founder of Odeon Cinemas^[11]
• Sandor Elès (1936–2002) – actor
• Justine Frischmann - artist, musician (Elastica)
• Stephen Fry – writer, actor
• Romola Garai - actress
• Henric Hirsch (died post-1994) - TV and theatre director
• Leslie Howard (1893–1943) – actor
• Stephen Hubay (1932-2004) - actor
• Princess Julia (born Julia Fodor) - DJ, music writer
• Kerry Katona - singer
• Mark Knopfler - singer, songwriter (Dire Straits)
• Sir Alexander Korda (1893-1956) - producer, director
• Michael McIntyre - comedian
• Emeric Pressburger (1902–1988) – screenwriter, film director, producer
• Edina Ronay – fashion designer, former actress
• Steve Sarossy - actor
• Catherine Schell - actress
• Georgia Slowe – actress
• Sir Georg Solti (Solti György) (1912–1997) – conductor
• Rachel Weisz – actress

Politician

• Leo Amery (1873-1955) - Conservative Party politician

Science

• Dennis Gabor, CBE, FRS (Gábor Dénes) (1900–1979) – Nobel Prize–winning physicist
• Ernő Goldfinger (1902–1987) – architect, furniture designer
• Nicholas Kurti, FRS (1908–1988) – physicist
• Imre Lakatos (1922–1974) – philosopher
• Michael Polanyi (Polányi Mihály) (1891–1976) – scientist, polymath
• Sir Marc Aurel Stein (Stein Aurél) (1862–1943) – orientalist

See also

• Hungarian diaspora

References

Bibliography

• Zakar, Dr. Andras: The Persecution of Jews in Hungary and the Catholic Church

External links

• Oxford Hungarian Society
• Hungarian Cultural Centre
• Hungarian Embassy UK