Cypriot Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean, famous for its beaches, mountains and history. It was a British colony until 1960, and many Cypriots came to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Birmingham's Cypriot community includes both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot families.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 687 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Greek Cypriot; 163 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Turkish Cypriot; and 125 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Cypriot. Many more people of Cypriot heritage record their ethnic group as Greek, Turkish or British.

Working for Birmingham

Cypriot families built businesses in catering, fish and chip shops, restaurants, bakeries and clothing, and their children and grandchildren now work as doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers and engineers. Cypriot-owned businesses have served Birmingham communities for decades.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The Cypriot community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

Greek Cypriot families gather at the Greek Orthodox churches of Birmingham for Easter, the most important festival of the year, while Turkish Cypriot families mark Bayram. Halloumi, souvlaki, kleftiko and loukoumades are loved across the city, and music and dance are part of every celebration.

In a city where scores of languages are spoken, the Cypriot community adds another voice to the conversation. Its members, old and new, are helping to make Birmingham the confident, outward-looking city it wants to be.