Finnish Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Finland lies in northern Europe, between Sweden and Russia, and is known for its forests, lakes and the northern lights of Lapland. Finnish is unlike most European languages, related to Estonian and more distantly to Hungarian. Finns in Birmingham include academics, professionals, students and families.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 73 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Finnish; and 41 residents gave Finnish as their main language. Main language figures leave out the many bilingual residents who use English day to day, so the number who speak the language at home is higher still.

Working for Birmingham

Finnish residents work in technology, engineering, research, education and healthcare. Finland is famous for its excellent schools and its technology companies, and Finnish professionals bring expertise in education, design and innovation to their work.

Much of the work that keeps Birmingham moving happens out of sight: the night shift on a hospital ward, the early start on a building site, the plumber who fixes a boiler on a winter evening, the teaching assistant who helps a child learn to read. People from every community in the city do these jobs, and Finnish residents are part of that everyday effort to make Birmingham a better place to live.

Culture and community life

The Finnish sauna is recognised by UNESCO and is central to Finnish life. Midsummer, Independence Day on 6 December and Christmas are important celebrations, and karelian pies, rye bread and salmon soup are family favourites. Finnish design, from glassware to Marimekko prints, is admired worldwide.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Finnish community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.