Hinduism in The United Kingdom

British Hindus
Total population
558,342 (2001)
1.0% of the UK Population
Regions with significant populations
England
Languages

English · Hindi · Indian Languages

Hinduism was the religion of 558,342 people in the United Kingdom according to the 2001 census but an estimate in a British newspaper in 2007 has put the figure as high as 1.5 Million.

UK-wide Hindu organisations include The National Council of Hindu Temples UK, the oldest UK-wide Hindu organisation comprising over 300 Hindu Temples and Hindu Faith Organisations, The Hindu Council UK representing almost 400 affiliated cultural and religious organisations of various Hindu denominations including temples and The Hindu Forum of Britain, with nearly 300 member organisations. Some of the most notable Hindu-based organisations in the UK include the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Swaminarayan (BAPS), the Chinmaya Mission, Ramakrishna Mission and Sai Organisation, each having large followings.

Slough Hindu Temple was built by the Slough Hindu Cultural Society - formally opened in 1981 - it was the first purpose-built Hindu Temple in the British Isles.

Most Hindus in the UK live in England, with half living in London alone, but small communities also exist in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. For details of Hinduism in each country of the United Kingdom, see:

  • Hinduism in England
  • Hinduism in Northern Ireland
  • Hinduism in Scotland
  • Hinduism in Wales

Famous quotes containing the words united and/or kingdom:

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    Frank S. Nugent (1908–1965)

    He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
    Bible: New Testament, Matthew 13:31,32.