Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sega]

Is somebody who was born in the UK of Cypriot parents British or Cypriot? I am curious to know what Cypriots think about this.

Cypriot

[Get Real!]

When doing polls you should always include a "none of the above" or "other" but anyway...

If you click on each continent on the world map (under diaspora map) found at the site below you’ll get…

Australia............74,000
New Zealand........1,000
USA...................30,000
Canada..............22,000
Great Britain.....270,000
Greece...............45,000
South Africa........45,000
Rest of America.....5,000

TOTAL………………492,000

http://www.orc.gov.cy/orc/orc.nsf/Main?OpenFrameSet

[Get Real!]

Counting ALL CYPRIOTS in the UK , we number about 300 thousand...

Well I'll be damned the pappou was close...

...of hardworking , law abiding , industrious , decent citizens .All striving to improve our lives and that of our families. The Cypriots are well respected in the UK because we blend in , adapt and respect the local culture.

Err yeah, there's like 269,000 of those and one total lunatic!

[Tim Drayton]

Is somebody who was born in the UK of Cypriot parents British or Cypriot? I am curious to know what Cypriots think about this.

Cypriot

I find that interesting, because to me, as a Briton, anybody born in the UK is British. What about the grandchildren or great-grandchildren of Cypriots who emigrate to other countries? How many generations need to pass before they cease to be perceived of as Cypriots by their compatriots on the island itself, or does there have to be intermarriage with other nationalities before this perception occurs?

[Nikitas]

If we take a formal approach, anyone who is of Cypriot descent, I do not recall the fraction right now, is under the Cyprus constitution a Cypriot and bears the rights and duties of citizenship, including military service. My son is half Cypriot, does not hold a Cyprus passport, was not born in Cyprus but is elgible for military service. Presumably citizenship will also be granted to his children and so on.

Now as to whether people born overseas regard themselves as Cypriot that is another matter. I would venture that most do not unless their status is in doubt, as in South Africa. The more welcoming the host country is the more readily people abandon their old nationality and adopt the new one, which makes America the most easy to adopt, Australia second and the rest follow.

[Paphitis]

If we take a formal approach, anyone who is of Cypriot descent, I do not recall the fraction right now, is under the Cyprus constitution a Cypriot and bears the rights and duties of citizenship, including military service. My son is half Cypriot, does not hold a Cyprus passport, was not born in Cyprus but is elgible for military service. Presumably citizenship will also be granted to his children and so on.

Now as to whether people born overseas regard themselves as Cypriot that is another matter. I would venture that most do not unless their status is in doubt, as in South Africa. The more welcoming the host country is the more readily people abandon their old nationality and adopt the new one, which makes America the most easy to adopt, Australia second and the rest follow.

Consider how many out of the 492,000 actually consider themselves to be Cypriot. This would only be a dismall fraction. Which brings me back to my previous argument. Parents need to get their children to connect with Hellenism which would also bring them closer to Cyprus.

The Cypriot Government is also to blame by not investing in Greek Language and cultural activities in the diaspora. Rik Sat only commenced broadcast to Australia and America about 1 year ago.

Another thing that the Cyprus Government needs to introduce, is the right to vote for Cypriots abroad who actually hold Cyprus citizenship. There are many refugees living in the diaspora, and not being alowed to vote is a tragedy and a disgrace. During the Annan Plan Referendum, all refugee Cypriots in the diaspora were not allowed to vote and the illegal settlers in the "trnc" were allowed to vote.

[Michael Coumas]

Jerry was correct in pointing out that a great many Cypriots emigrated to the UK in the 1930's to seek a better future for themselves and their families in the wake of the very harsh times that started in the 20's.
There then followed an increasing number once the word got back that there were plentifull work opportunities & the ability to earn beyond the wildest of imaginations. We must remember that Cypriots were, at the time, living very austere lives & being forced to work from dawn till dark in order to try & almost scratch a living (and in many cases failing, but not through want of trying).
Consequently the opportunity to work for a living wage was like mannah from heaven & the exodus from Cyprus continued well into the 40's, 50's and 60's.
The entrepreneurial spirit of the Cypriot enabled them to start up various businesses, many in the catering line, many of which are well established & ongoing concerns today.

[pantheman]

Counting ALL CYPRIOTS in the UK , we number about 300 thousand...

Well I'll be damned the pappou was close...

...of hardworking , law abiding , industrious , decent citizens .All striving to improve our lives and that of our families. The Cypriots are well respected in the UK because we blend in , adapt and respect the local culture.

Err yeah, there's like 269,000 of those and one total lunatic!

Would you like to borrows some fingers mate, seems the heat has fried your brain. I think you meant 269,999

Unless of course there are a 1000 miltis.

My estimate was around 250,000.

[Get Real!]

Counting ALL CYPRIOTS in the UK , we number about 300 thousand...

Well I'll be damned the pappou was close...

...of hardworking , law abiding , industrious , decent citizens .All striving to improve our lives and that of our families. The Cypriots are well respected in the UK because we blend in , adapt and respect the local culture.

Err yeah, there's like 269,000 of those and one total lunatic!

Would you like to borrows some fingers mate, seems the heat has fried your brain. I think you meant 269,999

Unless of course there are a 1000 miltis.

My estimate was around 250,000.

I goofed big time...

[Jerry]

From the 2001 Census:

Greeks & Greek Cypriots
Main article: Greek Briton
and
Main article: Cypriot British
Since it got its independence from Great Britain in 1960, Cyprus has seen many of its citizens emigrate to the United Kingdom for economical reasons and in search of a better life. The first influx of Cypriot immigrants to London and other UK cities was in the 1960s, and then, after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, an estimated 20,000 Greek-Cypriots fled to the UK. There are more than 100 Greek communities in Britain, with around 150-180,000 Greek speakers in London alone. 85% of these speakers come from Cyprus, not Greece itself.

Wrong! the first infux was in the 1930s.
I'm not sure how you would count them, I'm half Cypriot, my sons have GC surnames they are one quarter Cypriot.

Jerry that is from the last census which would ask the ethnicity of all household members .....

..... so if everyone was truthful, it should be the last most accurate figure, regardless of when GCs started going to UK ( ... not an influx in the '30s ).

Wrong! referred to when the influx started not the numbers. My father came to the UK in 1935. He left Cyprus with three brothers (two went to the US) because they were so poor. I remember him telling me that the family income at that time was £50 a year and they were not the poorest in his village.