Romanian has risen from the 19th to the second most spoken foreign language in England and Wales

Total usual resident population, aged three years and over, who speak each language as their main language

Thousands

2011

2021

1

1

Polish

546

Polish

612

2

2

Punjabi

273

Romanian

472

3

3

Urdu

269

Punjabi

291

4

4

Bengali

221

Urdu

270

5

5

Gujarati

213

Portuguese

225

6

6

Arabic

159

Spanish

215

7

7

French

147

Arabic

204

8

8

Other Chinese

141

Bengali

199

9

9

Portuguese

133

Gujarati

189

10

10

Spanish

120

Italian

160

Top 10

12

French

120

13

Italian

92

14

Other Chinese

118

19

Romanian

68

2011

2021

1

1

Polish 546,000

Polish 612,000

2

2

Punjabi 273,000

Romanian 472,000

3

3

Urdu 269,000

Punjabi 291,000

4

4

Bengali 221,000

Urdu 270,000

5

5

Gujarati 213,000

Portuguese 225,000

6

6

Arabic 159,000

Spanish 215,000

7

7

French 147,000

Arabic 204,000

8

8

All other Chinese 141,000

Bengali 199,000

9

9

Portuguese 133,000

Gujarati 189,000

10

10

Spanish 120,000

Italian 160,000

Top 10

12

French 120,000

13

Italian 92,000

14

All other Chinese 118,000

19

Romanian 68,000