Austrians in the United Kingdom

Austrians in the United Kingdom include citizens or non-citizen immigrants of the United Kingdom who originate from Austria.

History

Austrians have been present in what is now the UK for centuries as merchants, traders and diplomats, but it was only during the 1930s when Austrians came to the UK in significant numbers. The vast majority of these were Austrian Jews who fled to the UK to escape Nazi persecution during the Third Reich or National Socialist Period.

According to 2024 estimates from Statistics Austria, approximately 41,700 Austrian citizens reside in the United Kingdom, making it home to the third-largest Austrian diaspora community globally after Germany and Switzerland.

The London-based Austrian Club has served as a cultural hub since its establishment in 1984 under embassy patronage.

Gabrielle Anwar, British-born actress of Austrian and Indian descent
George Dornbusch, Austrian-born merchant, publisher and activist
Anna Freud, Austrian-born psychologist
Sigmund Freud, Austrian-born psychologist
Sir Ernst Gombrich, Austrian-born art historian
Friedrich Hayek, Austrian-born economist
William Patrick Hitler, British-born nephew of Adolf Hitler of Austrian and Irish descent
Andy Hunt, British-born footballer of Austrian and English descent
Myleene Klass, British-born singer, actress, TV presenter and model of Austrian and Filipino descent
Siegfried Frederick Nadel, anthropologist, specialising in African ethnology
Sir Karl Popper, Austrian-born philosopher of science
Joe Skarz, British-born footballer of Austrian and English descent
Friedrich von Hügel, Roman Catholic layman, religious writer, Modernist theologian and Christian apologist
Ruby Wax, American-born comedian of Austrian descent
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Austrian-born philosopher and engineer who also obtained British citizenship
Rachel Weisz, British-born actress of Austrian and Hungarian descent.
Rachel Khoo, British-born cook and author of Austrian and Malaysian descent.