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    • Main contributor: James L. Tanner
    Super moon over City of London from Tate Modern

    The City of London is a unique entity in England. It is both a city and a ceremonial county[1]. The current counties of England are defined by the ceremonial counties, a collective name for the county areas to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant. The office of Lord Lieutenant was created in the reign of Henry VIII. The Lord Lieutenant is the chief officer of the county and representative of the Crown. Whenever the Queen visits an area, she will be accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of that area.[2] The City of London is often referred to as the “Square Mile” due to its small size. It contains the historic center of London and is one of the primary central business districts alongside Canary Wharf.[3] Unlike the other 32 London boroughs, the City of London has its own local government and is not part of Greater London administratively. It is an enclave within Greater London, a metropolitan county, and has a distinct status and privileges.[4] The City Corporation is Britain’s oldest local government; it has the status of a county, with powers that exceed those of London’s 32 other boroughs, notably the control of its own police force.[5]

    Although it has a small area, the City of London has a large number of historic attractions. These include: St. Paul’s Cathedral, an iconic landmark that has dominated the skyline for over 300 years, the Tower Bridge is a famous historical and architectural marvel, the Guildhall, the historic administrative center of the City of London, and Leadenhall Market, a beautiful Victorian market that is still in use today.

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    The City of London historyThe City of London history

    The Romans established a settlement called Londinium around AD 433. It became a significant commercial center with a bridge over the Thames, facilitating trade and troop movements. Londinium grew rapidly, becoming the largest city in Roman Britain, but faced destruction during Boudica’s rebellion in AD 602.[6] The city was rebuilt and continued to thrive until the Roman withdrawal in the early 5th century.[7] After the Romans left, the area saw little activity until the early 7th century when an Anglo-Saxon settlement called Lundenwic emerged about a mile west of the old Roman city.[8] By the late 9th century, Alfred the Great reestablished control over the area, fortifying it and renaming it Lundenburh. This marked the beginning of the City of London as we know it today.[9]

    The 18th century was a period of rapid growth for London, driven by the early stages of the Industrial Revolution and its role at the center of the British Empire.[10] The population grew from about 500,000 at the start of the century to over 1 million by its end. This era also saw significant immigration, including African, Afro-Caribbean, and Asian communities.[11] During the 19th century, London became the world’s largest city and the heart of international finance and trade. The population soared from over 1 million in 1801 to 6.2 million by the end of the century.[12] This period saw the construction of iconic landmarks, the expansion of the railway system, and significant social challenges, including overcrowded slums and public health crises.[13]

    Today, the City of London is a leading global financial center, known for its historic landmarks and modern skyscrapers. It remains a vibrant and diverse area, with a significant immigrant population. As of recent data, the City of London has one of the highest proportions of international migrants in the UK, with a notable presence of non-EU migrants.[14] [15]

    The City of London parishes and unparished areasThe City of London parishes and unparished areas

    Historically, the City of London had 118 parishes, including nine extra-parochial places.[16] The parishes were named after their churches, not their locations.[17] Since 1965 there have been no civil parishes in the City of London, and it is therefore unparished.[18]

    The City of London GeographyThe City of London Geography

    London is situated in southeastern England, lying astride the River Thames some 50 miles (80 km) upstream from its estuary on the North Sea.[19] London covers 1,579 square km (610 sq. mi). The River Thames cuts London in half, creating northern and southern halves. Because the city was built on the flood plain of the River Thames, London resulted to being a lowland, meaning the city is generally flat.[20]

    Researching family history in The City of LondonResearching family history in The City of London

    For City of London biographical and genealogical research see the Guildhall Library.[21] Additional records about family history in The City of London are found in The City of London Website.[22]

    The City of London is a ceremonial county and ancient borough in London, England, and is not part of any historic county. It is a small, historic core of London that is almost exactly one square mile in area. Its boundaries have remained mostly unchanged since the Middle Ages. Family history research in The City of London and Greater London is primarily done in the counties of Middlesex, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Surrey.[23] The London Government Act 1963 created Greater London, which replaced the county of London and absorbed parts of the surrounding counties.[24]

    Ethnicities in The City of LondonEthnicities in The City of London

    Because The City of London is just one square mile, the demographic distribution of the population is for Greater London as follows:[25]

    London is significantly more diverse than England as a whole. 46% of Londoners are Black and Minority Ethnic, compared to 14% of England as a whole. West London has the highest proportion (53%) of its population that are Black and Minority Ethnic, followed by East London (50%). South London has the smallest proportion of people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds (36%).

    41% of Londoners were born outside of the UK, compared to 13% of people in the rest of England. West London has the highest proportion - with 47% of residents not born in the UK, followed by Central London (44%).

    Surnames in The City of LondonSurnames in The City of London

    Because The City of London is just one square mile, the demographic distribution of surnames is for Greater London as follows:[26]

    Surname Incidence Frequency
    Patel 85,530 1:114
    Smith 73,929 1:132
    Jones 41,992 1:232
    Williams 41,241 1:236
    Brown 38,208 1:255
    Khan 35,742 1:272
    Shah 32,719 1:297
    Taylor 30,194 1:322
    Ahmed 27,710 1:351
    Ali 27,138 1:358

    Explore more about English CountiesExplore more about English Counties

    MyHeritage.com has 351 collections that contain millions of English records that cover a huge variety of genealogical historical events that can help you find your ancestors. The MyHeritage Knowledge Base contains helpful information about genealogical research. The Legacy Family Tree Webinars website contains more than 2000 valuable genealogical webinars including over 50 webinars about English research.

    See alsoSee also


    References

    1. ↑ Ceremonial Counties of England
    2. ↑ Ceremonial Boundaries
    3. ↑ City of London
    4. ↑ City of London | Financial Hub, Historic District, UK | Britannica
    5. ↑ GB Counties - Past and Present | Data Products | OS
    6. ↑ London
    7. ↑ Roman Britain | History & Map | Britannica
    8. ↑ Ancient Town Beneath London’s National Gallery Revealed
    9. ↑ Alfred | Biography, Reign, & Facts | Britannica
    10. ↑ London - History, Culture, Economy | Britannica
    11. ↑ London, growth of | Encyclopedia.com
    12. ↑ London During the 19th Century - 19th Century London
    13. ↑ How Victorian London Became Known as the ‘Monster City’
    14. ↑ History of London - 20th century London
    15. ↑ Where do migrants live in the UK?
    16. ↑ Genuki: City of London Parishes & Wards, London
    17. ↑ London Parishes – Medieval Londoners
    18. ↑ About: Unparished area
    19. ↑ London | History, Maps, Population, Area, & Facts | Britannica
    20. ↑ Physical Geography
    21. ↑ Biographical and genealogical research
    22. ↑ Family history
    23. ↑ Greater London | History, Geography & Culture | Britannica
    24. ↑ London Government Act | United Kingdom [1963] | Britannica
    25. ↑ Demography, London's Population & Geography
    26. ↑ Most Common Surnames in Greater London, With Meanings
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