Serbian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Serbia lies in the heart of the Balkans, with Belgrade on the Danube as its capital. Some Serbian families came to Britain after the Second World War, and others during and after the conflicts of the 1990s. Serbs in Birmingham include families, professionals and students.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 133 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Serbian; and 415 residents gave Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian or Montenegrin as their main language. Main language figures leave out the many bilingual residents who use English day to day, so the number who speak the language at home is higher still.

Working for Birmingham

Serbian residents work in engineering, construction, healthcare, business and education, and Serbian doctors, engineers and IT professionals contribute to the city's hospitals and businesses. The community is known for its strong work ethic and its support for new arrivals.

Much of the work that keeps Birmingham moving happens out of sight: the night shift on a hospital ward, the early start on a building site, the plumber who fixes a boiler on a winter evening, the teaching assistant who helps a child learn to read. People from every community in the city do these jobs, and Serbian residents are part of that everyday effort to make Birmingham a better place to live.

Culture and community life

Slava, the family feast of a patron saint, is a treasured Serbian tradition recognised by UNESCO. Christmas is celebrated on 7 January in the Orthodox tradition, and cevapi, sarma and ajvar are family favourites. Serbian music and the kolo circle dance are part of every celebration.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Serbian community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.