Surinamese Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Suriname lies on the north coast of South America and was a Dutch colony until 1975. Dutch is the official language, and Sranan Tongo is widely spoken. Its people have African, Indian, Javanese, Chinese, indigenous and European roots. Many Surinamese families live in the Netherlands, and some have moved on to Britain.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 2,281 people living in the city had been born in South America, a group that includes Suriname.

Working for Birmingham

Surinamese residents work in fields such as healthcare, education, business and hospitality, and many are multilingual, speaking Dutch, Sranan Tongo and English. Those who came via the Netherlands bring European work experience to their jobs in Birmingham.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The Surinamese community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

Surinamese cooking blends the country's many cultures, from roti and pom, an oven dish made with root vegetables, to Javanese bami noodles. Keti Koti on 1 July commemorates the abolition of slavery, and Hindu, Muslim and Christian festivals are all celebrated.

The story of the Surinamese community in Birmingham is still being written, by students, workers, parents and pensioners who call the city home. It is a story of hard work, friendship and quiet pride, and Birmingham is richer for it.