European nations were once Christian nations before the demonization of Christianity and traditional values among Anglo-Saxons. The migrant crisis has permanently changed the religious landscape of Europe. In the United Kingdom, for example, Islam is the second-largest religion. In fact, Muhammad was the most popular name for baby boys born in the UK in 2023.
The 2021 England and Wales Census marked the first time that less than half of the population (46.2%; 27.5 million people) identified as Christian. Christianity has fallen by 13.1% since the last census in 2011. The number of people abandoning religion entirely has continued to rise as well, with 37.2% (22.2 million people) declaring they do not believe in a God in 2021 compared to 25.2% (14.1 million people) ten years prior.
Those identifying as Muslim rose significantly from 4.9% (2.7 million people) in 2011 to 6.5% (3.9 million) in 2021. Conservative estimates believe close to 18% of England will identify as Muslim by 2050. However, they are likely not factoring in the current decline of Christianity among England’s youth. The majority of Muslim migrants in the UK (895,137 people) are under 16. Around 414,245 of migrants identifying as Muslim are between 16 to 24, and another 770,949 are between 25 and 39.
Muhammad becoming the most popular baby name of 2023 shows the religious shift in the UK. Religious families have more children than non-religious families, and Muslims tend to have more children than Christians. This trend is not limited to England or Wales. In fact, Pew Research Center believes that Muslim women will have more children than Christian women by 2035, and Islam could become the most followed religion in the world.
