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Gibraltar has always been famous for its military history, but little is discussed of the ethnic origins of the people that inhabit the land. Back in the 1700s Gibraltar was a part of Spain and so the majority of its population was Spanish. During the War of Spanish Succession, the Rock fell to the Anglo-Dutch force and more than 4000 Spanish inhabitants left for neighboring parts of Spain. |
Migration by people from Malta, Genoa and Portugal added another element to the existing population. By 1720, Genoese were in majority with the English and Spanish trailing behind. The Genoese population played an important role in the formation of the Gibraltarian population of today. By the mid-1700s the civilian population had further risen to 1,816 persons of which 351 were British.
The British population of Gibraltar was largely merchant class who had arrived to provide services to the military. These merchants soon recognized the importance of Gibraltar as a trading post for the Mediterranean countries, Africa and the rest of Europe. The first census was taken in 1771 and it provided an enlightened view of Gibraltar society. In terms of religion, the population was divided between Roman Catholics, Jews and Protestants with communities made up of Maltese, Minorcans, British, Irish, Genoese, Spanish, Jews and Africans. The diverse ethnicity of the people of Gibraltar is descended from the 1700s. During the World Wars, much of the civilian population was evacuated to Madeira, London and Northern Ireland. Nowadays Gibraltar is part of the European Community, and thus its multi-ethnic population is a true representation of modern day Europe.
