The Cornish could be recognised in the 2021 census if the latest efforts by Cornwall Council are successful.

Last week Cornwall Council deputy leader Julian German, Cornwall councillors and council officers met senior officers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in Truro to discuss the inclusion of tick boxes for the Cornish and Cornish language on the census.

In March 2017, the Council of Europe made a specific recommendation to the ONS that it should ‘take the necessary measures to include the possibility to self-identify as Cornish, through a ‘tick-box’ in the next census.’

In the last census in 2011, the Cornish did not have the option to tick a box to say they identified as Cornish like the Welsh, Scottish, Irish and Northern Irish and could only write Cornish under the ‘other’ option.  

Deputy Leader Julian German said the meeting was an important milestone: ‘Cornish people have a proud and distinct identity.  We are proud of our history and language and want this to be reflected in the way the census captures data so it’s not an ‘other’ field in the language and identity section. 

‘We believe this will provide a more accurate reflection of the number of Cornish in Cornwall and across the UK.

‘An accurate count of Cornish language speakers is a key factor in influencing funding and devolution – this is key to helping us get a better deal and more funding for Cornish people and culture.’

The meeting is the latest push to gain more recognition for the Cornish.

The UK Government announced in 2014 that the Cornish people would be recognised under the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. But In 2016, the government caused an outcry when it cut a yearly funding of £150,000 Cornwall had received in support of the Cornish language. In February this year, the Government announced a one-off payment of £100,000 over two years to support the development of Cornish culture and heritage, including the Cornish language.

The 2011 census results showed:

Cornwall’s population: 532,273

Number of Cornish: 73,220 (14%)

Number of Cornish language speakers: 557 in England and Wales, 464 in Cornwall.