The Discussion of Asian Origin: What Ethnicities are Considered Asian?

By: Aditya Ambarisha

The everlasting debate: what creates Asianness? Asia is a continent that spans across fifty-four nations, consists of 17,212,000 square miles, twenty-four linguistic families are spoken, and the continent hosts a population of 4.7 billion individuals. From the tundras of Siberia to the Arabian desert, the term Asian is one that encapsulates a plethora of identities. These identities are often multifaceted: with multiracial, religious, and linguistic barriers further stratifying these identities. In many nations, the image invoked by the term ofAsian” can vary: in the United Kingdom, where South Asians have a storied past and are the largest Asian ethnicity in the nation, many automatically connect Asians with South Asians. In nations like the United States, where East Asians encompass a plurality of the Asian demographic, many connect the vibrant Asian-American population with East Asians. With populations of Asians growing globally, the definition of Asian has become more complicated; so, what ethnicities are considered Asian?

Background

In the United Kingdom, the overwhelming majority of immigrants from Asia were from South Asian origin, labeling many South Asians as British Asians. The first South Asians in the United Kingdom arrived in the 18th century, serving as seamen and agents of the British Army. By 1830, over 20,000 South Asian barristers, physicians, rulers, and dignitaries had lived or visited the United Kingdom. The first surge in the British South Asian population; however, did not occur until after the Second World War. With anti-miscegenation laws being reversed and immigration gradually opening: British South Asians immigrated en masse to the United Kingdom. Along with the long history of British colonialism in South Asia, British South Asians have had a much more storied history in the nation than their East, West, or Southeast Asian counterparts. Today, South Asians comprise over 6% of the population of the United Kingdom, making them the largest minority group in the country. With South Asian cuisine occupying the majority of the British restaurant space, South Asian religious centers being present throughout the nation, and South Asian politicians achieving prominence in the country, the visibility of the South Asian ethnicities in the United Kingdom has been far greater than other Asian ethnic groups in the nation. With nearly 80% of the British Asian population tracing their ancestry to South Asia, it is evident why South Asians are often defined as Asians.

Contrastingly, the first immigrants to the United States from Asia were largely of Japanese and Cantonese stock, first arriving in the United States to work as indentured laborers in the California Gold Rush. The stories of many laborers were strikingly similar: usually hailing from the southern Chinese region of Guangdong, many were impoverished young men seeking to earn a fortune that they could return home with. Many suffered harsh conditions that led those individuals to lose their lives. Drought, exhaustion, and unsanitary work environments were all contributing factors to the death of an estimated few thousand Asian immigrants to the San Francisco region following the beginning of the Gold Rush. Although many returned to their countries of origin following the end of their indenture, many remained in the United States. The reasons for this have been studied by historians for decades: some state that economic distress, political corruption, and opportunities in North America contributed to this trend, others state that the cost for departure back to their homelands were incredibly high. Nonetheless, the Asian presence remained imprinted on America. Residential segregation and terrible animosity against those of Asian descent led to many Asian-Americans forming their own insular communities, creating the first Chinatowns in the United States, the most famous of which was formed in San Francisco. In 1880, the United States Census counted over 105,000 Chinese individuals who resided in the country, along with 145 Japanese individuals and a smaller number of South Asians (primarily from the northern region of Punjab). The massive flow of immigration from China to the United States; however, abruptly ended following the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This explicitly racist law suspended the immigration of Chinese laborers into the United States for a minimum of ten years, barred native-born Chinese-Americans from gaining citizenship, and required Chinese individuals who were travelling internationally to carry proof of residency with them (many were denied re-entry to the United States due to racist rhetoric that they were foreigners). As a result, many of the first civil rights movements, campaigns for Asian-American equality, and cultural amenities for Asians in America were centered around Chinese individuals. Even as the demographics of Asians in the United States shifted drastically (Indians overtaking the Chinese as the most populous ethnic group), the United States has long remembered people who are visibly East Asian to be of Asian ancestry; others, like those of South Asian ancestry, have not had a large, cemented presence in America compared to Asians and other ethnic groups: like the Japanese (interned in WW2), Koreans (Korean War), or Vietnamese (Vietnam War).

When we talk about who is “Asian,” it’s tempting to rely on maps and official labels—but the real heart of the matter often lies in the people themselves. East Asians, for instance, come from places like China, Japan, and Korea, each with its own distinct heritage: centuries-old philosophies, languages, and customs that influence everyday life. Meanwhile, South Asians—those from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka—bring together countless languages, faiths, and celebrations that interweave into vibrant social and cultural fabrics. Despite these differences, the term “Asian” carries a unifying weight, especially in multicultural contexts where both East Asians and South Asians navigate shared experiences of immigration, diaspora, and the challenges of being seen or heard in predominantly Western narratives. It’s not just about geographic proximity; it’s about recognizing that both regions hold layers of history, art, and cultural depth that, when combined, enrich our collective understanding of what it means to be Asian. And together, we can strive to create a society in which everyone is represented fairly.