City · Súdwest-Fryslân, Friesland

Bolsward: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, Bolsward had 9,965 residents. 13.6% of them (1,360 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân (12.3%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (3.6%), other Europe (2.1%) and other Africa (1.9%). 58.1% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.0 percentage points.

Residents: 9,965 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 13.6% 1,360 people
Born abroad: 58.1% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.0 pp in share with a migration background

Migration background, share of residents

Share of residents with a migration background per postcode.

Where residents come from

Origin of residents on 1 January 2026, as a share of all residents.

Dutch origin and migration background

86%

Dutch origin 86.4% 8,605
Migration background 13.6% 1,360

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Bolsward. For comparison, the line marks Súdwest-Fryslân and the circle the Netherlands.

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.6% 355 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 2.8% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

2.1% 210 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 2.8% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.9% 185 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 1.3% Netherlands 2.3%
Germany

1.4% 140 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 1.5% Netherlands 1.9%
Turkey

1.3% 125 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 0.51% Netherlands 2.6%
Indonesia

1.1% 110 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 1.2% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.1% 105 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 0.91% Netherlands 1.7%
Suriname

0.35% 35 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 0.31% Netherlands 2.0%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.35% 35 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 0.33% Netherlands 1.1%
Poland

0.35% 35 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 0.24% Netherlands 1.4%
Belgium

0.20% 20 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 0.14% Netherlands 0.76%
Morocco

0.10% 10 people

Súdwest-Fryslân 0.13% Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

Residents with a migration background, by whether they were born abroad themselves.

58% 42%

Born abroad (first generation) 58.1% 790
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 41.5% 565

Men and women

Men: 4,965
Women: 5,000

Compared with all cities

Netherlands 29.1% Bolsward 13.6%

Higher than 57% of all cities in the Netherlands

Trend since 1998

Share of residents with a migration background, compared with larger areas.

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

13.6%

Bolsward
Súdwest-Fryslân
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Bolsward	Súdwest-Fryslân	Netherlands
1998	7.6%	6.8%	16.7%
1999	7.7%	7.0%	17.1%
2000	9.0%	7.3%	17.5%
2001	9.7%	7.6%	18.0%
2002	10.2%	7.8%	18.4%
2003	10.5%	8.0%	18.8%
2004	9.7%	7.5%	19.0%
2005	8.6%	7.3%	19.2%
2006	8.0%	7.3%	19.3%
2007	7.8%	7.2%	19.4%
2008	8.1%	7.3%	19.6%
2009	8.2%	7.3%	19.9%
2010	8.3%	7.4%	20.3%
2011	8.3%	7.4%	20.6%
2012	8.4%	7.6%	20.9%
2013	8.9%	7.7%	21.1%
2014	8.8%	7.8%	21.4%
2015	8.8%	7.9%	21.7%
2016	9.1%	8.1%	22.1%
2017	9.3%	8.6%	22.6%
2018	10.0%	8.9%	23.1%
2019	10.1%	9.0%	23.6%
2020	10.4%	9.3%	24.2%
2021	10.7%	9.4%	24.6%
2022	11.6%	10.5%	26.0%
2023	12.1%	11.3%	27.1%
2024	12.7%	11.6%	27.9%
2025	13.3%	11.9%	28.5%
2026	13.6%	12.3%	29.1%

In 2022 CBS switched to a new origin classification. Up to 2021 the line shows the old “migration background” figures; the overlap years show a small break (about +0.8 points nationally).

Postcodes in Bolsward

				Largest group
8701 Noordoost	15.3%	8,025	+2.4 pp	Other Asia
8702 Noordoost	7.0%	1,940	±0.0 pp	Germany

All figures

Number of residents per origin group on 1 January. Figures up to 2021 use the old CBS classification.

Year	Total residents	Dutch origin	Migration background	Europe	Outside Europe	Turkey	Morocco	Suriname	Indonesia	Dutch Caribbean	Germany	Poland	Belgium	Other Europe	Other Africa	Other Asia	Other Americas & Oceania	Western migration background	Non-Western migration background
1998	9,320	8,610	710	250	460	120	10	25	100	25	160	5	5	80	70	70	40	390	320
1999	9,315	8,605	715	260	445	115	10	20	105	25	160	5	0	95	70	70	30	395	320
2000	9,245	8,410	835	275	560	120	10	20	95	25	155	5	5	110	110	140	40	405	430
2001	9,305	8,405	900	305	585	120	10	15	100	25	155	5	5	140	125	150	40	440	455
2002	9,385	8,425	955	320	640	125	5	15	85	25	150	5	0	165	135	205	45	445	505
2003	9,445	8,455	995	345	645	125	10	10	80	25	155	5	10	175	135	215	45	465	530
2004	9,390	8,480	915	365	545	125	10	10	90	20	160	10	5	190	90	150	50	495	415
2005	9,410	8,615	805	305	500	120	10	15	85	20	155	5	10	135	70	135	45	435	370
2006	9,500	8,750	760	290	460	120	5	15	85	20	150	5	10	125	60	110	45	410	345
2007	9,595	8,855	745	305	430	120	5	25	80	15	155	5	10	135	50	100	35	420	315
2008	9,730	8,935	790	320	485	130	5	25	80	20	160	10	10	140	60	110	55	440	355
2009	9,820	9,015	805	340	470	125	5	25	80	15	160	15	10	155	55	110	55	455	350
2010	9,910	9,080	820	330	490	130	5	30	90	20	160	15	15	140	60	105	50	460	355
2011	9,875	9,060	820	340	480	130	5	30	90	15	160	20	10	150	45	120	45	465	350
2012	10,020	9,180	845	350	505	135	5	25	95	10	165	20	15	150	60	120	55	470	375
2013	10,135	9,235	900	375	525	135	10	30	90	15	160	25	15	175	60	125	60	495	405
2014	10,155	9,260	895	365	530	135	10	30	90	10	160	35	10	160	60	125	70	485	410
2015	10,150	9,255	895	365	525	140	10	25	95	10	155	40	15	155	55	110	80	490	395
2016	10,160	9,240	920	345	575	140	5	25	90	20	160	35	15	135	75	150	70	480	440
2017	10,185	9,235	950	355	590	130	10	25	95	20	155	35	10	155	85	150	75	480	460
2018	10,145	9,135	1,010	360	650	135	15	30	95	20	160	35	10	155	85	195	75	480	530
2019	10,085	9,065	1,020	355	665	140	10	30	95	20	155	45	10	145	100	195	75	490	535
2020	10,115	9,065	1,050	360	690	130	5	25	90	35	155	35	15	155	125	205	75	490	550
2021	10,085	9,010	1,075	370	705	130	5	30	95	30	145	30	20	175	125	215	75	500	570
2022	10,095	8,920	1,175	370	805	125	5	35	110	40	145	30	20	170	150	250	100	500	610
2023	10,120	8,900	1,220	400	820	125	15	35	110	40	150	30	15	195	165	245	100	530	620
2024	10,105	8,810	1,285	395	895	125	10	30	115	40	140	35	15	200	170	300	110	–	–
2025	10,095	8,755	1,340	400	940	125	10	35	115	40	140	40	15	210	175	335	105	–	–
2026	9,965	8,605	1,360	405	955	125	10	35	110	35	140	35	20	210	185	355	105	–	–

Definitions and method · CBS 85640NED (2022–2026), 83503NED (1998–2023)