Province

Friesland: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the province of Friesland had 665,235 residents. 13.7% of them (90,875 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (3.2%), other Europe (3.0%) and other Africa (1.5%). 59.6% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.2 percentage points.

Residents: 665,235 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 13.7% 90,875 people
Born abroad: 59.6% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.2 pp in share with a migration background

Migration background, share of residents

Share of residents with a migration background per municipality.

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 86.3% 574,300
Migration background 13.7% 90,875

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Friesland. For comparison, the circle marks the Netherlands.

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.2% 21,185 people

Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.0% 19,735 people

Netherlands 5.6%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.5% 10,135 people

Netherlands 2.3%
Germany

1.3% 8,980 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Indonesia

1.1% 7,315 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.0% 6,325 people

Netherlands 1.7%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.60% 3,970 people

Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.51% 3,360 people

Netherlands 2.0%
Turkey

0.43% 2,875 people

Netherlands 2.6%
Poland

0.40% 2,690 people

Netherlands 1.4%
Morocco

0.35% 2,355 people

Netherlands 2.4%
Belgium

0.17% 1,120 people

Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

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

60% 40%

Born abroad (first generation) 59.6% 54,155
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 40.4% 36,670

Men and women

Men: 334,250
Women: 330,925

Trend since 1998

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

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

13.7%

Friesland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Friesland	Netherlands
1998	7.0%	16.7%
1999	7.3%	17.1%
2000	7.5%	17.5%
2001	7.9%	18.0%
2002	8.2%	18.4%
2003	8.4%	18.8%
2004	8.4%	19.0%
2005	8.4%	19.2%
2006	8.2%	19.3%
2007	8.1%	19.4%
2008	8.2%	19.6%
2009	8.3%	19.9%
2010	8.5%	20.3%
2011	8.5%	20.6%
2012	8.7%	20.9%
2013	8.7%	21.1%
2014	8.8%	21.4%
2015	9.0%	21.7%
2016	9.1%	22.1%
2017	9.5%	22.6%
2018	9.8%	23.1%
2019	10.0%	23.6%
2020	10.3%	24.2%
2021	10.5%	24.6%
2022	11.5%	26.0%
2023	12.3%	27.1%
2024	12.8%	27.9%
2025	13.3%	28.5%
2026	13.7%	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).

Municipalities in Friesland

				Largest group
Municipality of Leeuwarden	22.5%	130,190	+3.3 pp	Other Asia
Súdwest-Fryslân	12.3%	90,530	+1.8 pp	Other Europe
Smallingerland	15.6%	57,195	+2.8 pp	Other Asia
De Fryske Marren	10.6%	52,245	+1.6 pp	Other Asia
Municipality of Heerenveen	15.7%	51,945	+2.1 pp	Other Asia
Waadhoeke	12.3%	47,155	+2.3 pp	Other Europe
Noardeast-Fryslân	8.4%	45,945	+1.7 pp	Other Asia
Tytsjerksteradiel	9.2%	32,875	+1.6 pp	Other Asia
Opsterland	8.5%	30,065	+1.2 pp	Other Asia
Achtkarspelen	6.5%	28,250	+1.5 pp	Other Europe
Weststellingwerf	10.7%	26,620	+1.7 pp	Other Asia
Ooststellingwerf	10.3%	25,895	+1.9 pp	Other Asia
Dantumadiel	7.0%	19,240	+1.5 pp	Other Asia
Municipality of Harlingen	15.6%	16,270	+1.8 pp	Other Europe
Terschelling	11.3%	4,830	+2.0 pp	Other Europe
Ameland	11.1%	3,815	+2.2 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Vlieland	19.6%	1,200	+3.3 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Schiermonnikoog	19.1%	970	+5.3 pp	Other Europe

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	617,970	574,375	43,480	17,600	26,035	1,235	2,005	2,740	7,725	1,280	9,785	650	680	6,635	3,120	5,825	2,345	26,725	16,720
1999	621,090	575,965	45,035	17,850	27,190	1,295	2,040	2,840	7,725	1,400	9,845	755	670	6,735	3,200	6,595	2,380	27,150	17,945
2000	624,350	577,785	46,560	18,560	28,040	1,360	2,050	2,815	7,690	1,575	10,020	725	755	7,200	3,285	6,950	2,535	27,840	18,560
2001	630,435	580,790	49,665	19,530	30,270	1,450	2,005	2,800	7,815	1,680	9,915	715	760	8,290	4,050	8,020	2,650	29,075	20,695
2002	636,105	583,685	52,410	20,170	32,130	1,520	2,080	2,865	7,870	1,875	9,975	695	790	8,850	4,675	8,800	2,700	29,880	22,585
2003	639,725	585,985	53,710	20,485	33,240	1,575	2,085	2,925	7,805	1,950	9,910	815	745	9,150	5,330	8,940	2,835	30,120	23,605
2004	641,940	587,950	54,090	20,620	33,535	1,615	2,160	2,855	7,880	1,985	9,935	755	805	9,235	5,385	8,990	2,915	30,270	23,905
2005	643,055	589,055	53,870	20,545	33,465	1,610	2,145	2,840	7,835	2,040	9,955	870	810	8,985	5,190	9,060	2,950	30,175	23,800
2006	642,255	589,810	52,445	20,420	32,020	1,610	2,140	2,890	7,690	2,020	10,060	885	845	8,785	4,375	8,510	3,010	30,035	22,340
2007	642,175	589,910	52,205	20,505	31,640	1,675	2,135	2,875	7,690	2,015	10,130	915	920	8,665	4,065	8,295	3,145	30,090	22,095
2008	643,170	590,375	52,845	20,970	31,885	1,650	2,130	2,915	7,635	2,075	10,240	1,045	890	8,955	4,120	8,505	3,095	30,360	22,470
2009	644,795	591,205	53,650	21,335	32,175	1,675	2,100	2,905	7,575	2,130	10,295	1,180	930	9,050	4,405	8,555	3,080	30,685	22,900
2010	646,305	591,625	54,640	21,730	32,760	1,655	2,140	2,980	7,555	2,230	10,350	1,245	930	9,365	4,500	8,760	3,170	31,165	23,350
2011	647,305	591,800	55,330	22,310	32,990	1,675	2,155	2,995	7,510	2,235	10,605	1,435	940	9,445	4,500	8,880	3,370	31,750	23,685
2012	647,190	591,160	56,010	22,625	33,325	1,705	2,165	3,000	7,545	2,375	10,640	1,465	955	9,710	4,625	8,835	3,355	32,050	23,980
2013	646,915	590,415	56,460	22,795	33,415	1,720	2,170	3,055	7,445	2,340	10,405	1,630	925	9,950	4,670	8,965	3,350	32,140	24,315
2014	646,320	589,190	57,130	22,760	34,365	1,730	2,170	3,070	7,420	2,435	10,190	1,615	940	10,085	4,995	9,320	3,475	32,060	25,075
2015	646,250	588,375	57,875	22,840	35,025	1,725	2,165	3,050	7,385	2,485	9,920	1,680	915	10,430	5,255	9,725	3,480	32,095	25,770
2016	646,035	586,955	59,080	23,065	36,015	1,740	2,180	3,085	7,310	2,520	9,800	1,780	915	10,625	5,560	10,290	3,575	32,225	26,855
2017	646,870	585,400	61,470	23,160	38,315	1,755	2,230	3,100	7,270	2,580	9,655	1,890	930	10,825	6,190	11,775	3,670	32,315	29,155
2018	647,250	583,875	63,375	23,360	40,015	1,860	2,250	3,115	7,230	2,750	9,520	1,935	960	11,015	6,655	12,620	3,740	32,505	30,880
2019	647,675	582,955	64,720	23,755	40,965	1,890	2,290	3,135	7,185	2,910	9,395	2,030	970	11,465	7,030	12,810	3,880	32,865	31,855
2020	649,965	582,880	67,085	24,470	42,610	1,925	2,295	3,165	7,175	3,085	9,390	2,165	975	12,035	7,505	13,525	4,140	33,605	33,470
2021	651,430	583,185	68,245	24,820	43,425	1,970	2,345	3,205	7,145	3,205	9,260	2,295	1,000	12,350	7,680	13,890	4,200	33,950	34,290
2022	654,020	578,970	75,020	25,785	49,090	2,110	2,315	3,295	7,695	3,655	9,720	2,390	1,165	12,585	8,430	16,195	5,575	34,635	36,000
2023	659,530	578,750	80,860	29,570	51,315	2,385	2,425	3,300	7,630	3,855	9,560	2,545	1,205	16,285	8,710	17,300	5,720	38,405	38,040
2024	661,945	577,220	84,605	31,140	53,475	2,520	2,370	3,275	7,515	3,845	9,360	2,600	1,110	17,835	9,100	18,565	5,815	–	–
2025	664,165	575,835	88,330	32,040	56,295	2,760	2,375	3,285	7,370	4,005	9,110	2,665	1,125	18,920	9,755	20,090	6,045	–	–
2026	665,235	574,300	90,875	32,850	58,075	2,875	2,355	3,360	7,315	3,970	8,980	2,690	1,120	19,735	10,135	21,185	6,325	–	–

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