English Argentines (also known as Anglo-Argentines) are citizens of Argentina or the children of Argentine citizens brought up in Argentina, who can claim ancestry originating in England. The English settlement in Argentina (the arrival of English emigrants) took place in the period after Argentina's independence from Spain through the 19th century. Unlike many other waves of immigration to Argentina, English immigrants were not usually leaving England because of poverty or persecution, but went to Argentina as industrialists and major landowners.
The United Kingdom had a strong economic influence in Argentina during the Victorian period. However the position of English Argentines was complicated when their economic influence was finally eroded by Juan Perón's nationalisation of many British-owned companies in the 1940s and then by the Falklands War in 1982. Notable Argentines such as presidents of Argentina Raúl Alfonsín and Carlos Pellegrini, adventurer Lucas Bridges, Huracan football club former player and president Carlos Babington and writer Jorge Luis Borges are partially of English descent.
English immigration
English migration to Argentina began in small numbers during the early 19th century, particularly after the British invasions of the Río de la Plata (1806–1807), when merchants, engineers and commercial agents began to establish a more sustained presence in Buenos Aires and surrounding regions.
Following Argentine independence, English migrants increasingly participated in commercial and infrastructural development during the mid to late 19th century. Many were involved in banking, shipping, and export-oriented agriculture, particularly the expansion of cattle ranching and wheat production in the Pampas, which became central to Argentina’s export economy.
A significant proportion of English settlers were associated with railway construction and engineering projects, which were largely financed by British capital. These networks facilitated agricultural expansion and linked rural production zones to the port of Buenos Aires.
In addition to economic migrants, smaller numbers arrived as missionaries, technicians, and entrepreneurs. Some younger sons of British families sought opportunities abroad due to inheritance practices, while others entered rural landholding and cattle ranching, particularly in the Pampas region.
English cultural influence also extended into sport and education. Association football, cricket, rugby and tennis were introduced through British schools, railway communities and expatriate clubs in the late 19th century, later becoming embedded in Argentine sporting culture.
By the early 20th century, English immigrants and their descendants formed a relatively small but economically influential community, concentrated in Buenos Aires and key railway-linked towns. Over time, however, assimilation increased and distinct English identity became less visible outside institutional settings such as schools, churches and clubs.
Background
In 1825, the United Kingdom recognised the independence of the United Provinces of South America. English arrivals and investment played a large part in the development of Argentine railway and tramway lines, and also Argentine agriculture, livestock breeding, processing, refrigeration and export. At one point in the 19th century, ten per cent of British foreign investment was in Argentina, despite not being a colony. In 1939, 39% of investment in Argentina was British.
English culture, or a version of it as perceived from outside, had a noted effect on the culture of Argentina, mainly in the middle classes. In 1888 local Anglo-Argentines established the Hurlingham Club, based on its namesake in London. The city of Hurlingham, Buenos Aires and Hurlingham Partido in Buenos Aires Province later grew up around the club and took their names from it. The Córdoba Athletic Club, one of the oldest sports clubs in Argentina, was founded in 1882 by English men who lived in Córdoba working for the railways.
In 1912 the well-known London department store Harrods opened a store in Buenos Aires; the only Harrods ever opened outside London. Harrods Buenos Aires became independent of Harrods in the 1940s, but still traded under the Harrods name.
Afternoon tea became standard amongst large segments of the population and generated the popular merienda, an afternoon snack also known simply as la leche (milk) because it was served with tea or chocolate milk along with sweets. The Richmond café on Florida Street is a notable tea venue near the Harrods department store, now an exhibition hall.
Gardened chalets built by railway executives near railway stations in cities like La Plata and suburbs including Banfield, Temperley, Munro, Ranelagh and Hurlingham gave a pointed English atmosphere to local areas in Buenos Aires, especially in winter when shrouded in grey mists and fallen oak leaves over cobblestones. Belgrano R, within the Belgrano district, is another train station known for the British neighbourhood around it originated by the railway. An Anglican church from 1896 and the Buenos Aires English High School founded by Alexander Watson Hutton in 1884 are both in this area. Also important are the railway terminals Retiro in Retiro neighbourhood and Constitución. There are numerous countryside stations in the Pampas.
Around 300,000 Anglo-Argentines are the descendants of English immigrants to Argentina. They are one of the most successful immigrant groups of Argentina, gaining prominence in commerce, industry, and the professions. Many speak fluent English at home. An English-language newspaper, the Buenos Aires Herald, was published daily in Buenos Aires from 1876 to 2017.
Anglo-Argentines have traditionally differed from their fellow Argentines by largely retaining strong ties with their mother country, including education and commerce. There are many schools in Argentina that are bilingual, offering a British curriculum in English and the standard Argentine curriculum in Spanish, including Northlands School, St. Mark's College, Balmoral College, St. Alban's College, St. George's College, Belgrano Day School and Washington School. Buenos Aires had a number of branches of the Asociación Argentina de Cultura Inglesa (English Cultural Association), and throughout the 20th century English language learning and teaching in state schools and private institutions was invariably geared towards the Received Pronunciation. Many private boys' schools have a uniform of blue blazers and grey flannel trousers.
The Anglo-Argentine Society, based in London, was founded in 1948 and has about 900 members. It is a society for Argentine people living in the United Kingdom, particularly those of Anglo-Argentine heritage. One of its main aims is to promote understanding and friendship between the two countries. Also in London is the Canning Club, formerly the Argentine Club until Juan Perón nationalised Argentine-based British businesses, the main source of revenue of the club in the 1940s. The club is for those with a particular link to, or special interest in, Argentina and other Latin American countries.
The Coghlan neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, known for its large English-style residences, was originally inhabited by English and Irish immigrants. Caballito contains an area called the "English District".
In 1794, the British Empire opened a consulate in San Nicolás, leading to the development of a large British community in the area, which became known as the "English borough". They founded the English Merchants' Society in 1810 and in 1822 the British Consulate became home to the first modern bank in Buenos Aires.
World War II
During World War II, 4,000 Argentines served with all three British armed services, even though Argentina was officially a neutral country during the war. Over 600 Argentine volunteers served with both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force, mostly in the 164 Argentine-British RAF squadron,Argentine pilots break silence over World War Two – Reuters whose shield bore the sun from the flag of Argentina and the motto, "Determined We Fly (Firmes Volamos)". Many members of the Anglo-Argentine community also volunteered in non-combat roles, or worked to raise money and supplies for British troops. In April 2005, a special remembrance service was held at the RAF church of St Clement Danes in London.
Nearly 500 Argentines served in the Royal Navy around the world, from the North Atlantic to the South Pacific.Maffeo, Aníbal José – Proa a la Victoria (2014) Many were part of the special forces, such as John Godwin.
Falklands War
During the Argentine occupation of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) in April 1982, at the outset of the Falklands War, the British government considered potential risks to British expatriates and Anglo-Argentine communities in Argentina. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was briefed on possible diplomatic and security repercussions, although assessments indicated that widespread reprisals against civilians of British descent were unlikely.
In practice, no systematic persecution of Anglo-Argentines occurred. Contemporary accounts suggest that some individuals with visible British affiliations experienced short-term caution or social pressure during the conflict, although this was not state-directed and varied significantly by region and social context.
The war did not materially alter the legal status of Anglo-Argentine communities, but it did contribute to a broader symbolic shift. Historians note that it reinforced an already ongoing decline in overt public identification with British heritage in some sectors, particularly within urban elites, while established institutions such as bilingual schools, clubs and churches continued to operate.
Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina were severed during the war and were restored in 1990.
The sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) remains unresolved, with Argentina maintaining its claim and the United Kingdom continuing to exercise administration. International positions, including that of the United States, have generally supported dialogue between the parties without endorsing sovereignty transfer.
English place names
A number of localities in Argentina reflect English influence, either through direct naming by British railway companies and settlers, or by commemoration of individuals of British origin or association.
Hudson, in Buenos Aires Province, is named after the naturalist Guillermo Enrique Hudson (1841–1922), an Argentine-born writer and ornithologist of English descent, whose work was later recognised in both Argentina and the United Kingdom.
Banfield, also in Buenos Aires Province, is named after Edward Banfield (1820–1872), the first general manager of the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, reflecting the influence of British railway development in the region.
Wilde, another locality in Greater Buenos Aires, was named in 1888 by Eduardo Wilde in honour of his uncle, Dr José Antonio Wilde, an Anglo-Argentine physician and historian of English descent.
These examples reflect a broader pattern in which British-associated figures, particularly those linked to railway expansion, medicine and intellectual life, were commemorated in Argentine toponymy during the late 19th century.
Sport
Football
English railway workers from Northern England founded the Buenos Aires Football Club on 9 May 1867 in Temple Street (now Viamonte) at a meeting organised by brothers Thomas and James Hogg, who were originally from Yorkshire. The first football match to be played in Argentina was played at the Buenos Aires Cricket Club in Palermo, Buenos Aires, on 20 June 1867. The match was played between two teams of British merchants, the White Caps and the Red Caps.