Rise in the number of witches living in Chesterfield

The most recent census figures show there are a surprising number of folks who identify as witches, pagans, and even Satanists across England and Wales.

In Chesterfield, 23 people selected Wicca as their religion in Census 2021. The religion developed in England during the first half of the 20th century with its name deriving from the Old English 'wicca' and 'wicce', the masculine and feminine term for witch. The number of people identifying as wiccan is up from 22 in the 2011 census.

Across England and Wales, over 12,800 people opted for Wicca as their religion – a slight jump from 11,800 in 2011. Separately, the number of people selecting Witchcraft as their religion has fallen from nearly 1,300 in 2011 to under 1,100 in the recent census. The figures show one person selected Witchcraft as their religion in Chesterfield in 2021.

While the witch population has not soared, there has been a 30% rise in pagans - from 56,600 people in 2011 to over 73,700 two years ago. In Chesterfield, 185 people said they were pagan.

Satanism is also on the rise across the nations. Nearly 5,100 people said that they identified as being Satanists in the recent census – more than doubling the bumber from 1,900 a decade prior.

Despite the name, not all Satanists believe in a literal Lucifer or worship Satan. Instead, it is often a metaphor for questioning authority and rejecting mainstream religion. In Chesterfield, 10 people said they were Satanists.