Estimates vary depending on whether you mean Moroccan-born people , Moroccan nationals , or people of Moroccan origin in France. A commonly cited estimate is about 1.5 million people of Moroccan origin , while the 2011 census figure for Moroccan-born residents was 433,026.

Why the numbers differ

  • Moroccan-born counts people born in Morocco who live in France.
  • Moroccan nationals counts people who still hold Moroccan citizenship.
  • Moroccan origin/descent is broader and can include people born in France to Moroccan parents or grandparents.

Recent context

Recent reporting based on INSEE data says Moroccans remain one of the largest foreign communities in France, with figures around 900,000 foreign residents of Moroccan nationality in newer estimates, though these are not the same as all people of Moroccan descent. Older summary estimates place the Moroccan diaspora in France at about 1.146 million.

Practical takeaway

If you want a single headline number for “people of Moroccan descent in France,” about 1.5 million is a fair broad estimate, but it is not a precise official census count.