There were 50,000 black English in the 1500s who could trace their ancestry back far enough that even under virtually absolute monarchy they couldn't legally be deported. There were Anglo-Indian gentry in the 18th-19th century, there were black suburbs in nineteenth century London etc. We've always taken people in like you say. Farages' ****ing great grandfather was German and his fathers family is descended from Huguenots (hence the name) who came here in the 17th century.