Scotland's Census

What is the census?

The census is Scotland's biggest population and household survey. The results from the 2011 Census, held on 27 March 2011, helped central and local government decide how billions of pounds of taxes were spent on services everyone needs at a local level.

Who runs the census?

Scotland's Census is organised by National Records of Scotland (NRS), headed by the Registrar General, and overseen by professional statisticians. NRS works with the census offices for England, Wales and Northern Ireland to conduct the census on the same day and to provide comparable census results across the United Kingdom.

What is census data used for?

The key uses of census data are:

To determine local authority funding provided by the Scottish Government

Monitoring trends to help plan for future public service needs

Determining NHS Board funding

Planning major transport projects

For local authority planning of schools, roads, housing and other public facilities

Distributing funds to local communities, such as ethnic or disability groups

Historical data used to research family and community life more than 100 years ago

Funding allocation from the UK Treasury to the Scottish Government

Academic and business research

Where can I get the results from the 2011 Census?

The results from the 2011 Census in Scotland are available on the Scotland's Census website.

What results are available?

All results are being made available at Scotland's Census. The results are provided in various formats including:

Statistical bulletins describing the results and comparisons with 2001

Simple statistical tables detailing the results

Maps and charts to help you understand the results

The Census Data Explorer which allows users to drill down into the detail of the results ar varying levels of geography

Additionally you will find supporting information to help you understand and get the most from the results.

Is there a charge for accessing the 2011 Census results?

No. All census data provided on the website is free for anyone to access. Where there is a requirement to create new tables as 'commissioned outputs' (for example if the specific table is not one of our standard outputs) then there may be a charge for this service.

How can I find out more?

You can find out more about the results and plans relating to the 2011 Census at Scotland's Census.

You can also subscribe via the website to receive regular email updates.

Contact information

Email: [email protected].

Scotland's Census
Room 2/1/1
Ladywell House
Ladywell Road
Edinburgh EH12 7TF