Scotland’s Census 2011

Census Geographies Guide

What is a census geography?

A geography is a pre-defined physical area of

Scotland that you can view census results for.

The smallest geography that census data is

produced at is called the Output Area or ‘OA’.

All the other types of census geography are

created by combining Output Areas together.

They are the ‘building blocks’ of all other

geographies.

What is an Output Area?

An Output Area is created by grouping together postcodes.

There are 4,322 Output Areas in the City of Edinburgh Council Area,

and 46,351 across Scotland.

A single Output Area contains at least 50 people and 20 households,

but can contain more.

The 2011 Output Area that contains Edinburgh

Castle, ‘S00103329’

• Built from 11 postcodes: EH1 - 1ND, 1PG,

1PQ, 1PS, 1PT, 1PW, 2JU, 2LP, 2LU, 2NG, 2NH

• had a resident population of 103

• and 57 households

Size and shape of Output Areas can vary.

What are the different geographies?

There are various different categories of census geography, but all are

constructed using Output Areas as their building blocks.

Administrative

Council Area

Electoral

Electoral Ward

UK Parliamentary Constituency

Scottish Parliamentary Constituency

Scottish Parliamentary Region

Health Community Health Partnership Health Board Area

Other

SNS Datazone

Local Characteristic Postcode Sector

Detailed Characteristic Postcode Sector

Settlement

Locality

Civil Parish

Island Group

National Park

As well as the other census

geographies, all statistics are also

available for Scotland as a whole.

In 2011 Scotland had

• a population of 5,295,403

• 2,372,777 occupied households

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Council Area is the only geography produced as

exact-fit. 32 Council Areas were established

across the whole of Scotland in 1996. Their

councils form the single tier of local government

in Scotland.

In 2011 ‘The City of Edinburgh’ Council Area had

• a resident population of 476,626

• and 223,051 occupied households

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In Scotland, each Council Area contains a number

of Electoral Wards. There are 353 Electoral Wards

in Scotland. Voters in each of these Electoral

Wards elect councillors to the local council.

In 2011 the City of Edinburgh ‘City Centre’

Electoral Ward had

• a resident population of 24,150

• and 11,833 occupied households

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The UK Parliamentary Constituency is the area

used to elect a single Member of Parliament

(MP) to the UK Parliament at Westminster. There

are 650 across the UK, and 59 in Scotland.

In 2011 the UK Parliamentary Constituency

containing Edinburgh Castle ‘Edinburgh East’ had

• a resident population of 95,314

• and 44,971 occupied households

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Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies are used

to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament

(MSPs). There are 73 Scottish Parliamentary

Constituencies .

In 2011 the Scottish Parliamentary Constituency

of ‘Edinburgh Central’ had

• a resident population of 83,867

• and 41,269 occupied households

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Scottish Parliamentary Regions are groups of

Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies used to

elect 56 ‘additional’ Members of the Scottish

Parliament (MSPs). There are 8 Scottish

Parliamentary Regions and each elects 7 MSPs.

In 2011 the Scottish Parliamentary Region of

‘Lothian’ had

• a resident population of 729,918

• and 329,783 occupied households

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Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) were

introduced in 2006 as a second tier of health

administration in Scotland. CHPs play a key role

in improving health and reducing inequalities.

They report to the Scottish Health Boards. There

are 34 CHPs in Scotland.

In 2011 the ‘Edinburgh’ CHP had

• a resident population of 476,626

• and 223,051 occupied households

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The 14 Health Board Areas (HBAs) are

responsible for local health care in Scotland. They

report to the Scottish Government. Whole

Council Areas fit into HBAs exactly for HBA 2014.

In 2011 the ‘Lothian’ HBA:

• had a resident population of 834,648

• had 374,332 occupied households

• contained the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian,

West Lothian, and East Lothian, Council Areas

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2011 SNS Data Zones are groups of 2011 Census Output Areas. Data zones have populations of between 500 and 1,000 household residents

Scotland is divided into 6,976 Data Zones which are the main geography used for small area statistics. They were first created in 2004 by combining 2001 Census Output Areas, as a way to monitor and develop policy at small area level. Each Data Zone has approximately the same population (750), but because they are population based they can vary greatly in size of area.

The 2011 Data Zone of ‘Edinburgh Castle’ had • a resident population of 732 • and 476 occupied households

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Postcode Sectors are the next hierarchical level above

the individual postcode. For example, if the individual

postcode is EH1 2LP, then that postcode falls within

sector EH1 2. There are 1,131 postcode sectors in

Scotland but no census data is actually produced for true

postcode sectors.

In order to reach the required threshold to publish

census statistics, some postcode sectors are grouped

together. This means there are only 1,012 Local

Characteristic Postcode Sectors in Scotland.

In 2011 the Local Characteristic Postcode Sector of

‘EH1 2’ had

• a resident population of 2,026

• and 1,064 occupied households

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There is a second type of a postcode sector geography called Detailed Characteristic Postcode Sector. This further groups together Scotland’s 1,131 postcode sectors to reach the required thresholds for publishing more detailed census statistics.

This means there are only 866 Detailed Characteristic Postcode Sectors in Scotland.

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A Settlement and its boundaries are defined by

the following criteria:

• A group of high density postcodes

• Separated from other settlements by low

density postcodes

• The population rounds to at least 500 people

There were 502 such Settlements in Scotland in

2010.

The Settlement of ‘Edinburgh’ is a large cluster

of high density postcodes. In 2011 this area had

• a resident population of 482,005

• and 225,993 occupied households

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A Locality is a group of high density postcodes

within a Settlement. They sub-divide large

settlements into more manageable areas. There

were 629 Localities in Scotland in 2010.

The Locality of ‘Edinburgh’ is a large cluster of

high density postcodes within the Settlement of

‘Edinburgh’. In 2011 this area had

• a resident population of 459,366

• and 215,822 occupied households

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From 1845 to 1930, Civil Parishes formed part of

Scotland’s local government system. Although

Civil Parishes lost their former administrative

function in 1929, Census data has been produced

for these areas for all Censuses from 1891.

Although the Civil Parishes had their origins in

the ecclesiastical parishes, It is important to note

that the boundaries of the Civil Parishes and the

ecclesiastical parishes are not the same. There

are 861 Civil Parishes in Scotland that census

data is produced for.

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At the time of the census, there were 110 islands

known to receive mail of which 93 were recorded

as having at least one resident during enumeration.

The process of creating Output Areas resulted in

the smaller islands (in terms of population)

becoming merged with neighbouring islands.

Census output is produced for 56 islands groups

that meet the confidentiality thresholds for census

statistics.

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There are 2 National Parks in Scotland:

• The Cairngorms National Park

• Loch Lomond & The Trossochs National Park

Their boundaries are not constrained by any

other geography, i.e. a National Park can cross

Council Area boundaries.

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