South Ayrshire Council : NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way)

NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way)

Data cube chart.

Year Higher managerial, administrative & professional occupations Intermediate occupations Routine & manual occupations Never worked & long-term unemployed
1841 2,687 Show data context 11,171 Show data context 10,143 Show data context
1881 5,326 Show data context 19,557 Show data context 12,055 Show data context
1931 5,834 Show data context 23,212 Show data context 12,199 Show data context
1971 2,401 Show data context 1,632 Show data context 1,206 Show data context 744 Show data context
1981 2,714 Show data context 1,482 Show data context 1,246 Show data context 583 Show data context
1991 2,627 Show data context 1,013 Show data context 1,085 Show data context 181 Show data context
2001 20,146 Show data context 11,723 Show data context 23,807 Show data context 8,318 Show data context
2011 43,581 Show data context 17,400 Show data context 31,026 Show data context 9,693 Show data context
2021 32,309 Show data context 20,136 Show data context 30,386 Show data context 11,731 Show data context
Date Source
1841 [ERROR: authority is ''SRC'' but auth_note value of does not appear in SRC_TAB]
1881 1881 Census of Scotland, Ages, Table [32] , 'Occupations of Males and Females at different Ages in each of the Counties of Scotland'
1931 1931 Census of Scotland, Occupations, Table 16 , 'Industries of Males and Females in Cities, Counties, and Large Burghs'
1971 UK Data Service, Census 1971 data (Table SAS23: "SEG and economic position (10% Sample): Economically Active residents")
1981 UK Data Service, Census 1981 data (SAS50: "Socio-Economic group and economic positions (10% Sample): Economically active residents")
1991 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table S92 "SEG and economic position (10% sample): Economically active residents)
2001 National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table UV31, NS-SeC (51 way))
2011 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table QS607UK - NS-SeC)
2021 National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table UV607, NS-SeC, for "all people aged 16 and over")

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nCube definition


Here we simplify the National Statistics Socio-economic Classfication into just four analytic categories, which we try to present over a very long period. Note that up to 1991 the census focused on levels of "skill", and on whether work was "manual", but since 2001 the focus has instead been on whether work was "routine", making comparisons difficult.


How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, South Ayrshire Council through time | Historical Statistics on Social Structure | NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way), A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10039733/cube/NS_SEC_4WAY

Date accessed: 08th April 2026