R_AGE_65_up = (AGE_GROUP:65_up * 100.0) / TOT_POP:now
| Data Role | Period Covered | Authority | Source | Details | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1851 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1851 Census of Great Britain, Ages, Table 4 , 'Islands in the British Seas:- Ages of Males and Females enumerated March 31st, 1851' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1851 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1851 Census of Great Britain, Population tables 2, Table [1] , 'Population Abstract' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1861 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1861 Census of Scotland, Ages, Table [5] , 'Ages of the Males and Females in the Town Districts' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1861 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1871 Census of Scotland, Population summary, Table 1 , 'Scotland in Civil Counties and Parishes, showing the Acreage, the number of Families, of Houses Inhabited, Uninhabited, and Building; the number of the total Population and of Persons of each Sex; the number of Children from 5 to 13 years of age in the receipt of Education; the number of Rooms with Windows; the number of Persons temporarily absent or present in each Parish or subdivision thereof on the 3d April 1871. For comparison's sake, there is added the number of Families, Persons of each Sex, Houses, and Rooms, with Windows in 1861' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1871 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1871 Census of Scotland, Ages, Table [2] , 'Ages of the People, distinguishing the Sexes, at every year of life, in each of the Registration Counties' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1871 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1871 Census of Scotland, Population summary, Table 1 , 'Scotland in Civil Counties and Parishes, showing the Acreage, the number of Families, of Houses Inhabited, Uninhabited, and Building; the number of the total Population and of Persons of each Sex; the number of Children from 5 to 13 years of age in the receipt of Education; the number of Rooms with Windows; the number of Persons temporarily absent or present in each Parish or subdivision thereof on the 3d April 1871. For comparison's sake, there is added the number of Families, Persons of each Sex, Houses, and Rooms, with Windows in 1861' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1881 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1881 Census of Scotland, Ages, Table [1] , 'Ages of the Males and Females for every Quinquennial Period of Life, for the Registration Divisions, Counties, and Districts of Scotland' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1881 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1891 Census of Scotland, Ages, Table [1] , 'Ages of the Males and Females for every Quinquennial Period of Life, for the Divisions, Counties, and Civil Parishes of Scotland' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1891 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | [ERROR: authority is ''SRC'' but auth_note value of does not appear in SRC_TAB] | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1911 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1911 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 19 A, 'Conjugal Condition and Age-distribution of Population - Of City or County' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1911 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1911 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 1 , 'Population of Civil Parishes' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1931 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1931 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 21 , 'Quinquennial Age-Groups and Conjugal Condition (All Ages) - All Burghs and Districts of Counties' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1931 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1931 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 1 , 'Population of Burghs, Districts of Counties, and Civil Parishes' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1951 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1951 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 15 , 'Quinquennial age-groups by conjugal condition (all ages)', for 'Burghs, Wards of Cities, Districts of Counties' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1951 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1951 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 1 , 'Comparison of population, density per 100 acres, and houses with 1931', for 'Burghs, Districts of Counties and CPs' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1961 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1961 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 6 , 'Age and Martial Condition', for 'County, LB, SB, Districts of County, NT' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1971 | CASWEB_1971 | Census 1971 data | UK Data Service, Census 1971 data (Tables SAS06 and SAS07) | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| TOT_POP:now | 1971 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1971 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 8 , 'Population by sex, age and marital condition', for 'County, local authority areas' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1981 | CASWEB_1981 | Census 1981 data | UK Data Service, Census 1981 data (Table SAS02: "Age and Marital Status: All Residents) | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 1991 | NOMIS | NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics | Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table S02 Age and marital status: Residents [100%]) | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 2001 | ScotCen | Scotland's Census | National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table CAS001 Age by sex and whether living in household or communal establishment) | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 2011 | ScotCen | Scotland's Census | National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (File LC1117SC.csv within Output_Area_blk.zip) | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| AGE_GROUP:65_up | 2021 | ScotCen | Scotland's Census | National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table UV102b - Age (20) by sex) | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
The proportion of the population aged over 65 was close to 5% in all censuses
from 1851 to 1911, but it then tripled during the 20th century.
In the nineteenth century, the elderly can be seen as a residual, concentrated mainly in rural areas.
In 1851, this meant mainly the rural periphery: the south west, Norfolk and Suffolk, and most of Wales.
The highlands of Scotland, conversely, contained relatively few elderly people due to poor life expectancy.
By 1951, we begin to see a new pattern as people began to expect a lengthy retirement
in which some could live where they pleased.
The elderly themselves became migrants, moving to rural areas and especially to seaside areas.
By the early 21st century, the country was almost ringed by a necklace of districts with over 20% aged over 65.