Shetland Islands 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 2,721 Show data context 3,654 Show data context 3,863 Show data context
1881 3,060 Show data context 6,705 Show data context 4,419 Show data context
1931 3,481 Show data context 4,254 Show data context 2,025 Show data context
1971 257 Show data context 151 Show data context 262 Show data context 186 Show data context
1981 403 Show data context 373 Show data context 315 Show data context 114 Show data context
1991 476 Show data context 237 Show data context 312 Show data context 46 Show data context
2001 3,680 Show data context 2,767 Show data context 6,276 Show data context 939 Show data context
2011 8,310 Show data context 3,385 Show data context 7,948 Show data context 1,061 Show data context
2021 5,834 Show data context 3,885 Show data context 7,643 Show data context 1,425 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, Shetland Islands 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/10168326/cube/NS_SEC_4WAY

Date accessed: 03rd June 2026