2001 United Kingdom census

A nationwide census, called Census 2001, happened in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK census. It counted how many people lived there and found out they were 58,789,194.

The 2001 UK census was organised by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in England and Wales, the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). The census helped leaders and planners learn where people lived, their ages, jobs, and other important details. Detailed results by region, council area, ward and output area are available on their websites. This information is useful for making decisions about schools, hospitals, and services for everyone.

Organisation

The 2001 census in the United Kingdom was organized by three groups: the Office for National Statistics, the General Register Office for Scotland, and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. People filled out forms and sent them by mail. Most people returned their forms this way. Staff helped those who did not send them back.

The census happened during a hard time because of a disease in animals, but it still collected important information. Many people worked to make sure everything was recorded correctly.

Enumeration

The 2001 United Kingdom census aimed to count everyone living in the country. Most people filled out their forms. In England and Wales, about 94% of people responded. In Scotland, it was 96.1%, and in Northern Ireland, it was 95.2%. A few areas had lower response rates, like Kensington and Chelsea at 64%, and Hackney at 72%, both in London. Workers and follow-up surveys helped make sure everyone was counted.

One Number Census

The 2001 census used a method called the One Number Census. This method helped make the numbers better by fixing missing answers. It used information from a survey of 320,000 households to get a more accurate count of how many people lived in the UK.

Religion

For the first time in Great Britain, the 2001 census asked people about their religion. This happened because of a change in the law called the Census (Amendment) Act 2000. Many people joked and said their religion was Jedi, known as the Jedi census phenomenon.

Most people in the UK said they were Christian. Other religions included Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, and Buddhist. Some people said they had no religion, and some did not answer the question.

Ethnicity

The 2001 United Kingdom census asked people to describe their ethnicity by choosing from several groups. These included White (such as British, Irish, or other White), Mixed (like White and Black Caribbean or White and Asian), Asian or Asian British (including Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, or other Asian), Black or Black British, and Chinese or other ethnic groups.

People in England and Wales who chose "other ethnic group" could write in their own description. Many wrote down specific backgrounds such as Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese, Arab, or North African. In addition, for the first time, people in Cornwall could mark themselves as Cornish on the census form. Many people in Cornwall chose this option, showing a strong Cornish identity.