Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The purpose of the project was to provide machine-readable economic and social history statistics relating to the whole of Ireland for the period 1821-1971. Further information about the project is available on the QUB Centre for Data Digitisation and Analysis website.


Main Topics:

The main tables are:
Total population grouped by baronies and gender. Also includes the area of each barony (1821-1891).
Total population grouped by electoral divisions and gender. Also includes the area and valuation of each electoral division (1841-1861).
Total population grouped by poor law unions and gender. Also includes the area and valuation of each poor law unions (1841-1901).
Total population grouped by poor law unions and counties and gender. Also includes the area and valuation of each poor law unions (1841-1901).

Please note: this study does not include information on named individuals and would therefore not be useful for personal family history research.

Dataset population: Persons aged 16 to 74

Daytime/workday population

England and Wales (Workday Population)

Workday population is where the usually resident population is re-distributed to their places of work, while those not in work are recorded at their usual residence.

The workday population of an area is defined as all usual residents aged 16 and above who are in employment and whose workplace is in the area, and all other usual residents of any age who are not in employment but are resident in the area. People who work mainly at or from home or do not have a fixed place of work are included in their area of their usual residence. The following population groups are excluded from the workday population of an area:

• Those living in England and Wales but working in Scotland, Northern Ireland, outside the UK or on offshore installations,
• Those with a place of work in England and Wales but who are not usually resident in England and Wales, and
• Short-term residents

England and Wales (Workplace Population)

Workplace population is where the usually resident population is re-distributed to their main place of work, but those not working are excluded.

Northern Ireland (Daytime Population)

The daytime population of an area is defined as 'All usual residents who are either in employment or full-time students in the area, or not in employment or full-time students but are usually resident in the area'. People who work or study mainly at or from home, or do not have a fixed place of work or study, are included in the area of their usual residence.

The following population groups are excluded from the daytime population of an area:

• Those living in Northern Ireland but working or studying in England, Wales, Scotland, outside the UK or on offshore installations
• Those with a place of work or study in Northern Ireland but who are not usually resident in Northern Ireland
• Short-term residents

Northern Ireland (Workplace Population)

The workplace population of an area is defined as 'All usual residents aged 16 to 74 who are in employment and whose workplace is in the area'. People who work mainly at or from home or do not have a fixed place of work are included in the area of their usual residence.

The following population groups are excluded from the workplace population of an area:

• Those not working the week before 27 March 2011
• Those living in Northern Ireland but working in England, Wales, Scotland, outside the UK or on offshore installations
• Those with a place of work in Northern Ireland but who are not usually resident in Northern Ireland
• Short-term residents

Industry

The industry in which a person aged 16 and over works relates to their main job, and is derived from information provided on the main activity of their employer or business. This is used to assign responses to an industry code based on the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (UK SIC 2007).

National and subnational mid-year population estimates for the UK and its constituent countries by administrative area, age and sex (including components of population change, median age and population density).

Dataset population: Persons

Ethnic group (write-in responses)

Ethnic group classifies people according to their own perceived ethnic group and cultural background.

This topic contains ethnic group write-in responses without reference to the five broad ethnic group categories, e.g. all Irish people, irrespective of whether they are White, Mixed/multiple ethnic groups, Asian/Asian British, Black/African/Caribbean/Black British or Other ethnic group, are in the Irish response category. This topic was created as part of the commissioned table processing.

Description of Data Notes: The estimates are produced using a variety of data sources and statistical models. Therefore small estimates should not be taken to refer to particular individuals. The migration element of the components of change have been largely derived from a data source which is known to be deficient in recording young adult males and outflows from Northern Ireland. Therefore the estimates are subject to adjustment to account for this and, while deemed acceptable for their use, will not provide definitive numbers of the population in the reported groups/areas. Further information is available in the Limitations section of the statistical bulletin: NISRA 2023 Mid-year Population Estimates webpage Time Period Estimates are provided for mid-1971 to mid-2023. Methodology The cohort-component method was used to create the population estimates for 2022. This method updates the Census estimates by 'ageing on' populations and applying information on births, deaths and migration. Further information is available at: NISRA 2023 Mid-year Population Estimates webpage Geographic Referencing Population Estimates are based on a large number of secondary datasets. Where the full address was available, the Pointer Address database was used to allocate a unique property reference number (UPRN) and geo-spatial co-ordinates to each home address. These can then be used to map the address to particular geographies. Where it was not possible to assign a unique property reference number to an address using the Pointer database, or where the secondary dataset contained only postcode information, the Central Postcode Directory was used to map home address postcodes to higher geographies. A small proportion of records with unknown geography were apportioned based on the spatial characteristics of known records. Further Information NISRA Mid-year Population Estimates webpage Contact: NISRA Customer Services 02890 255156 census@nisra.gov.uk Responsible Statistician: Jonathan Harvey

Population estimates relate to the population as of 30th June each year, and therefore are often referred to as mid-year estimates. These population estimates provide population totals for the 4,537 Small Areas in Northern Ireland and therefore can be used as building blocks for population estimates for higher level geographies.

These statistics contain the first results from Census 2021, and provide estimates of the Northern Ireland population by five-year age band and sex, residence type, and the household count with average household size.

Estimates in this release were published in rounded form.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 3 and over in Northern Ireland by main language.

The census collected information on the usually resident population of Northern Ireland on census day (21 March 2021). Initial contact letters or questionnaire packs were delivered to every household and communal establishment, and residents were asked to complete online or return the questionnaire with information as correct on census day. Special arrangements were made to enumerate special groups such as students, members of the Travellers Community, HM Forces personnel etc. The Census Coverage Survey (an independent doorstep survey) followed between 12 May and 29 June 2021 and was used to adjust the census counts for under-enumeration.

This table reports the categories for which there are 10 or more usual residents. Where there are fewer than 10 usual residents for any category, these have been reported in a residual group which may or may not contain 10 or more usual residents in total.

Main language is reported as provided by respondents; those who stated 'Chinese' are recorded as 'Chinese (not otherwise specified)'. If a specific Chinese language has been stated, it is recorded separately.

Quality assurance report can be found here

This data collection contains data primarily from both the 1841 and 1851 Census of Ireland used in Fernihough and Ó Gráda (2022). Also contained, where available, are population counts from the 1821 and 1831 censuses. The data collection also includes an amended version of the Civil Parish Shapefile from townlands.ie (OpenStreetMap Ireland, 2020). Both data sources were adjusted to ensure concordance. The towlands.ie data is open data is open data, licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL). Please contact Alan Fernihough for further details or queries. The “shapefile” files are the GIS files one needs to load the spatial boundaries. The census data is included in the “data.csv” file and one must merge this to the shapefiles to work with these data. However, this is a simple process. The file “load and join.R” is an example of how this could be performed using the R statistical software package.Was early 19th century Ireland overpopulated and fertility at an unsustainable level, or did other factors cause the Great Irish Famine? Did the famine-induced migration to Britain spread infectious diseases and have a substantial impact on British mortality rates? Similarly, what impact did the famine have on the British labour force and economy generally? This research project will answer these questions. The Great Famine was a watershed in global history. It was the last major famine to occur in a Western economy, and had long-run impacts. The enduring legacy of the famine has sparked the interest of numerous novelists and playwrights. Earlier this year, news that media group Channel 4 was considering commissioning a Great Famine-based sitcom stoked an intense public debate. Many felt that this would trivialise the tragedy. The length and breadth of this debate underlined the immense interest that still surrounds the famine. However, the spectrum of opinions as to the causes and consequences of the famine also highlighted the need for further historical research. Let the Data Speak Joel Mokyr's influential 1983 book Why Ireland Starved redefined famine research. Before, famine-related research was largely based on qualitative assessments that left ample room for both conjecture and, rhetoric, and errors. Unlike previous researchers, Mokyr, wanted to let the data decide whether or not it was Ireland's overpopulation that caused the famine. To do this he gathered data on the population density of Irish regions and found that it was Ireland's least densely populated regions that were the ones that suffered worse during the famine. Mokyr's test did not support the overpopulation theory (captured by what is known as the Malthusian model). I hasten to add that the Malthusian model cannot be considered to have been refuted by this finding. For one thing, the possibility that more sophisticated econometric techniques and improved data will reverse the finding cannot be ruled out. (Mokyr, 1983). Whilst striking, Mokyr's analysis was based on variation between relatively few data points (Ireland's 32 counties), as the quote above testifies. This study is motivated by the above quote. Better data (from over 3,000 civil parishes) and more sophisticated econometric techniques exist, and therefore Mokyr's findings can at last be re-evaluated, something this project will do. Mokyr's philosophy of letting the data speak, can also be applied to help uncover some of the Great Famine's consequences. Specifically, this project will quantify the impact that famine-induced migration had on Britain. The famine caused a mass movement of the Irish population to Britain. Before the famine, there were around 430,000 Irish born in Britain. By 1851, the Irish-born population had grown to 730,000. This crisis-driven mass-migration echoes Europe's migration crisis today, as people flea from war-torn and economically desolate nations in Africa and Asia. In this sense, the Great Irish Famine provides a form of historical natural experiment from which we can learn from and gain a greater understanding of the consequences of mass migrations. What effect did the Irish famine have on Britain? This research will use newly available census data (released as part of the ESRC-funded ICeM project) to uncover how the Irish famine influenced the British economy and labour force. For example, did the influx of Irish in certain cities such as Liverpool and Manchester boost demand and help to speed up economic growth, or did this migration depress the wages of locals and therefore stifle economic advancement? In addition, this project will also use newly available records of regional mortality to calculate what impact, if any, the Great Famine had on mortality in England and Wales. If the Irish famine caused elevated levels of mortality, this implies that the ultimate death toll of the Irish famine is underestimated. Parish-level data transcribed from published sources, the official census returns for 1841 and 1851. In addition, to 1821 and 1831 were partially transcribed where they could be satisfactorily matched. Spatial data (shapefiles) were downloaded from townlands.ie. Both the transcribed census returns and the townlands.ie shapefile were amended to ensure concordance between all of the sources. For example, in instances where a civil parish straddled two or more baronies the individual returns for the parish were aggregated to a single data observation, which was then matched to the corresponding townlands.ie spatial polygon. Variables from the 1841 and 1851 censuses are split according to total and rural portions of each parish. The census reports reported the non-rural (towns, villages, etc.) share of each parish separately. In parishes with no non-rural portions (villages, small towns, etc.) the totals for the complete and rural variables will be equal. 58 per cent of parishes fit this criteria.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 3 and over in Northern Ireland who can speak Irish by frequency of speaking Irish. The estimates are as at census day, 21 March 2021.

The census collected information on the usually resident population of Northern Ireland on census day (21 March 2021). Initial contact letters or questionnaire packs were delivered to every household and communal establishment, and residents were asked to complete online or return the questionnaire with information as correct on census day. Special arrangements were made to enumerate special groups such as students, members of the Travellers Community, HM Forces personnel etc. The Census Coverage Survey (an independent doorstep survey) followed between 12 May and 29 June 2021 and was used to adjust the census counts for under-enumeration.

Population Usually Resident and Present in the State who Speak a Language other than English or Irish at Home (Number) by Birthplace, Language Spoken, CensusYear and Age Group

View data using web pages

Download .px file (Software required)

As part of its annual publication of Population Estimates, NISRA produces official migration estimates for Northern Ireland which reflect the estimated flows of people to and from Northern Ireland from 1 July to 30 June each year. These migration estimates are primarily based on changes observed in the Medical Card Register and detail the inflows and outflows by age and gender for those travelling to/from the rest of the UK and areas outside the UK.

Detailed estimates of the numbers of people aged 85 and over, by sex and age.

Source agency: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Population Estimates of Persons Aged 85 and Over (Northern Ireland)

Northern Ireland Small Area Population Estimates - Detailed Figures Includes historical population estimates.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The 1831 Census was the fourth national census to be undertaken in Great Britain. Although the amount of information collected in this census was far less than was to be collected in later years, that of 1831 was the first in which detailed occupational statistics were collected on the employment of males aged 20 and over. The census was also the first in which detailed instructions were given to the enumerators on how they were to count the population.

Main Topics:

This dataset is comprise by a complete transcription of the 1831 census abstracts for the whole of Great Britain and the offshore islands of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man; re-organised according to 1851 registration districts. It forms part of the wider Victorian Census project which aims to digitise nineteenth century census documents and related material, such as vital registration and crime statistics, pertaining to Great Britain and Ireland.

This dataset will not be available until January 2005, but a simplified version of the database can be downloaded from the Victorian Census Project web site:

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/schools/humanities_and_soc_sciences/census/vichome.htm


Please note: this study does not include information on named individuals and would therefore not be useful for personal family history research.

Principal projection for Northern Ireland including population by broad age group, components of change and summary statistics.

The population of the United Kingdom in 2023 was estimated to be approximately 68.3 million in 2023, with almost 9.48 million people living in South East England. London had the next highest population, at over 8.9 million people, followed by the North West England at 7.6 million. With the UK's population generally concentrated in England, most English regions have larger populations than the constituent countries of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which had populations of 5.5 million, 3.16 million, and 1.92 million respectively. English counties and cities The United Kingdom is a patchwork of various regional units, within England the largest of these are the regions shown here, which show how London, along with the rest of South East England had around 18 million people living there in this year. The next significant regional units in England are the 47 metropolitan and ceremonial counties. After London, the metropolitan counties of the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire were the biggest of these counties, due to covering the large urban areas of Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds respectively. Regional divisions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland The smaller countries that comprise the United Kingdom each have different local subdivisions. Within Scotland these are called council areas whereas in Wales the main regional units are called unitary authorities. Scotland's largest Council Area by population is that of Glasgow City at over 622,000, while in Wales, it was the Cardiff Unitary Authority at around 372,000. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, has eleven local government districts, the largest of which is Belfast with a population of around 348,000.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The UK censuses took place on 21st April 1991. They were run by the Census Office for Northern Ireland, General Register Office for Scotland, and the Office of Population and Surveys for both England and Wales. The UK comprises the countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.Statistics from the UK censuses help paint a picture of the nation and how we live. They provide a detailed snapshot of the population and its characteristics, and underpin funding allocation to provide public services. The aggregate data produced as outputs from censuses in Northern Ireland provide information on a wide range of demographic and socio-economic characteristics. They are predominantly a collection of aggregated or summary counts of the numbers of people or households resident in specific geographical areas possessing particular characteristics.Small Area Statistics for Northern Ireland have been made available as a result of a collaborative project between the Census Office for Northern Ireland, ESRC and Queen's University, Belfast. The Small Area Statistics (SAS) for Northern Ireland are the principal digital output from the 1991 Northern Ireland Census. They are broadly similar in structure to the 1991 Great Britain Census. They constitute the most detailed resource of 100 per cent sample socio-demographic data in Northern Ireland, with all variables available at a high level of spatial resolution (Enumeration District).Data can be accessed through CKAN (to bulk download data).

Data generated from interviews about Financial Abuse, with 1,025 older people aged 60 or over, in the respondents home between 27th January and 2nd March 2016. The survey asked 50+ questions, of which 29 were used to calculate a prevalence of Financial Abuse against older people. The sample of older people was representative of the older population by age, gender, location (Council area), and quintile of deprivation. This survey also formed the basis of the "Levels of cold calls and scams of older people in Northern Ireland (December 2016)" report.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates about the religion or religion brought up in of the usual resident population of Northern Ireland. The estimates are as at census day, 21 March 2021. The religion or religion brought up in classification used is a 7-category classification corresponding to the tick box options and write-in responses on the census questionnaire for the religion belong to and the religion brought up in questions.

The census collected information on the usually resident population of Northern Ireland on census day (21 March 2021). Initial contact letters or questionnaire packs were delivered to every household and communal establishment, and residents were asked to complete online or return the questionnaire with information as correct on census day. Special arrangements were made to enumerate special groups such as students, members of the Travellers Community, HM Forces personnel etc. The Census Coverage Survey (an independent doorstep survey) followed between 12 May and 29 June 2021 and was used to adjust the census counts for under-enumeration.