This webinar provided an introduction to 2011 Census geography. It discussed key differences between the 2011 Census and previous censuses, including that 97.4% of output areas changed. It also covered new aspects like workplace zones geography and standardized identifiers. The webinar demonstrated Census Support tools for accessing and mapping UK census data through the UK Data Service.

1. An introduction to
2011 Census geography
James Crone
Webinar
17 May 2013

2. Welcome
An introduction…
James Crone
UK Data Service
EDINA GeoServices
University of Edinburgh

3. This webinar is one in a series to launch the UK Data Service:
•An introduction to data available from the UK Data Service
MONDAY 13 May 2013
•Broadening access: Improving the impact of social data
TUESDAY 14 May 2013
•Looking after and managing your research data
WEDNESDAY 15 May 2013
•UnDISCOVERed riches: Finding and accessing data via the UK Data
Service
THURSDAY 16 May 2013
•An introduction to 2011 census geography
FRIDAY 17 May 2013
Welcome

4. What is the UK Data Service?
• a comprehensive resource funded by the ESRC
• a single point of access to a wide range of secondary
social science data
• support, training and guidance

5. Who is it for?
• academic researchers and students
• government analysts
• charities and foundations
• business consultants
• independent research centres
• think tanks
ukdataservice.ac.uk

6. What is Census Support?
• access to, and user support for, data from the last five
UK population censuses (1971 – 2011)
• download of data through Census Support is currently
restricted to UK Academic users
census.ukdataservice.ac.uk

7. Poll
Have you used census data before?
• No
• Yes, for the UK
• Yes, for outside the UK

8. The 2011 Census and
census geography

9. What is a census?
“The total process of collecting, compiling, evaluating,
analysing and publishing demographic, economic and
social data pertaining at a specified time, to all persons
in a country or well delimited parts of the country”
United Nations (1998)

10. The census in the UK
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

11. Household census questions
• accommodation type – house or flat?
• own or rent?
• how many rooms?

12. Individual census questions
• male or female?
• age?
• country of birth?
• health?

13. What sort of output data is produced?

14. Output census data is geographic

15. Geographical visualisation / analysis
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

16. Census Output Areas
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

17. Making 2011 output areas
• use where possible 2001 output areas
• built from aggregations of postcodes
• have roughly similar-sized populations
• group together socially similar households
• align with local authority boundaries
• align to road centrelines and railways

18. 2011 Census geography hierarchy
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

19. Different geographic scales
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

20. Poll
Which years have you used UK census data for?
• 1971
• 1981
• 1991
• 2001
• 2011

21. 5 key differences in
2011 Census geography

22. Difference #1: output area change

23. 97.4%
How much output area change?

24. What kind of output area change
(in Leeds)?
Map created by Alex Singleton
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

25. Difference # 2 : open data
You are free to:
• Copy, publish, distribute and transmit the Information
• Adapt the Information
• Exploit the Information commercially
You must, where you do any of the above:
• Acknowledge the source of the information
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

26. Difference #3: workplaces
• Introduction of a Workplace Zones Geography in 2011

27. Workplace zones vs. output areas
Contains National Statistics data ©
Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data ©
Crown Copyright and database right 2012

28. Difference # 4: identifiers

29. Entities + Instances = standard identifers
E00126679 E07000118

30. Difference # 5: boundary versions

31. Extent of the Realm boundaries
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

32. Clipped boundaries
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

33. Clipped = more familiar maps
EOR Clipped
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

34. Generalised boundaries
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

35. Generalised = reduced file size
Ungeneralised Generalised
125 MB450 MB
Contains National Statistics data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2012

36. 2011 Census data in
UK Data Service Census Support

37. UK Data Service Census Support

38. Poll
Which Census Support applications
have you used before?
• InFuse / Casweb
• Easy Download / Boundary Data Selector
• GeoConvert
• Postcode Directory Download

39. Census Support InFuse

40. Census Support Boundary Data Selector

41. Census Support Thematic Mapper

42. More information

43. Census2011Geog Project
census2011geog.census.ac.uk

44. Census Support Help
ukdataservice.ac.uk/help

45. Forthcoming Census Support training
http://goo.gl/RpYNA