Shetland Islands Council :
Total Population

Total Population

Data cube chart.

Year Population 10 years earlier Current Total Population
1801 22,379 Show data context
1811 22,379 Show data context 22,915 Show data context
1821 22,915 Show data context 26,145 Show data context
1831 26,145 Show data context 29,392 Show data context
1841 29,392 Show data context 30,558 Show data context
1851 30,558 Show data context 31,078 Show data context
1861 31,078 Show data context 31,670 Show data context
1871 31,670 Show data context
1881 29,705 Show data context
1891 29,705 Show data context
1911 27,911 Show data context
1921 27,911 Show data context 25,520 Show data context
1931 25,520 Show data context 21,421 Show data context
1941 21,421 Show data context
1951 19,352 Show data context
1961 19,352 Show data context 17,812 Show data context
1971 17,812 Show data context 16,501 Show data context
1981 16,501 Show data context 22,739 Show data context
1991 22,739 Show data context 22,440 Show data context
2001 22,440 Show data context 21,988 Show data context
2011 23,167 Show data context
2021 22,985 Show data context
Date Source
1801 - 1851 1851 Census of Great Britain, Population tables 2, Table [1] , 'Population Abstract'
1811 - 2001 Census of Population
1861 1861 Census of Scotland, Ages, Table [5] , 'Ages of the Males and Females in the Town Districts'
1881 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'
1911 1911 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 19 A, 'Conjugal Condition and Age-distribution of Population - Of City or County'
1921 1931 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 1 , 'Population of Burghs, Districts of Counties, and Civil Parishes'
1931 1931 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 21 , 'Quinquennial Age-Groups and Conjugal Condition (All Ages) - All Burghs and Districts of Counties'
1951 1951 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 15 , 'Quinquennial age-groups by conjugal condition (all ages)', for 'Burghs, Wards of Cities, Districts of Counties'
1961 1961 Census of Scotland, County Report, Table 6 , 'Age and Martial Condition', for 'County, LB, SB, Districts of County, NT'
1971 UK Data Service, Census 1971 data (Tables SAS06 and SAS07)
1981 UK Data Service, Census 1981 data (Table SAS02: "Age and Marital Status: All Residents)
1991 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table S02 Age and marital status: Residents [100%])
2001 National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table CAS001 Age by sex and whether living in household or communal establishment)
2011 National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (File LC1117SC.csv within Output_Area_blk.zip)
2021 National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table UV102b - Age (20) by sex)

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nCube definition


Total population at this Census, and for previous censuses. Where the latter appear, they are for the same area, so if there had been boundary changes they will differ from the population given for the same reporting unit by the previous census.


How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Shetland Islands through time | Population Statistics | Total Population, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10168326/cube/TOT_POP

Date accessed: 08th November 2025