Ethnic group of household reference person

The ethnic group of the Household Reference Person (HRP).

HRPs provide an individual person within a household to act as a reference point for producing further derived statistics and for characterising a whole household according to characteristics of the chosen reference person.

Total number of categories 18

Question 23 - What is your ethnic group?
 Choose ONE section from A to F, then tick ONE box which best describes your ethnic group or background

• A - White
  • Scottish
  • Other British
  • Irish
  • Polish
  • Gypsy / Traveller
  • Roma
  • Showman / Showwoman
  • Other white ethnic group, please write in
• B Mixed or multiple ethnic groups
  • Any mixed or multiple ethnic groups, please
    write in
• C Asian, Scottish Asian or British Asian
  • Pakistani, Scottish Pakistani or British
    Pakistani
  • Indian, Scottish Indian or British Indian
  • Bangladeshi, Scottish Bangladeshi or British
    Bangladeshi
  • Chinese, Scottish Chinese or British Chinese
  • Other, please write in
• D African, Scottish African or British African
  • Please write in (for example, NIGERIAN,
    SOMALI)
• E Caribbean or Black
  • Please write in (for example, SCOTTISH
    CARIBBEAN, BLACK SCOTTISH)
• F Other ethnic group
  • Arab, Scottish Arab or British Arab
  • Other, please write in (for example, SIKH, JEWISH)

Whilst the main ethnic group categories have not changed from the question asked in Census 2011, some of the detailed response options and write-in prompts for Scotland's Census 2022 were changed based on stakeholder engagement and subsequent question testing. More information on this is available in our developing census questions webpage.

In 2022, only one tick box was available for African or Caribbean/Black ethnicities. In 2011 there were two (for African) and three (for Caribbean/Black).  This has led to large increases in ‘Other African’ and ‘Other Caribbean/Black’ between 2011 and 2022. We advise that users compare the sum of all African or Caribbean/Black categories when comparing 2011 and 2022 data. 

There were also some changes made to the tick-boxes under the White category since the 2011 census. This included the addition of a tick-box for showman/showwoman and one for Roma. These changes mean that the data for Gypsy/Traveller are not fully comparable with data from the 2011 census. This is because many people in the showman/showwoman ethnic group and some in the Roma category in 2022 may have ticked Gypsy/Traveller in 2011.

Following feedback from stakeholders, the 2022 census questionnaire included a tick box for the ethnicity ‘White: Roma’. During quality assurance, we found a higher proportion of individuals born in Italy identifying as Roma than expected. Around 36.5% of the Roma population reported their county of birth as Italy, compared with only 19.1% born in Romania, the second most common country of birth. In total, this amounts to 1,200 people born in Italy out of the total 3,200 Roma population. Also, the distribution of Roma by local authority was different to our expectations of the Roma population being highly concentrated in Glasgow City. Only 28.1% of the Roma population are in Glasgow City, fewer than the 28.3% in City of Edinburgh. We believe the box may have been ticked in error by individuals born in Rome, Italy but cannot conclusively determine what proportion of individuals may have inadvertently ticked the wrong ethnicity, as some are likely to be people who would be considered part of the Roma ethnic group. We have decided to publish this data despite this quality issue, but we recommend that users consider this when interpreting results for the Roma population.

The question asked in England & Wales (2021) was similar, however the response options were presented differently. The question in England & Wales asked:

"What is your ethnic group?

Choose one section from A to E, then tick one box to best describe your ethnic group or background

• A - White
  • English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British
  • Irish
  • Polish
  • Gypsy or Irish Traveller
  • Roma
  • Any other white background, write in
• B Mixed or multiple ethnic groups
  • White and Black Caribbean
  • White and Black African
  • White and Asian
  • Any other Mixed or Multiple background, write in
• C Asian or Asian British
  • Indian
  • Pakistani
  • Bangladeshi
  • Chinese
  • Any other Asian background, write in
• D Black, Black British, Caribbean or African
  • Caribbean
  • African background, write in
  • Any other Black, Black British or Caribbean background, write in
• E Other Ethnic Background
  • Arab
  • Any other ethnic group, write in"

The Household Reference Person (HRP) has their ethnic group classified according to their own perceived ethnic group and cultural background.

Total number of categories 20

ETHNICID_S (Derived variable)

HRPPUK11 (Derived variable)

SIZHUK11 (Derived variable)

This derived variable classifies a household according to the ethnic group of the Household Reference Person (HRP).

Total number of categories 0

For codes, see Ethnic group - ETHPUK

Not applicable category comprises: All household spaces with no residents