Wales Government Region :
NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way)

NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way)

Data cube chart.

Year Higher managerial, administrative & professional occupations Intermediate occupations Routine & manual occupations Never worked & long-term unemployed
1841 59,579 Show data context 181,555 Show data context 130,082 Show data context
1881 139,001 Show data context 507,386 Show data context 245,253 Show data context
1931 179,376 Show data context 549,989 Show data context 348,540 Show data context
1971 46,428 Show data context 40,853 Show data context 35,136 Show data context 22,424 Show data context
1981 54,628 Show data context 37,819 Show data context 35,400 Show data context 17,476 Show data context
1991 56,214 Show data context 25,098 Show data context 31,603 Show data context 4,863 Show data context
2001 455,578 Show data context 312,572 Show data context 622,414 Show data context 229,671 Show data context
2011 1,053,645 Show data context 478,564 Show data context 827,156 Show data context 325,152 Show data context
2021 758,459 Show data context 554,322 Show data context 832,629 Show data context 413,919 Show data context
Date Source
1841 - 2021 Great Britain Historical GIS Project

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nCube definition


Here we simplify the National Statistics Socio-economic Classfication into just four analytic categories, which we try to present over a very long period. Note that up to 1991 the census focused on levels of "skill", and on whether work was "manual", but since 2001 the focus has instead been on whether work was "routine", making comparisons difficult.


How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Wales through time | Social Structure Statistics | NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way), A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/13146123/cube/NS_SEC_4WAY

Date accessed: 10th November 2025