Orkney Islands (Council) through time

Orkney Islands Council

Statistical comparisons will be made with Great Britain (change comparison)

Densities and rates of growth. Age structure: concentrations of young people, and of the old.

How people made their living: identifying farming communities, pit villages, mill towns and so on.

Social class and socio-economic groups. Concentrations of professionals, and of unskilled labourers.

How many people were at school. The distribution of graduates, and of the unqualified.

Numbers of babies born. Deaths, especially infant deaths. Causes of death by age and gender.

Unemployment rates and poor relief. What proportions of men and of women did paid work?

Numbers of houses. Overcrowding: persons per room. Amenities: central heating, baths and WCs.

Numbers going to church, and the kinds of churches they went to. The different religions of modern Britain.

Alternative names

The following alternate names for this unit exist:

Name	Status	Language	Start	End	Authority
ORKNEY ISLANDS	Preferred	English			Census of Population (2001 Key Statistics)
00RA	Code: Office for National Statistics	English			Census of Population (2001 Key Statistics)

Lower level units

This unit contained the following units:

Name	Type	Authority
KIRKWALL	Built-up Area	National Records of Scotland, National Records of Scotland web site (2022 Census Settlement boundaries)
EAST MAINLAND SOUTH RONALDSAY AND BURRAY	Modern (2024) Ward	Office for National Statistics, Open Geography Portal (Wards (December 2024) Boundaries UK)
KIRKWALL EAST	Modern (2024) Ward	Office for National Statistics, Open Geography Portal (Wards (December 2024) Boundaries UK)
KIRKWALL WEST AND ORPHIR	Modern (2024) Ward	Office for National Statistics, Open Geography Portal (Wards (December 2024) Boundaries UK)
NORTH ISLES	Modern (2024) Ward	Office for National Statistics, Open Geography Portal (Wards (December 2024) Boundaries UK)
STROMNESS AND SOUTH ISLES	Modern (2024) Ward	Office for National Statistics, Open Geography Portal (Wards (December 2024) Boundaries UK)
WEST MAINLAND	Modern (2024) Ward	Office for National Statistics, Open Geography Portal (Wards (December 2024) Boundaries UK)

Other related units

We know of no associations with other units.

Higher level units

This unit was part of the following units:

Name	Type	Start	End	Authority
SCOTLAND Dep	Country			Census of Population (2001 Key Statistics)

Boundaries and changes

We know of no boundary changes affecting this unit.

Base layer:

Show boundary:

If the boundaries of the District/Unitary Authority changed over time, this map will show all the different boundaries.

Maps Census reports

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Orkney Islands (Council) through time, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10197247

Date accessed: 18th November 2025