The re-based 1991 population estimates by marital status

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Population Statistics
• Vital Statistics

Background:

• The Office for National Statistics (ONS) initially released provisional 1991 population estimates by legal marital status.
• These provisional figures were based on a marital status distribution updated from the 1981 Census.

Purpose of the Study:

• To revise the 1991 population estimates by incorporating detailed marital status information from the 1991 Census.
• To assess the impact of these revisions on marriage, divorce, and mortality rates across single years of age.

Main Methods:

• Re-basing population estimates using updated marital status distributions from the 1991 Census.
• Comparative analysis of provisional versus final re-based estimates.
• Examination of demographic rates (marriage, divorce, mortality) by age.

Main Results:

• Final estimates showed a 7% increase in widowed men and a 2% increase in widowed women compared to provisional figures.
• Estimates for divorced men decreased by 2% and for divorced women by 3%.
• Remarriage rates for men aged 50-59 (divorced or widowed) increased, while mortality rates for single and divorced men over 70 also rose.

Conclusions:

• The incorporation of 1991 Census data significantly refined population estimates by marital status.
• Revisions impacted demographic rates, particularly for older male populations and remarriage trends.
• Accurate population estimates are crucial for understanding trends in marriage, divorce, and mortality.