More than 2.8 million people in Scotland say they have no religion, according to the newest census with data from 2022.

The growth of the non-religious (often called ‘nones’) is very clear compared to the two previous censuses. Those with “no religion” represented 27.5% of the population in 2001, 36.7% in 2011, and 51.1% in 2022.

All age groups see increases in the ‘nones’ category. Among those aged 65 or more, the non-religious more than doubled in the last decade, with an increase of 186,700 people (from 14% in 2011 to 29% in 2022).

In Scotland, men (54%) are more likely to say they have no religion than women (49%). This was also the case in in 2011 and 2001.

Church of Scotland loses half of its adherents in 20 years

The 2022 census shows that the largest religious denomination, the Church of Scotland, is also the one losing most adherents. Only 20.4% said they belong to Scotland’s ‘Kirk’ (down from 32.4% in 2011 and from 42.4% in 2001).

Roman Catholics represented 13.3% (15.8% in 2011).

The category of “other Christians” (which includes free evangelical Christians) represented 5.1% of the population (compared to 5.5% in 2011).

Muslims are 2.2% of the population with a strong increase of 43,000 adherents since 2011, when they represented 1.5% of the population.

Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jews account for less than 1% of the population.