Notional result of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum by ward (2022)/by Scottish Parliament constituency (2011)/by UK Parliament constituency (2024):
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bINfCngjBxFRnyr3BKFTVnp0WWXr682TRJK0C0G4Txc/edit?usp=sharingMap of results by ward:
Map of results by Scottish Parliament constituency:
Map of results by UK Parliament constituency:
Analysis of results by region:Highlands & IslandsThe No campaign’s best performing wards in the Highlands and Islands were mostly located in peripheral areas – in rural Orkney, Helensburgh and northern Caithness. They took over 60% of the vote in Caithness, Sutherland, Kintyre, Shetland, Orkney, Harris, the Loch Lomond area and the Lochardil and High Drummond areas of Inverness and also performed relatively well in Lewis and topped the poll in eastern Inverness-shire, eastern parts of Ross-shire, Lewis, Bute, Jura, Islay and most of rural Argyllshire.
The Yes campaign’s best ward in the whole of Scotland was Barra in the Western Isles, and they also won over 60% of the vote in Oban, Mull, Tiree, Iona, South Uist and Benbecula in the Hebrides. Wester Ross, Skye, Mid Argyll, Lochaber, Cromarty, Ardersier and central/eastern parts of Inverness were also notionally Yes. The Highlands and Islands was quite uniquely the only part of Scotland where some rural wards voted Yes to independence, and part of this may be due to cultural and historical factors including high rates of Roman Catholicism in Barra, South Uist, Benbecula and Lochaber; higher rates of Gaelic without a corresponding high rate of Protestantism in Skye, Barra, South Uist and Benbecula; historical and economic factors relating to the Highland Clearances; and high rates of deprivation in Fort William, Cromarty and Oban.
Despite reports to the contrary, Inverness City likely rejected independence by 52% No to 48% Yes, as did Helensburgh by a substantial 75% No vote, Lerwick on 62% No, Kirkwall on 61% No and Stornoway on 56% No, while Oban went Yes on approximately 60% of the vote.
GrampianOpposition to independence was strong throughout Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray. Aberdeen’s Lower Deeside ward was the second most No-voting area in Scotland with an 80% No vote, and Hazlehead, Countesswells & Queens Cross ward was the fourth most No-voting area with a 77% No vote. The Royal Deeside area of Aberdeenshire, the suburban village of Westhill and the Airyhall, Garthdee & Broomhill ward in Aberdeen also had strong No votes in excess of 70% No. Over 60% of voters voted No in Lossiemouth, Elgin, Turriff, Stonehaven, Mearns, Kingswells and wards covering the Gordon area of Aberdeenshire (minus the East Garioch ward).
Yes narrowly won the vote in the old fishing town of Buckie and communities south of Peterhead, in addition to more deprived parts of Aberdeen City including Northfield, Seaton & Tillydrone, George Street & Harbour and Nigg & Kincorth, with all remaining wards across Grampian voting No to independence.
TaysideThe result in Tayside was very mixed, with Dundee – Scotland’s ‘Yes City’ according to Alex Salmond – having 3 out of Scotland’s 5 most Yes-voting wards. Most wards in the City are estimated to have voted Yes, ranging from a 71% Yes vote in North East Dundee to a 59% Yes vote in Strathmartine. Northern Perth, Forfar, Carnoustie, Montrose, Pitlochry and Dunkeld also voted Yes in the referendum.
Contrasting this, southern and eastern parts of Perthshire, rural Angus, and suburban parts of Perth and Dundee had No votes in excess of 60%. Kinross-shire had the strongest No vote of 71% No.
The harbour towns of Arbroath and communities leading into the Scottish Highlands from Perth had decidedly mixed results at the independence referendum, with below-average No votes. The city of Perth itself went 56% No.
Ayrshire & ArranNot surprisingly, Ayrshire’s strongest ward for the No campaign was the safely Conservative Ayr West ward, with a 70% No vote. Perhaps more surprisingly was the strong performance No enjoyed in the two wards covering the Cumnock and Doon Valley area which voted in excess of 60% No and contributed to East Ayrshire returning a surprisingly strong vote for No on the night of the referendum count despite being among Scotland’s most deprived communities. The Troon and Kyle wards of South Ayrshire also voted over 60% No, while Yes polled ahead in Irvine, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Ardrossan, Kilmarnock, Irvine Valley and Ayr North.
No’s remaining areas of strength were in the more affluent visitor destinations of Prestwick in South Ayrshire and the North Coast and Isle of Arran in North Ayrshire. The more rural area of Carrick in South Ayrshire is also estimated to have voted 57.5% No to 42.5% Yes.
Of Ayrshire's three main towns, Ayr rejected independence by 56% No to 44% Yes, while Irvine voted 51% Yes and Kilmarnock voted 52% Yes.
LothianNo major settlement in Lothian voted Yes to independence, but the closest results for Yes came in Livingston and Penicuik, which both voted No by just 51% No to a 49% Yes vote. The Yes campaign were however estimated to have won three of Edinburgh’s most deprived wards, namely Leith, Leith Walk and Sighthill & Gorgie.
Contrastingly, the highly affluent Colinton & Fairmilehead and Inverleith wards in Edinburgh and North Berwick Coastal ward in East Lothian returned No votes in excess of 70%. Over 60% of voters voted against independence in wards covering Linlithgow, most of East Lothian, Midlothian East and almost all wards covering central, western and south-western areas of Edinburgh. The No vote was also quite strong in western parts of West Lothian and eastern parts of Midlothian, with a more mixed picture in northern and eastern areas of Edinburgh, southern parts of Midlothian and Musselburgh in East Lothian, but still out in front.
FifeSt Andrews returned Fife’s strongest result for the No campaign at 70% No to 30% Yes, and the surrounding rural wards of Northeast Fife had strong No votes in excess of 60% No.
Just south of this area, the more working-class communities of Glenrothes, Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss voted Yes to independence, with all remaining wards sitting close to the national average of 55% No to 45% Yes.
Of Fife's largest settlements, the city of Dunfermline returned an estimated 56% No vote, while Kirkcaldy had a 53% No vote and Glenrothes had a 54% Yes vote.
Dumfries & GallowayAll wards in Dumfries & Galloway rejected independence, with the best results for No coming in southern and eastern wards of Annandale nearing the English border. Annandale East & Eskdale was Scotland’s second most No-voting ward with an estimated 80% vote against independence.
The No campaign performed well across the council area, with their weakest ward being North West Dumfries which was the only part of Dumfries & Galloway to return a No vote of under 60% No. The town of Dumfries itself returned an estimated 60% No vote.
Scottish BordersLike Dumfries & Galloway, all wards in the Scottish Borders Council area rejected independence, however there was more substantial variance in the vote here compared to Dumfries & Galloway.
Kelso & District ward was Scotland’s most No-voting ward, with an estimated 82% No vote. The Jedburgh & District, Mid Berwickshire and East Berwickshire wards along the Scotland-England border also had sizeable No votes in excess of 70% No. Contrastingly, Galashiels & District ward returned a below-average No vote of 54% No, while Tweeddale East voted 59% No as a result of weaker No votes in the towns of Galashiels, Stow, Innerleithen and Walkerburn.
All remaining wards in the council area had No votes of over 65%.
Greater Glasgow & ClydeThere was a significant divide in the Greater Glasgow area with inner city wards being more inclined towards the Yes campaign, and outer suburban areas voting more strongly against Scottish independence.
The Yes campaign’s best performing wards were in Clydebank just west of Glasgow in the West Dunbartonshire Council area and the Dennistoun area in the east of Glasgow. A majority of wards in Glasgow, Paisley, Dumbarton, Leven, Port Glasgow and Greenock voted Yes in the referendum, and it is also estimated that Renfrew and Alexandria voted Yes to independence.
In contrast, Newton Mearns South & Eaglesham returned a 73% No vote, and there was a strong No performance in Newton Mearns North, Giffnock & Thornliebank, Clarkston, Busby & Netherlee, Bearsden, Milngavie and Bridge of Weir & Bishopton in excess of 60% No, in addition to above-average No votes in Kilmacolm, Houston, Bishopbriggs, Howwood, Inchinnan, Lochwinnoch and Kirkintilloch.
Suburban areas within Glasgow City also voted No by below-average margins, including the city's West End, Shettleston, Bailleston, King's Park, Mount Florida, Mansewood, Pollokshaws and Newlands areas, outweighed by stronger Yes votes throughout the city.
Outwith Glasgow, Yes took Clydebank with 61% of the vote, Port Glasgow with 56% of the vote, Greenock with 53% of the vote, Paisley and Renfrew with 51% of the vote, while No took Newton Mearns with 71% of the vote and Bearsden with 68% of the vote.
LanarkshireThe No vote was strongest in the far-south of Lanarkshire in the Clydesdale and Larkhall areas, in addition to the suburban areas of Bothwell & Uddingston and East Kilbride West on the outskirts of Glasgow, and the former mining communities based around Kilsyth and Shotts on the periphery of the county, where the No campaign polled around 60% of the vote.
The Yes campaign's best wards were Cumbernauld East and Coatbridge South, and the corresponding towns of Cumbernauld and Coatbridge voted 58% Yes and 56% Yes respectively. Motherwell also returned a 53% Yes vote and Cambuslang went 54% Yes, while Airdrie and Wishaw went 51% No, Hamilton was 52% No, East Kilbride and Rutherglen were 53% No.
Forth ValleyDollar, Clackmannan, Bridge of Allan and Dunblane were located in the two strongest wards for No in Forth Valley, with a 65% No vote in both Clackmannanshire East and Bridge of Allan & Dunblane wards. The No campaign also had strong returns in Stirling West, Trossachs & Teith and Forth & Endrick ward in the Stirling council area in excess of 60% of the vote, in addition to winning Falkirk South, Lower Braes and Upper Braes wards in Falkirk council area with 58-59% of the vote.
Denny & Banknock was the best performing ward for Yes with a 53% Yes vote, with nearby Falkirk North and Grangemouth wards also going narrowly for independence alongside the Clackmannanshire Southern ward, covering the southern part of Alloa.
The city of Stirling had an estimated 56% No vote, while Alloa went 51% No and Falkirk 53% No.
AccreditationThank you to
afleitch for allowing me to use his maps to present the data and
Pete Whitehead for reviewing the colour scheme of the maps.
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