The Census is the most reliable source for ethnicity data, which is not collected in Scotland’s Mid-Year Population Estimates (though it does present data on country of origin).
In 2011, the most diverse wards in Aberdeen City were Tillydrone/ Seaton/ Old Aberdeen and Torry/ Ferryhill, where 33% and 23% of the population were ethnic minorities. Overall, Aberdeen City was more ethnically diverse than Scotland as a whole, with 2-3 times more people with Polish, ‘other white,’ Asian, and mixed backgrounds; and nearly 4 times more Africans than Scotland as a whole.
The most diverse wards in Aberdeenshire and Moray were Fraserburgh and District (10.5% ethnic minorities), Peterhead North and Rattray (9.9%), and Elgin City South (6.7%) and North (6.3%). Most of the ethnic minorities in these wards were of Eastern European origin.
Grampian Population Ethnicity Data, 2011
| Ethnic Group | Number | % |
| All people | 569,061 | 100% |
| White: Scottish | 448,133 | 79% |
| White: Other British | 64,891 | 11% |
| White: Irish | 3,805 | 1% |
| White: Gypsy/Traveller | 533 | 0.1% |
| White: Polish | 11,036 | 2% |
| White: Other White | 17,692 | 3% |
| Mixed or multiple ethnic groups | 2,491 | 0.4% |
| Asian, Asian Scottish/British | 12,155 | 2% |
| African, African Scottish/British | 5,620 | 1% |
| Caribbean, Black, or Caribbean/Black Scottish/British | 914 | 0.2% |
| Other ethnic groups | 1,791 | 0.3% |
Data Source: 2011, Scotland’s Census, Table KS201SC.