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Progress of Cremation in the BRITISH ISLANDS

1885 - 2023

 

 

    ENGLAND, WALES, ISLE OF MAN, CHANNEL ISLANDS SCOTLAND N.IRELAND BRITISH ISLES
Year No. of crematoria in United Kingdom Number of Deaths+ Number of Cremations Percentage Cremated Number of Deaths+ Number of Cremations Percentage Cremated Number of Deaths+ Number of Cremations Percentage Cremated Number of Deaths+ Number of Cremations Percentage Cremated
1885* 1 522,750 3 - 74,607 - - - - - 597,357 3 -
1886 1 537,276 10 - 73,640 - - - - - 610,916 10 -
1887 1 530,758 13 - 74,546 - - - - - 605,304 13 -
1888 1 510,971 28 0.01 71,174 - - - - - 582,145 28 -
1889 1 518,353 46 0.01 73,238 - - - - - 591,591 46 0.01
1890 1 562,248 54 0.01 79,004 - - - - - 641,252 54 0.01
1891 1 587,925 99 0.02 83,573 - - - - - 671,498 99 0.01
1892 2 559,684 107 0.02 75,545 - - - - - 635,229 107 0.02
1893 2 569,958 131 0.02 79,670 - - - - - 649,628 131 0.02
1894 2 498,827 172 0.03 71,113 - - - - - 569,940 172 0.03
1895 3 568,997 208 0.04 81,852 1 - - - - 650,849 209 0.03
1896 4 526,727 191 0.04 70,677 10 0.01 - - - 597,404 201 0.03
1897 4 541,487 234 0.04 79,144 16 0.02 - - - 620,631 250 0.04
1898 4 552,141 329 0.06 78,397 12 0.02 - - - 630,538 341 0.05
1899 4 581,799 351 0.06 79,593 16 0.02 - - - 661,392 367 0.06
1900 4 587,830 424 0.07 83,296 20 0.02 - - - 670,126 444 0.07
1901 6 551,585 427 0.08 80,107 18 0.02 - - - 631,692 445 0.07
1902 8 535,538 431 0.08 77,941 20 0.03 - - - 613,479 451 0.07
1903 9 514,628 453 0.09 76,002 24 0.03 - - - 590,630 477 0.08
1904 11 549,784 550 0.1 77,981 19 0.02 - - - 627,765 569 0.09
1905 13 520,031 569 0.1 74,536 35 0.05 - - - 594,567 604 0.10
1906 13 531,281 699 0.1 75,635 44 0.06 - - - 606,916 743 0.12
1907 13 524,221 677 0.1 77,296 30 0.04 - - - 601,517 707 0.12
1908 13 520,456 767 0.1 77,838 28 0.04 - - - 598,294 795 0.13
1909 13 518,003 825 0.2 74,632 30 0.04 - - - 592,635 855 0.14
1910 13 483,247 812 0.2 72,268 28 0.04 - - - 555,515 840 0.15
1911 13 527,810 984 0.2 71,732 39 0.05 - - - 599,542 1,023 0.17
1912 13 486,939 1,090 0.2 72,340 44 0.06 - - - 559,279 1,134 0.20
1913 13 504,975 1,139 0.2 73,069 49 0.07 - - - 578,044 1,188 0.21
1914 13 516,742 1,222 0.2 73,557 57 0.08 - - - 590,299 1,279 0.22
1915 14 562,253 1,347 0.2 81,631 63 0.08 - - - 643,884 1,410 0.22
1916 14 508,217 1,295 0.3 70,640 65 0.09 - - - 578,857 1,360 0.23
1917 14 498,922 1,444 0.3 69,483 65 0.09 - - - 568,405 1,509 0.27
1918 14 611,861 1,721 0.3 78,372 74 0.09 - - - 690,233 1,795 0.26
1919 14 504,203 1,947 0.3 75,149 84 0.11 - - - 579,352 2,031 0.35
1920 14 466,130 1,716 0.3 69,179 80 0.12 - - - 534,309 1,796 0.34
1921 14 458,629 1,905 0.4 66,210 87 0.13 - - - 524,839 1,992 0.38
1922 15 486,780 1,934 0.3 72,905 75 0.10 - - - 559,685 2,009 0.36
1923 15 444,785 1,896 0.4 63,238 90 0.14 - - - 508,068 1,986 0.39
1924 16 473,235 2,848 0.6 70,357 87 0.12 - - - 543,592 2,935 0.54
1925 16 472,841 2,585 0.5 65,507 116 0.18 - - - 538,348 2,701 0.50
1926 16 453,804 2,779 0.6 63,780 98 0.15 - - - 517,584 2,877 0.56
1927 16 484,609 3,136 0.6 65,830 129 0.20 - - - 550,439 3,265 0.59
1928 18 460,389 3,295 0.7 65,271 141 0.22 - - - 525,660 3,436 0.65
1929 19 532,492 4,149 0.7 70,917 192 0.27 - - - 603,409 4,341 0.72
1930 21 455,427 4,287 0.9 64,285 246 0.38 - - - 519,712 4,533 0.87
1931 22 491,630 4,868 0.9 64,229 327 0.51 - - - 555,859 5,195 0.93
1932 24 484,129 5,884 1.2 66,045 431 0.65 - - - 550,174 6,315 1.15
1933 24 496,465 6,910 1.3 64,848 561 0.87 - - - 561,313 7,471 1.33
1934 28 476,810 7,608 1.5 63,741 729 1.14 - - - 540,551 8,337 1.54
1935 29 477,401 8,766 1.8 65,331 848 1.30 - - - 542,732 9,614 1.77
1936 33 495,764 10,205 2.0 66,749 1,084 1.62 - - - 562,513 11,289 2.01
1937 38 509,574 12,666 2.4 68,942 1,463 2.12 - - - 578,516 14,129 2.44
1938 47 478,996 14,555 3.0 62,953 1,757 2.79 - - - 541,949 16,312 3.01
1939 54 499,902 17,670 3.7 64,413 2,143 3.33 - - - 564,315 19,813 3.51
1940 56 581,537 22,336 3.8 72,775 3,863 5.31 - - - 654,312 25,175 3.85
1941 57 535,180 22,834 4.2 72,558 3,387 4.67 - - - 607,738 26,221 4.31
1942 57 480,137 24,786 5.1 64,963 3,741 5.76 - - - 545,100 28,527 5.23
1943 58 501,412 29,956 5.9 66,733 4,303 6.45 - - - 568,145 34,259 6.03
1944 58 492,176 34,459 7.0 64,603 4,557 7.05 - - - 556,779 39,016 7.01
1945 58 488,108 38,274 7.8 62,655 4,689 7.48 - - - 550,763 42,963 7.80
1946 58 492,090 44,868 9.1 64,605 5,292 8.19 - - - 556,695 50,160 9.01
1947 58 517,615 55,197 10.6 66,200 5,963 9.01 - - - 583,815 61,160 10.48
1948 58 469,898 57,965 14.9 60,979 6,323 10.37 - - - 530,877 64,288 12.11
1949 58 510,736 72,579 14.2 63,488 7,028 11.07 - - - 574,224 79,607 13.86
1950 58 510,301 81,633 15.9 63,996 7,924 12.38 - - - 574,297 89,558 15.59
1951 59 549,380 98,113 17.8 65,778 9,046 13.75 - - - 615,158 107,152 17.42
1952 63 497,484 98,602 19.8 61,510 9,097 14.79 - - - 558,994 107,699 19.27
1953 68 503,529 107,578 21.3 58,878 9,150 15.54 - - - 562,407 116,729 20.76
1954 74 501,896 115,305 22.9 61,380 10,216 16.64 - - - 563,276 125,521 22.28
1955 82 518,864 130,060 25.0 61,645 11,293 18.32 - - - 580,509 141,353 24.35
1956 99 521,331 141,826 27.2 61,792 11,462 18.55 - - - 583,123 153,238 26.29
1957 108 514,870 151,059 29.3 61,143 12,299 20.12 - - - 576,013 163,358 28.36
1958 120 526,843 166,256 31.5 62,065 13,819 22.27 - - - 588,908 180,071 30.58
1959 131 527,651 175,864 33.3 63,061 14,955 23.72 - - - 590,712 190,878 32.31
1960 148 526,268 188,294 35.7 61,764 15,725 25.46 - - - 588,032 204,019 34.70
1961 161 551,752 207,146 37.5 63,928 17,414 27.24 - - - 615,680 224,560 36.47
1962 172 557,636 222,594 39.9 63,189 17,995 28.48 - - - 620,825 240,610 38.76
1963 177 572,868 241,181 42.1 65,521 20,157 30.76 - - - 638,389 261,338 40.94
1964 182 534,737 236,045 44.1 61,039 19,568 32.06 - - - 595,776 255,613 42.90
1965 184 549,379 250,236 45.5 62,868 20,894 33.23 - - - 612,247 271,130 44.28
1966 196 563,624 271,604 48.1 63,689 22,450 35.25 - - - 627,313 294,138 46.89
1967 199 542,516 272,061 50.1 59,523 22,223 37.34 - - - 602,039 294,366 48.89
1968 203 576,754 303,394 52.6 63,311 24,523 38.73 - - - 640,065 327,901 51.23
1969 204 579,378 313,074 54.0 63,821 26,022 40.77 - - - 643,199 339,096 52.72
1970 206 575,194 327,127 56.8 63,640 26,854 42.20 - - - 638,834 353,957 55.41
1971 211 567,262 328,160 57.8 61,614 26,863 43.60 - - - 628,876 354,803 56.42
1972 211 591,605 346,967 58.6 78,550 28,806 36.60 - - - 656,906 375,773 57.20
1973 214 587,696 354,309 60.9 64,545 29,835 46.22 - - - 652,023 384,144 58.92
1974 216 585,292 358,645 61.3 64,740 30,568 47.21 - - - 650,032 389,213 59.88
1975 218 582,841 364,340 62.5 63,125 30,692 48.62 - - - 645,976 394,909 61.13
1976 218 598,516 381,264 63.7 65,253 32,448 49.72 - - - 663,769 413,722 62.33
1977 218 595,928 374,142 62.78 62,294 31,587 50.71 - - - 638,222 405,730 63.57
1978 218 585,901 382,436 65.27 65,123 33,679 51.72 - - - 651,024 416,049 63.91
1979 219 593,019 390,000 65.76 65,747 34,158 51.95 - - - 658,766 424,158 64.39
1980 220 581,385 387,296 66.61 63,299 33,421 52.80 - - - 644,684 420,717 65.26
1981 220 578,440 387,903 67.06 63,828 33,694 52.78 - - - 642,268 421,597 65.64
1982 221 581,861 395,640 67.99 65,022 34,813 53.54 - - - 646,883 430,453 66.54
1983 221 579,608 397,165 68.52 63,454 34,368 54.16 - - - 643,062 431,531 67.11
1984 221 566,881 387,929 68.43 62,345 33,642 53.96 - - - 629,226 421,571 67.00
1985 222 590,734 408,523 69.15 63,967 35,164 54.97 - - - 654,701 443,687 67.77
1986 223 581,203 405,748 69.81 63,467 35,249 55.54 - - - 644,670 441,021 68.41
1987 223 570,417 397,448 70.52 62,014 34,506 55.64 - - - 632,431 431,930 68.30
1988 223 574,790 402,163 70.80 62,314 34,687 55.66 - - - 637,104 436,850 68.57
1989 225 580,108 401,420 69.20 65,017 36,233 55.73 - - - 645,125 437,653 67.84
1990 225 568,102 403,290 70.99 61,527 34,776 56.52 - - - 629,629 438,066 69.58
1991 225 573,298 406,493 70.99 61,041 34,615 56.70 - - - 634,339 441,108 69.54
1992 226 561,473 402,482 71.68 60,937 34,518 56.65 - - - 622,410 437,000 70.21
1993 227 582,025 416,581 71.57 64,452 36,464 56.58 - - - 646,477 453,045 70.08
1994 228 557,010 400,002 71.81 59,709 34,221 57.31 - -   616,719 434,223 70.41
1995 229 573,283 408,876 71.32 60,897 34,764 57.09 15,455 1,934 12.51 649,635 445,574 68.59
1996 230 563,674 408,711 72.51 61,036 35,248 57.75 15,371 1,975 12.85 640,081 445,934 69.67
1997 234 558,720 409,402 73.27 59,813 34,832 58.23 15,102 2,071 13.71 633,635 446,305 70.44
1998 238 558,432 400,137 71.65 59,515 36,846 61.91 15,115 2,162 14.30 633,062 439,145 69.37
1999 241** 559,423 404,050 72.22 60,567 37,716 62.27 15,795 2,403 15.21 635,785 444,169 69.86
2000 242 538,867 400,728 74.37 58,097 34,628 59.60 14,996 2,253 15.00 611,960 437,609 71.51
2001 242 532,532 392,183 73.51 57,678 33,883 58.75 14,625 2,317 15.84 605,835 428,383 70.71
2002 243 536,854 399,768 74.46 58,381 34,883 59.75 14,708 2,473 16.81 609,943 437,124 71.66
2003 244 541,839 404,887 74.72 58,768 35,339 60.13 14,570 2,312 15.87 615,177 442,538 71.94
2004 245 517,782 388,091 74.95 56,504 34,399 60.88 14,467 2,345 16.21 588,753 424,835 72.16
2005 248 516,477 387,832 75.09 56,039 34,454 61.48 14,313 2,398 16.75 586,829 424,684 72.37
2006 250 506,201 380,574 75.18 55,389 33,946 61.28 14,621 2,361 16.15 576,211 416,881 72.38
2007 253 507,652 380,764 75.00 56,313 34,557 61.37 14,751 2,599 17.62 578,716 417,920 72.22
2008 253 512,707 385,346 75.16 56,025 34,902 62.30 15,022 2,605 17.30 583,754 422,853 72.44
2009 256 495.036 377,326 76.22 54,173 34,075 62.90 14,532 2,469 16.99 563,741 413,870 73.41
2010 260 496,956 376,998 75.86 54,258 34,050 62.76 14,562 2,732 18.76 565,776 413,780 73.13
2011 265 488,179 376,511 77.13 53,960 34,536 64.00 14,295 2,798 19.57 556,434 413,845 74.37
2012 266 502,889 387,364 77.03 55,211 35,554 64.40 14,862 2,866 19.28 572,962 425,784 74.31
2013 270 510,074 397,279 77.89 54,934 36,000 65.53 15,078 3,001 19.90 580,086 436,280 75.21
2014 273 504,678 390,494 77.38 54,467 35,746 65.63 14,759 3,014 20.42 573,904 429,254 74.80
2015 277 532,802 421,150 79.04 57,790 38,547 66.70 15,624 3,219 20.60 606,216 462,916 76.36
2016 282 525,048 417,619 79.54 56,728 38,553 67.96 15,430 3,521 22.82 597,206 459,693 76.97

2017

 291 533,253 425,851 79.86 57,883 39,479 68.20 16,036 3,372 21.03 607,172 468,702 77.19
2018 300 543,886# 437,236 80.73 58,503 40,589 69.38 15,922 3,483 21.88 618,311# 481,308 77.84
2019 307 533,031# 428,041 80.63 58,108 40,670 69.99 15,758 3,591 22.79 606,897# 472,308 77.82
2020 310 610,124# 493,540 80.89 64,093 45,335 70.73 17,614 3,914 22.22 691,831# 542,789 78.46
2021 315 588,619 476,230# 80.91# 63,587 44,979# 70.74# 17,558# 3,907 22.25 669,764# 525,116# 78.40
2022 322 579,618# 477,583 82.40 62,941 45,103 71.66 17,159 3,946 23.00 659,718# 526,632 79.83
2023 334 582,408!# 485,468 83.36! 63,454 46,362 73.06 17,254! 3,920 22.72! 663,116#! 535,750 80.79!

* The first cremation was carried out on 26th March 1885, at Woking. The deceased was a Mrs Jeannette C. Pickersgill.

** Includes Arnos Vale which closed in 1998

#  Number of deaths includes Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey from 2018 onwards
!  Provisional figure

+ Source for statistics of Numbers of Deaths:

Until 1994 - Office for National Statistics and General Register Office, Scotland, Crown Copyright

From 1995 - Office for National Statistics, the Office of the General Register of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Crown Copyright