Ethnicity Estimator

The Ethnicity Estimator (EE) classifier is based on research which uses names data assembled by the Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC). The data are taken from consumer sources and from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which securely host data from England & Wales.

The research enables estimates of the ethnic distribution from datasets which contain names, using the best methodology. Users can now apply to access the Ethnicity Estimator online app. This app provides aggregate classifications reporting on estimated population for each of the standard ONS ethnicity groups. Accepted applications will be for users who utilise the app for the public good, and applicants can be drawn from the academia, government or industry sectors. Please read our full Terms and Conditions prior to making an application. Please note that the application review process takes a number of weeks.

We’d like to hear from you – predicting ethnicity cannot be an exact science, not least because people may share identical names despite having quite different ethnicities. There is potential to make incorrect inferences and people themselves may see things from a different viewpoint. Therefore, we would appreciate your feedback on EE – please send any comments to info@cdrc.ac.uk.

There is more information about Ethnicity Estimator on CDRC Data.

To start the application process, please apply via the dataset page.

Above: Using the Ethnicity Estimator online app.

Above: Sample output file from the Ethnicity Estimator online app.

Ethnicity Estimator is devised by the Consumer Research Data Centre (CDRC) in partnership with the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS). The CDRC is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The CDRC sponsor for Ethnicity Estimator is Professor Paul Longley. The content of this web page was written by Dr Roberto Murcio, Mr Oliver O’Brien and Ms Navta Vij. Ethnicity Estimator was created by Dr Roberto Murcio and Dr Jens Kandt.