Catholics Outnumber Protestants in Scotland for First Time Since Reformation

For the first time since the Reformation, Catholics outnumber Protestants in Scotland by one metric. There are 841,000 practicing Catholics in the country, with 184,283 attending Mass regularly, according to recent data.

Between 2012 and 2022, the number of obese adults in Scotland rose 46 percent, to comprise about one-third of the population. In 1950, 76 percent of Scots identified as Protestant. The shift reflects broader demographic and social changes across the country.

The Catholic population has grown through immigration and higher birth rates, while Protestant affiliation has declined steadily over decades. The figures come from church attendance records and census data.

Scotland's religious landscape has transformed significantly since the 16th-century Reformation established Protestantism as the dominant faith. The Catholic Church now represents the largest single denomination in terms of practicing members.

Church officials noted the milestone but cautioned that regular attendance remains far below the number of those who identify culturally as Catholic. The data captures a snapshot of religious practice rather than belief alone.