It comprises three series and is published by Oxford University Press for the Royal Statistical Society.

The first study reported to the society in 1834 was a simple survey of the occupations of people in Manchester, England.

Conducted by going door-to-door and inquiring, the study revealed that the most common profession was mill-hands, followed closely by weavers.

The symbol of the society was a wheatsheaf, representing a bundle of facts, and the motto Aliis exterendum, Latin for "to be threshed out by others."

It is considered a significant recognition to be invited to present a paper at an ordinary meeting of the society.

[4] Past and current editors: Statistical Methodology (ISSN 1369-7412) is published five times a year.

[5] Starting in 1934, it was originally called Supplement to the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society (ISSN 1466-6162), and in 1948 was changed to Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B (Methodological) (ISSN 0035-9246), before being changed to its current name in 1998.

[6] Past and current editors: Applied Statistics (ISSN 0035-9254) is published five times a year.

Since 2004 the Society has published Significance, which consists of articles on topics of statistical interest presented at a level suited to a general audience.

From September 2010 Significance is jointly published with the American Statistical Association and distributed to members of both societies.