The ‘iPhone 5’ and scampi feature in Google’s top UK searches of 2011

Twitter has done its year in review, Facebook revealed the top shared news stories of 2011, so it’s only natural that Google would follow suit with its very own annual recap.

The search giant has unveiled its UK Zeitgeist 2011 search list, and few will be surprised to learn that the Royal Wedding between Prince William & Catherine Middleton topped the list, in an event that saw hundreds of millions of people watch from around the world.

But it’s the normal, everyday searches that are of most interest here. It seems that in 2011, Britons were really eager to find out more on the much-mooted iPhone 5 which, as we now know, actually ended up being the iPhone 4S, as that was the second most searched phrase in the UK.

You’ve probably made many search queries that begin with ‘what is…’, and Google has produced a specific ‘top 10’ list of questions that begin with those two words. ‘What is scampi?’ was a popular search term in 2011, with interest rising by 80% on the same period in the previous year.

Seafood, however, didn’t top the ‘what is’ list. In a year that saw Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg get his dream of a referendum that would see the electoral system overhauled, the most searched for question in this category was: What is AV?

Sometimes, though, knowing the answer to something isn’t enough and people want to know ‘how to’ do things. As such, the ‘how to’ list was topped by queries seeking revision tips for students, followed by how to kiss. At least the UK youth have their priorities straight…

Finally, the UK has a deep fascination with celebrities. The top 10 most searched celebs were almost entirely female-dominated, with Ricky Gervais the only man on a list that had Kim Kardashian and Rebecca Black at the top.

Whilst the non-existent ‘iPhone 5’ attained a lofty overall search position, both the iPad 2 and Groupon featured in Google’s ‘fastest rising’ search list too.

You can peruse Google’s Zeitgeist lists ranging from 2001 through to 2010 now, with the 2011 one going live some time today.