Cultural diversity
Ancestry
Ancestry describes a person's cultural association and ethnic background, and Census respondents can report more than one ancestry. It is a broader cultural measure than country of birth because it can reflect family heritage across generations.
About this topic
Ancestry describes a person's cultural association and ethnic background, and Census respondents can report more than one ancestry. It is a broader cultural measure than country of birth because it can reflect family heritage across generations.
This topic helps show the size and diversity of cultural groups in an area, including groups whose members were born in Australia. Because multiple ancestries can be reported, ancestry totals can exceed the total population, so it is best read with birthplace, language used at home, and religion.
Interpretation notes
- People can report up to two ancestries, so category counts represent responses rather than a single unduplicated person count, while percentages are shown against the total population.
- ABS advises that ancestry is best used with birthplace and language, because ancestry alone is a broad measure of ethnicity and cultural background.
- The 2021 form added separate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mark boxes, so those categories need caution in over-time comparison.
Key insight
In 2021, the largest ancestry groups among residents in Heidelberg West were English, Australian and Somali.
Section overview
Ancestry - Ranked by size
Heidelberg West - Total persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises ancestry for Heidelberg West in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Banyule (C) and change since 2016.
Ancestry - Ranked by size snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Heidelberg West, with comparison markers for Banyule (C).
English
Australian
Somali
Irish
Chinese
Scottish
Italian
Greek
German
Indian
Chart view
Ancestry - Ranked by size change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
English
+81
+2.8pp
Australian
-84
-0.3pp
Somali
-106
-1.4pp
Irish
+72
+1.7pp
Chinese
+63
+1.6pp
Scottish
+68
+1.6pp
Italian
+60
+1.3pp
Greek
+29
+0.7pp
German
-9
0.0pp
Indian
-28
-0.4pp
Data table
Ancestry for Heidelberg West. Ancestry - Ranked by size. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Banyule (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Banyule (C)% | Count | % | Banyule (C)% | Count | pp | |
| English | 1,297 | 24.7% | 31.3% | 1,216 | 21.9% | 31.6% | +81 | +2.8pp |
| Australian | 1,149 | 21.9% | 29.1% | 1,233 | 22.2% | 29.0% | -84 | -0.3pp |
| Somali | 507 | 9.7% | 0.8% | 613 | 11.1% | 0.9% | -106 | -1.4pp |
| Irish | 459 | 8.7% | 12.2% | 387 | 7.0% | 13.2% | +72 | +1.7pp |
| Chinese | 408 | 7.8% | 7.0% | 345 | 6.2% | 6.0% | +63 | +1.6pp |
| Scottish | 394 | 7.5% | 9.6% | 326 | 5.9% | 9.4% | +68 | +1.6pp |
| Italian | 227 | 4.3% | 10.5% | 167 | 3.0% | 10.1% | +60 | +1.3pp |
| Greek | 155 | 3.0% | 4.1% | 126 | 2.3% | 3.8% | +29 | +0.7pp |
| German | 131 | 2.5% | 3.3% | 140 | 2.5% | 3.5% | -9 | 0.0pp |
| Indian | 127 | 2.4% | 2.6% | 155 | 2.8% | 2.4% | -28 | -0.4pp |
Excludes ancestries with fewer than 10 responses (multi-response).