Cultural diversity
Ancestry
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 totals represent responses rather than a single unduplicated person count.
- 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 Abbotsbury were Italian, Australian and English.
Section overview
Ancestry - Ranked by size
Abbotsbury - Total persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises ancestry for Abbotsbury in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Fairfield (C) and change since 2016.
Ancestry - Ranked by size snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Abbotsbury, with comparison markers for Fairfield (C).
Italian
2021 count
964
% of total
11.5%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
964
11.5%
-0.1pp
Australian
2021 count
606
% of total
7.2%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
606
7.2%
-0.6pp
English
2021 count
379
% of total
4.5%
Change from 2016
-1.4pp
379
4.5%
-1.4pp
Assyrian
2021 count
316
% of total
3.8%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
316
3.8%
-0.2pp
Croatian
2021 count
276
% of total
3.3%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
276
3.3%
+0.5pp
Chaldean
2021 count
195
% of total
2.3%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
195
2.3%
+0.7pp
Chinese
2021 count
179
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
+0.4pp
179
2.1%
+0.4pp
Vietnamese
2021 count
175
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
175
2.1%
+0.3pp
Maltese
2021 count
160
% of total
1.9%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
160
1.9%
-0.2pp
Iraqi
2021 count
140
% of total
1.7%
Change from 2016
+0.6pp
140
1.7%
+0.6pp
Chart view
Ancestry - Ranked by size change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Italian
-23
-0.1pp
Australian
-58
-0.6pp
English
-124
-1.4pp
Assyrian
-29
-0.2pp
Croatian
+40
+0.5pp
Chaldean
+55
+0.7pp
Chinese
+30
+0.4pp
Vietnamese
+21
+0.3pp
Maltese
-18
-0.2pp
Iraqi
+48
+0.6pp
Data table
Ancestry for Abbotsbury. Ancestry - Ranked by size. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Fairfield (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Fairfield (C)% | Count | % | Fairfield (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Italian | 964 | 11.5% | 2.6% | 987 | 11.6% | 3.0% | -23 | -0.1pp |
| Australian | 606 | 7.2% | 4.4% | 664 | 7.8% | 4.6% | -58 | -0.6pp |
| English | 379 | 4.5% | 3.6% | 503 | 5.9% | 4.1% | -124 | -1.4pp |
| Assyrian | 316 | 3.8% | 4.1% | 345 | 4.0% | 3.4% | -29 | -0.2pp |
| Croatian | 276 | 3.3% | 0.8% | 236 | 2.8% | 0.9% | +40 | +0.5pp |
| Chaldean | 195 | 2.3% | 1.9% | 140 | 1.6% | 1.6% | +55 | +0.7pp |
| Chinese | 179 | 2.1% | 6.5% | 149 | 1.7% | 6.8% | +30 | +0.4pp |
| Vietnamese | 175 | 2.1% | 9.7% | 154 | 1.8% | 10.0% | +21 | +0.3pp |
| Maltese | 160 | 1.9% | 0.6% | 178 | 2.1% | 0.7% | -18 | -0.2pp |
| Iraqi | 140 | 1.7% | 2.6% | 92 | 1.1% | 2.0% | +48 | +0.6pp |
| Total | 8,370 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 8,532 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -162 | 0.0pp |
Excludes ancestries with fewer than 10 responses (multi-response).