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 St Johns Park were Vietnamese, Chinese and Australian.
Section overview
Ancestry - Ranked by size
St Johns Park - Total persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises ancestry for St Johns Park in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Fairfield (C) and change since 2016.
Ancestry - Ranked by size snapshot
2021 distribution by category for St Johns Park, with comparison markers for Fairfield (C).
Vietnamese
2021 count
1,420
% of total
22.5%
Change from 2016
-1.3pp
1,420
22.5%
-1.3pp
Chinese
2021 count
1,357
% of total
21.5%
Change from 2016
+0.6pp
1,357
21.5%
+0.6pp
Australian
2021 count
467
% of total
7.4%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
467
7.4%
+0.3pp
Khmer (Cambodian)
2021 count
421
% of total
6.7%
Change from 2016
+1.2pp
421
6.7%
+1.2pp
English
2021 count
392
% of total
6.2%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
392
6.2%
0.0pp
Italian
2021 count
374
% of total
5.9%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
374
5.9%
-0.7pp
Croatian
2021 count
343
% of total
5.4%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
343
5.4%
-0.6pp
Assyrian
2021 count
313
% of total
5.0%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
313
5.0%
+0.2pp
Iraqi
2021 count
194
% of total
3.1%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
194
3.1%
+1.5pp
Serbian
2021 count
193
% of total
3.1%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
193
3.1%
+0.1pp
Chart view
Ancestry - Ranked by size change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Vietnamese
-35
-1.3pp
Chinese
+81
+0.6pp
Australian
+30
+0.3pp
Khmer (Cambodian)
+83
+1.2pp
English
+14
0.0pp
Italian
-31
-0.7pp
Croatian
-26
-0.6pp
Assyrian
+18
+0.2pp
Iraqi
+97
+1.5pp
Serbian
+12
+0.1pp
Data table
Ancestry for St Johns Park. 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 | |
| Vietnamese | 1,420 | 22.5% | 19.5% | 1,455 | 23.8% | 19.9% | -35 | -1.3pp |
| Chinese | 1,357 | 21.5% | 13.1% | 1,276 | 20.9% | 13.6% | +81 | +0.6pp |
| Australian | 467 | 7.4% | 8.8% | 437 | 7.1% | 9.2% | +30 | +0.3pp |
| Khmer (Cambodian) | 421 | 6.7% | 4.3% | 338 | 5.5% | 4.3% | +83 | +1.2pp |
| English | 392 | 6.2% | 7.2% | 378 | 6.2% | 8.2% | +14 | 0.0pp |
| Italian | 374 | 5.9% | 5.1% | 405 | 6.6% | 6.0% | -31 | -0.7pp |
| Croatian | 343 | 5.4% | 1.7% | 369 | 6.0% | 1.8% | -26 | -0.6pp |
| Assyrian | 313 | 5.0% | 8.2% | 295 | 4.8% | 6.8% | +18 | +0.2pp |
| Iraqi | 194 | 3.1% | 5.3% | 97 | 1.6% | 3.9% | +97 | +1.5pp |
| Serbian | 193 | 3.1% | 1.9% | 181 | 3.0% | 2.0% | +12 | +0.1pp |
Excludes ancestries with fewer than 10 responses (multi-response).