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 Marian were Australian, English and Irish.
Section overview
Ancestry - Ranked by size
Marian - Total persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises ancestry for Marian in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Mackay (R) and change since 2016.
Ancestry - Ranked by size snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Marian, with comparison markers for Mackay (R).
Australian
2021 count
1,953
% of total
46.2%
Change from 2016
-2.4pp
1,953
46.2%
-2.4pp
English
2021 count
1,661
% of total
39.3%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
1,661
39.3%
+0.8pp
Irish
2021 count
437
% of total
10.3%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
437
10.3%
-0.3pp
Scottish
2021 count
389
% of total
9.2%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
389
9.2%
-0.4pp
German
2021 count
226
% of total
5.4%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
226
5.4%
-0.2pp
Maltese
2021 count
201
% of total
4.8%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
201
4.8%
+0.5pp
Italian
2021 count
168
% of total
4.0%
Change from 2016
+0.6pp
168
4.0%
+0.6pp
Australian Aboriginal
2021 count
155
% of total
3.7%
Change from 2016
+3.5pp
155
3.7%
+3.5pp
Maori
2021 count
53
% of total
1.3%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
53
1.3%
+0.7pp
Dutch
2021 count
51
% of total
1.2%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
51
1.2%
0.0pp
Chart view
Ancestry - Ranked by size change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Australian
+56
-2.4pp
English
+159
+0.8pp
Irish
+24
-0.3pp
Scottish
+15
-0.4pp
German
+8
-0.2pp
Maltese
+34
+0.5pp
Italian
+36
+0.6pp
Australian Aboriginal
+147
+3.5pp
Maori
+30
+0.7pp
Dutch
+3
0.0pp
Data table
Ancestry for Marian. Ancestry - Ranked by size. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mackay (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Mackay (R)% | Count | % | Mackay (R)% | Count | pp | |
| Australian | 1,953 | 46.2% | 38.3% | 1,897 | 48.6% | 41.3% | +56 | -2.4pp |
| English | 1,661 | 39.3% | 38.0% | 1,502 | 38.5% | 38.0% | +159 | +0.8pp |
| Irish | 437 | 10.3% | 10.4% | 413 | 10.6% | 11.7% | +24 | -0.3pp |
| Scottish | 389 | 9.2% | 10.3% | 374 | 9.6% | 10.9% | +15 | -0.4pp |
| German | 226 | 5.4% | 6.2% | 218 | 5.6% | 6.6% | +8 | -0.2pp |
| Maltese | 201 | 4.8% | 3.2% | 167 | 4.3% | 3.1% | +34 | +0.5pp |
| Italian | 168 | 4.0% | 3.2% | 132 | 3.4% | 3.0% | +36 | +0.6pp |
| Australian Aboriginal | 155 | 3.7% | 4.8% | 8 | 0.2% | 0.5% | +147 | +3.5pp |
| Maori | 53 | 1.3% | 0.8% | 23 | 0.6% | 0.7% | +30 | +0.7pp |
| Dutch | 51 | 1.2% | 1.4% | 48 | 1.2% | 1.3% | +3 | 0.0pp |
Excludes ancestries with fewer than 10 responses (multi-response).