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 Cambridge Park were Australian, English and Irish.
Section overview
Ancestry - Ranked by size
Cambridge Park - Total persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises ancestry for Cambridge Park in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Penrith (C) and change since 2016.
Ancestry - Ranked by size snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cambridge Park, with comparison markers for Penrith (C).
Australian
2021 count
2,787
% of total
39.5%
Change from 2016
-2.4pp
2,787
39.5%
-2.4pp
English
2021 count
2,394
% of total
33.9%
Change from 2016
-4.3pp
2,394
33.9%
-4.3pp
Irish
2021 count
623
% of total
8.8%
Change from 2016
-2.0pp
623
8.8%
-2.0pp
Australian Aboriginal
2021 count
584
% of total
8.3%
Change from 2016
+7.2pp
584
8.3%
+7.2pp
Scottish
2021 count
492
% of total
7.0%
Change from 2016
-1.0pp
492
7.0%
-1.0pp
German
2021 count
256
% of total
3.6%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
256
3.6%
-0.5pp
Italian
2021 count
199
% of total
2.8%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
199
2.8%
0.0pp
Samoan
2021 count
147
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
+1.3pp
147
2.1%
+1.3pp
Maltese
2021 count
147
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
147
2.1%
+0.5pp
Filipino
2021 count
144
% of total
2.0%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
144
2.0%
+0.5pp
Chart view
Ancestry - Ranked by size change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Australian
-28
-2.4pp
English
-175
-4.3pp
Irish
-106
-2.0pp
Australian Aboriginal
+507
+7.2pp
Scottish
-46
-1.0pp
German
-22
-0.5pp
Italian
+12
0.0pp
Samoan
+96
+1.3pp
Maltese
+40
+0.5pp
Filipino
+45
+0.5pp
Data table
Ancestry for Cambridge Park. Ancestry - Ranked by size. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Penrith (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Penrith (C)% | Count | % | Penrith (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Australian | 2,787 | 39.5% | 33.3% | 2,815 | 41.9% | 35.7% | -28 | -2.4pp |
| English | 2,394 | 33.9% | 30.2% | 2,569 | 38.2% | 33.3% | -175 | -4.3pp |
| Irish | 623 | 8.8% | 8.2% | 729 | 10.8% | 9.8% | -106 | -2.0pp |
| Australian Aboriginal | 584 | 8.3% | 4.6% | 77 | 1.1% | 0.6% | +507 | +7.2pp |
| Scottish | 492 | 7.0% | 6.7% | 538 | 8.0% | 7.4% | -46 | -1.0pp |
| German | 256 | 3.6% | 2.9% | 278 | 4.1% | 3.3% | -22 | -0.5pp |
| Italian | 199 | 2.8% | 3.7% | 187 | 2.8% | 3.7% | +12 | 0.0pp |
| Samoan | 147 | 2.1% | 1.3% | 51 | 0.8% | 0.9% | +96 | +1.3pp |
| Maltese | 147 | 2.1% | 4.0% | 107 | 1.6% | 3.9% | +40 | +0.5pp |
| Filipino | 144 | 2.0% | 3.6% | 99 | 1.5% | 2.8% | +45 | +0.5pp |
Excludes ancestries with fewer than 10 responses (multi-response).