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 Torres Strait Island (R) were Torres Strait Islander, Australian Aboriginal and Papua New Guinean.
Section overview
Ancestry - Ranked by size
Torres Strait Island (R) - Total persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises ancestry for Torres Strait Island (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Qld and change since 2016.
Ancestry - Ranked by size snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Torres Strait Island (R), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.
Torres Strait Islander
2021 count
3,577
% of total
43.6%
Change from 2016
+3.4pp
3,577
43.6%
+3.4pp
Australian Aboriginal
2021 count
697
% of total
8.5%
Change from 2016
+3.4pp
697
8.5%
+3.4pp
Papua New Guinean
2021 count
271
% of total
3.3%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
271
3.3%
-0.7pp
Australian
2021 count
93
% of total
1.1%
Change from 2016
-1.1pp
93
1.1%
-1.1pp
English
2021 count
74
% of total
0.9%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
74
0.9%
+0.2pp
Scottish
2021 count
34
% of total
0.4%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
34
0.4%
-0.2pp
American
2021 count
19
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
19
0.2%
+0.2pp
Irish
2021 count
18
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
18
0.2%
-0.1pp
Samoan
2021 count
16
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
16
0.2%
-0.2pp
Australian South Sea Islander
2021 count
15
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
15
0.2%
-0.7pp
Chart view
Ancestry - Ranked by size change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Torres Strait Islander
-51
+3.4pp
Australian Aboriginal
+235
+3.4pp
Papua New Guinean
-94
-0.7pp
Australian
-110
-1.1pp
English
+7
+0.2pp
Scottish
-16
-0.2pp
American
+15
+0.2pp
Irish
-10
-0.1pp
Samoan
-22
-0.2pp
Australian South Sea Islander
-63
-0.7pp
Data table
Ancestry for Torres Strait Island (R). Ancestry - Ranked by size. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional Qld% | Count | % | Regional Qld% | Count | pp | |
| Torres Strait Islander | 3,577 | 43.6% | 0.6% | 3,628 | 40.2% | 0.3% | -51 | +3.4pp |
| Australian Aboriginal | 697 | 8.5% | 2.6% | 462 | 5.1% | 0.6% | +235 | +3.4pp |
| Papua New Guinean | 271 | 3.3% | 0.1% | 365 | 4.0% | 0.1% | -94 | -0.7pp |
| Australian | 93 | 1.1% | 17.7% | 203 | 2.2% | 18.8% | -110 | -1.1pp |
| English | 74 | 0.9% | 19.8% | 67 | 0.7% | 19.6% | +7 | +0.2pp |
| Scottish | 34 | 0.4% | 5.2% | 50 | 0.6% | 5.2% | -16 | -0.2pp |
| American | 19 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 4 | 0.0% | 0.1% | +15 | +0.2pp |
| Irish | 18 | 0.2% | 5.5% | 28 | 0.3% | 5.9% | -10 | -0.1pp |
| Samoan | 16 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 38 | 0.4% | 0.1% | -22 | -0.2pp |
| Australian South Sea Islander | 15 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 78 | 0.9% | 0.1% | -63 | -0.7pp |
| Total | 8,209 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 9,026 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -817 | 0.0pp |
Excludes ancestries with fewer than 10 responses (multi-response).