Abbreviated as ANCP; referenced by 3 other explainers
Ancestry shows the cultural or ethnic background people report, going back three generations. It lists the top ancestries, plus an All other categories group and a Not stated row.
These figures are Place Forecast estimates based on Census data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
On the Census, a person can report up to two ancestries. So the page counts ancestry answers, not people. For example, a person who reports two ancestries is counted in two rows. Because of this, the shares are based on all ancestry answers, not the total count of people.
Ancestry is how a person describes their background on the Census. It is not set by the ABS. It is not a fixed or genetic measure.
Ancestry is different from First Nations identity. The First Nations marker uses a separate Census question about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin. Read the two measures on their own.
The All other categories group holds ancestries that are too small to show as their own row in this area. It can take in many different groups.
The ABS publishes a separate Not stated group for this data. It marks when the ancestry question was left blank.
The figures count people where they usually live. They include people living in non-private dwellings such as hospitals, aged-care homes, hostels, and student housing. People here on a visit from another country are left out.
The ABS does not show ancestries with fewer than ten answers.
These figures show how people answered Census questions. Here are the equity caveats to keep in mind. They keep the numbers fair:
See the marker methodology for how these figures are calculated and their limitations.