RESEARCH PAPER SERIES, 2018–19              22 November 2018

Top 10 countries of birth for the overseas-born population since 1901

Joanne Simon-Davies, Chris McGann

Statistics and Mapping Section

Introduction

Australia’s first population Census was conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in 1911.[1] Prior to this, each colony had been responsible for its own census collection. The census held during the first year of Federation in 1901, was collected by each state separately. When planning for the 1901 Census, it was clear that Federation was forthcoming, and a uniform census schedule was developed. Regardless of who conducted the census, the question “In which country was the person born” has been asked since the commencement of the census in Australian colonies during the 1800s.

ABS currently uses the Standard Australian Classification of Countries, 2016 (SACC) to categorise the country of birth list. According to the ABS[2], country names within the SACC reflect country titles recognised by the Australian Government. The ABS monitors changes in the official recognition of country titles by the Australian Government and updates the SACC as necessary to ensure the classification remains current. At times, there may be a delay in changing a name, especially if there is instability in a region or if the new country is yet to be recognised internationally.  The SACC adopts a broad definition of 'country' that includes the following national entities:

·            sovereign nation states (for example, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines)

·            administrative subdivisions within some sovereign states (for example, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are devolved administrations of the United Kingdom)

·            external territories and dependencies (for example, the Falkland Islands – a British overseas territory). These categories are discrete geographic areas with varying degrees of political and economic autonomy. In general, they are physically isolated from the country to which they are dependent

·            regions under disputed ownership or control (for example, Western Sahara region of North Africa, West Bank).

When examining the results of the question of where someone was born, it is easy to see the consequences of political upheaval in many parts of the world. For example, a person born in Ceylon in 1933 would record Sri Lanka today, or those born in British India in the 1920s, would now record India, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Myanmar (Burma)[3] as their country of birth. In more recent years, the breakup of Yugoslavia in 2001 resulted in five successor states including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia and Montenegro.

Due to the various changes to country structures over time, there have been many forms of the country classification. In this statistical snapshot, there has been no attempt to change names to match current country name. The names used at the time of a particular Census are listed, for example, Ceylon and British India, even though they no longer officially exist.

The data

Figure 1 shows the proportion of Australia’s population born overseas, at each Census since 1901. Between 1901 and 1947 there was a steady decline in overseas born, from 22.6 per cent to 9.8 per cent—1947 was the only Census at which the overseas born proportion has been below 10 per cent. As expected, the largest component of overseas born was from the United Kingdom and Ireland, accounting for around 80 per cent of overseas born in 1901, then falling to around 70 per cent by 1947.

Since 1947, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia.[4]  Despite the post-war migration boom with immigration from a broader range of countries, the United Kingdom continued to be the largest source of migrants, with the majority of people arriving under post-war assisted passage schemes being from the United Kingdom.

Post-war migration agreements were also in place for several other countries including Malta, The Netherlands, Italy, West Germany, Turkey and the former Yugoslavia.[5] By 1954, Italy was the second largest source of overseas born, and this continued until the 1980s when New Zealand moved into second place. With increased migration from Asia, fewer than one in five overseas born are now from the United Kingdom although it is still the largest source. China, India and the Philippines are curently the other top five countries after the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Top ten countries of birth for each Census are shown in the tables following the graph.

Figure 1: Proportion of Australia’s population born overseas, 1901 to 2016

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, selected census publications

Top 10 countries of birth for the overseas-born population since 1901

1901 Census

1911 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (a)

495 504

58.1

1. United Kingdom (e)

454 268

60.4

2. Ireland (b)

184 085

21.6

2. Ireland (b)

139 434

18.5

3. Germany

38 352

4.5

3. Germany

32 990

4.4

4. China

29 907

3.5

4. New Zealand

31 868

4.2

5. New Zealand

25 788

3.0

5. China

20 775

2.8

6. Sweden & Norway

9 863

1.2

6. Italy

6 719

0.9

7. South Sea Is. (c)

9 128

1.1

7. British India

6 644

0.9

8. British India

7 637

0.9

8. United States of America

6 642

0.9

9. United States of America

7 448

0.9

9. Denmark

5 663

0.8

10. Denmark

6 281

0.7

10. Sweden

5 586

0.7

Top ten total

810 113

95.5

Top ten total

710 589

94.4

Other

47 463

4.5

Other

42 038

5.6

Total overseas born

852 373

100

Total overseas born

752 627

100.0

Total population (d)

3 788 123

Total population (d) (f)

4 455 005

% of Australian born overseas

22.6

% of Australian born overseas

16.9

1921 Census

1933 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (e)

571 354

68.1

1. United Kingdom (e)

636 312

70.6

2. Ireland (b)

105 033

12.5

2. Ireland (b)

78 652

8.7

3. New Zealand

38 611

4.6

3. New Zealand

45 963

5.1

4. Germany

22 396

2.7

4. Italy

26 756

3.0

5. China

15 224

1.8

5. Germany

16 842

1.9

6. Italy

8 135

1.0

6. China

8 579

0.9

7. British India

6 918

0.8

7. Greece

8 337

0.9

8. United States of America

6 604

0.8

8. British India

6 774

0.7

9. Denmark

6 002

0.7

9. South Africa

6 179

0.7

10. South Africa

5 408

0.6

10. United States of America

6 066

0.7

Top ten total

785 685

93.6

Top ten total

840 460

93.3

Other

53 894

6.4

Other

60 762

6.7

Total overseas born

839 579

100.0

Total overseas born

901 222

100.0

Total population (d) (f)

5 435 734

Total population (d)

6 629 839

% of Australian born overseas

15.4

% of Australian born overseas

13.6

1947 Census

1954 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (e)

498 097

66.9

1. United Kingdom (g)

616 532

47.9

2. Ireland (b)

44 813

6.0

2. Italy

119 897

9.3

3. New Zealand

43 610

5.9

3. Germany

65 422

5.1

4. Italy

33 632

4.5

4. Poland

56 594

4.4

5. Germany

14 567

2.0

5. Netherlands

52 035

4.0

6. Greece

12 291

1.7

6. Ireland (b)

47 673

3.7

7. British India & Ceylon

8 160

1.1

7. New Zealand

43 350

3.4

8. Poland

6 573

0.9

8. Greece

25 862

2.0

9. China

6 404

0.9

9. Yugoslavia

22 856

1.8

10. United States of America

6 232

0.8

10. Malta

19 988

1.6

Top ten total

674 379

90.7

Top ten total

1 070 209

83.2

Other

68 831

9.3

Other

215 589

16.8

Total overseas born

743 210

100.0

Total overseas born

1 285 789

100.0

Total population (d)

7 579 358

Total population (d)

8 986 530

% of Australian born overseas

9.8

% of Australian born overseas

14.3

1961 Census

1966 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (g)

705 187

39.7

1. United Kingdom (g)

908 664

40.1

2. Italy

228 296

12.8

2. Italy

267 325

12.5

3. Germany

109 315

6.1

3. Greece

140 089

6.6

4. Netherlands

102 083

5.7

4. Germany

108 709

5.1

5. Greece

77 333

4.3

5. Netherlands

99 549

4.7

6. Poland

60 049

3.4

6. Yugoslavia

71 277

3.3

7. Ireland (b)

50 215

2.8

7. Poland

61 641

2.9

8. Yugoslavia

49 776

2.8

8. Ireland (b)

55 175

2.6

9. New Zealand

47 011

2.6

9. Malta

55 104

2.6

10. Malta

39 337

2.2

10. New Zealand

52 104

2.4

Top ten total

1 468 602

82.6

Top ten total

1 764 462

82.8

Other

309 739

17.4

Other

366 029

17.2

Total overseas born

1 778 341

100.0

Total overseas born

2 130 491

100.0

Total population (d)

10 508 186

Total population

11 550 462

% of Australian born overseas

16.9

% of Australian born overseas

18.4

1971 Census

1976 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (g)

1 017 981

40.0

1. United Kingdom (g)

1 044 418

38.8

2. Italy

288 252

11.3

2. Italy

279 470

10.4

3. Greece

158 969

6.2

3. Greece

152 352

5.7

4. Yugoslavia

128 211

5.0

4. Yugoslavia

143 102

5.3

5. Germany (h)

110 028

4.3

5. Germany (h)

106 854

4.0

6. Netherlands

98 633

3.9

6. Netherlands

91 548

3.4

7. New Zealand

74 050

2.9

7. New Zealand

83 929

3.1

8. Ireland (b)

63 292

2.5

8. Ireland (b)

66 954

2.5

9. Poland

59 471

2.3

9. Poland

55 912

2.1

10. Malta

53 471

2.1

10. Malta

55 822

2.1

Top ten total

2 052 358

80.6

Top ten total

2 080 631

77.4

Other

493 577

19.4

Other

608 524

22.6

Total overseas born

2 545 935

100.0

Total overseas born

2 689 155

100.0

Total population

12 719 506

Total population (f)

13 514 947

% of Australian born overseas

20.0

% of Australian born overseas

19.9

1981 Census

1986 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (i)

1 075 754

36.5

1. United Kingdom (i)

1 072 049

33.5

2. Italy

274 965

9.3

2. Italy

260 983

8.6

3. New Zealand

160 746

5.4

3. New Zealand

199 905

6.3

4. Yugoslavia

148 563

5.0

4. Yugoslavia

149 282

4.7

5. Greece

145 840

4.9

5. Greece

136 887

4.3

6. Germany (h)

109 262

3.7

6. Germany (h)

113 466

3.6

7. Netherlands

95 101

3.2

7. Netherlands

94 404

3.0

8. Poland

58 951

2.0

8. Viet Nam

82 705

2.6

9. Malta

56 787

1.9

9. Poland

66 922

2.1

10. Lebanon

49 392

1.7

10. Malta

56 123

1.8

Top ten total

2 175 361

73.7

Top ten total

2 232 726

69.9

Other

775 496

26.3

Other

963 052

30.1

Total overseas born

2 950 857

100.0

Total overseas born

3 195 778

100.0

Total population (f)

14 516 896

Total population (f)

15 542 567

% of Australian born overseas

20.3

% of Australian born overseas

20.6

1991 Census

1996 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (i)

1 107 358

30.0

1. United Kingdom (i)

1 072 562

27.5

2. New Zealand

264 126

7.2

2. New Zealand

291 388

7.5

3. Italy

253 417

6.9

3. Italy

238 246

6.1

4. Yugoslavia

160 624

4.4

4. Viet Nam

151 053

3.9

5. Greece

135 883

3.7

5. Greece

126 520

3.2

6. Viet Nam

121 811

3.3

6. China (j)

111 009

2.8

7. Germany

111 950

3.0

7. Germany

110 331

2.8

8. Netherlands

94 671

2.6

8. Philippines

92 949

2.4

9. China (j)

77 882

2.1

9. Netherlands

87 898

2.2

10. Philippines

73 007

2.0

10. India

77 551

2.0

Top ten total

2 400 729

65.1

Top ten total

2 359 507

60.5

Other

1 286 039

34.9

Other

1 542 143

39.5

Total overseas born

3 686 768

100.0

Total overseas born

3 901 650

100.0

Total population (f) (k)

16 771 803

Total population (f) (k)

17 752 829

% of Australian born overseas

22.0

% of Australian born overseas

22.0

2001 Census

2006 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (i)

1 036 242

25.5

1. United Kingdom (i)

1 038 162

23.6

2. New Zealand

355 765

8.8

2. New Zealand

389 463

8.8

3. Italy

218 718

5.4

3. China (j)

206 591

4.7

4. Viet Nam

154 830

3.8

4. Italy

199 123

4.5

5. China (j)

142 781

3.5

5. Viet Nam

159 849

3.6

6. Greece

116 430

2.9

6. India

147 106

3.3

7. Germany

108 219

2.7

7. Philippines

120 538

2.7

8. Philippines

103 942

2.6

8. Greece

109 988

2.5

9. India

95 455

2.3

9. Germany

106 524

2.4

10. Netherlands

83 324

2.1

10. South Africa

104 128

2.4

Top ten total

2 415 706

59.4

Top ten total

2 581 472

58.6

Other

1 648 248

40.6

Other

1 823 946

41.4

Total overseas born

4 063 954

100.0

Total overseas born

4 405418

22.2

Total population (f) (k)

18 769 228

Total population (f) (k)

19 855 288

% of Australian born overseas

21.7

% of Australian born overseas

22.2

2011 Census

2016 Census

Birthplace

No.

%

Birthplace

No.

%

1. United Kingdom (l)

1 101 081

20.8

1. United Kingdom (l)

1 087 756

17.7

2. New Zealand

483 398

9.1

2. New Zealand

518 462

8.4

3. China (j)

318 969

6.0

3. China (j)

509 558

8.3

4. India

295 362

5.6

4. India

455 385

7.4

5. Italy

185 402

3.5

5. Philippines

232 391

3.8

6. Viet Nam

185 039

3.5

6. Viet Nam

219 351

3.6

7. Philippines

171 233

3.2

7. Italy

174 042

2.8

8. South Africa

145 683

2.8

8. South Africa

162 450

2.6

9. Malaysia

116 196

2.2

9. Malaysia

138 363

2.2

10. Germany

108 002

2.0

10. Sri Lanka

109 850

1.8

Top ten total

3 110 365

58.9

Top ten total

3 607 608

58.7

Other

2 173 978

41.1

Other

2 542 443

41.3

Total overseas born

5 284 343

100.0

Total overseas born

6 150 051

100.0

Total population (f) (k)

21 507 719

Total population (f) (k)

23 401 891

% of Australian born overseas

24.6

% of Australian born overseas

26.3

(a) Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Other European British Pos. (Isle of Man, Channel Is., Cyprus, Gibraltar and Malta).

(b) Includes Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Ireland (undefined).

(c) South Sea Is. (so described).

(d) Excludes full-blood Indigenous persons.

(e) Includes England, Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man, Channel Is. and Other European British Possessions.

(f) Includes birthplace not stated.

(g) Includes England, Wales and Scotland.

(h) Includes German Democratic Republic and German Federal Republic.

(i) Includes England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Is.

(j) Excludes Special Administrative Regions of China and Taiwan.

(k) Excludes overseas visitors.

(l) Includes England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Is., Jersey and Guernsey.

Sources:

ABS, Australian Historical Population Statistics, cat no. 3105.0.65.001, 2004, 2014.

ABS, Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1911, 1921, 1933, 1947, 1954.

ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016.

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[1].              The census was called the Census of the Commonwealth of Australia from 1911 until 1961. From 1966, it has been known as the Census of Population and Housing.

[2].              Australian Bureau of Statistics, Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), 2016 (cat no. 1269.0).

[3].              Myanmar (Burma) became an independent state in 1937 and would not have been included in the British India in the 1947 Census.

[4].              Department of Home Affairs, Fact sheet – Key facts about immigration.

[5].              Department of Home Affairs, Fact Sheet – More than 65 Years of Post-War Migration.