Are you interested in learning more about your Australian ancestry? Understanding the family history roots of today’s Australians can help you discover more about your family in Australia.
Major Ethnic Groups
Australia’s earliest known inhabitants are the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. Theories vary as to their origin, with DNA studies pointing to Africa and Asia.
Your Australian ancestry might include heritage from England, Ireland, and Scotland. British colonization began in 1788 with the arrival of the First Fleet at Botany Bay, New South Wales. More than 1,400 individuals arrived with this fleet, over half of whom were convicts from the British Isles bound for penal colonies.
Other significant ethnic groups to come to Australia are Chinese, Italians, and Germans.
The Impact of Immigration
Many Australians can trace their ancestry to immigrants. After settlements were established in the late 1700s and early 1800s, efforts began to entice more people to make Australia their new home. Sometimes the government would pay for immigrants’ passage, in full or in part.
There were also colonists who paid for the passage of selected immigrants. When those immigrants arrived, they would work for the colonists who sponsored them, and the government would reimburse the colonists for the immigrants’ passage.
The Australian Gold Rushes in the mid-1800s drew “diggers” from other countries, mostly from Great Britain, but others came from the United States, Germany, Poland, and China. Many found Australian life to their liking and decided to stay after the gold rushes ended.
After World War II, the government once again began encouraging immigration, feeling that Australia’s population needed to grow dramatically in order for the country to survive. One program, the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, mainly assisted immigrants from the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth countries. The government also ran programs to attract immigrants from other countries, such as the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, West Germany, and Turkey.
In the 21st century, the largest proportion of immigrants in Australia are coming from Asia.
Ancestry of Australians Today
Immigration patterns of the past are reflected in the ancestry of Australians today. According to data gathered in the 2021 Australia Census, Australians classified themselves in the following ancestral groups (each person could choose up to two):
Ancestry | Percent |
| English | 33% |
| Australian | 29.9% |
| Irish | 9.5% |
| Scottish | 8.6% |
| Chinese | 5.5% |
| Italian | 4.4% |
| German | 4% |
| Indigenous (Aboriginal Australians or Torres Strait Islanders) | 3.2% |
| Indian | 3.1% |
| Greek | 1.7% |
| Fillipino | 1.6% |
| Dutch | 1.5% |
| Vietnamese | 1.3% |
| Lebanese | 1% |
Your Journey of Discovery
Do you want to learn more about researching your Australian heritage? Take a look at these resources:
- Australia Genealogy (FamilySearch Wiki)
- Australia Genealogy Research (FamilySearch Community)
- Beginning Australian Research (FamilySearch Learning Center)
- Australia Historical Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- RootsTech Videos
Discover More about Your Australian Heritage
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