1966 Australian census
| Seventh commonwealth census | |
|---|---|
30 June 1966
| |
| General information | |
| Country | Commonwealth of Australia |
| Authority | Bureau of Census and Statistics |
| Website | abs.gov.au (1966) |
| Results | |
| Total population | 11,550,462[1] ( 9.9%) |
| Most populous | New South Wales (4,233,822) |
| Least populous | Northern Territory (37,433) |
The 1966 Australian census was the seventh national population census held in Australia and was conducted by the Bureau of Census and Statistics. The day used for the census, was taken on 30 June 1966. The total population of the Commonwealth of Australia was counted as 11,550,462 – an increase of 1,042,276 people or 9.92% over the 1961 census.[2][3]
Census results were released under statistician J. P. O'Neill in a series of three publications beginning in April 1967 with a summary of the population.[4]
Topics
Key topics in 1966 included:[5]
- Age
- Marital status
- Birthplace
- Religion
- Race/Origin
- Education (highest level of schooling)
- Occupation
- Industry
- Housing details (dwelling type, material, and motor vehicles.)
- Location
Population and dwellings
The population counts for Australian states and territories were that New South Wales remains the most populous state, with 4,233,822 people counted, ahead of Victoria (3,219,526) and Queensland (1,663,685). Australian Capital Territory (ACT) experienced the largest average annual growth rate of any state or territory over the past five years, with an average annual increase of 10.29% while Tasmania had the smallest growth at 1.18% since the 1961 census.[6] Persons count based on place of usual residence on Census night.[7]
| States and territories[8] | Males | Females | Total | % change since 1961 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 2,124,462 | 2,109,360 | 4,233,822 | 8.1% | |
| Victoria | 1,613,904 | 1,605,622 | 3,219,526 | 9.8% | |
| Queensland | 843,897 | 819,788 | 1,663,685 | 9.6% | |
| Western Australia | 426,691 | 409,982 | 836,673 | 12.0% | |
| South Australia | 548,530 | 543,345 | 1,091,875 | 12.2% | |
| Tasmania | 187,390 | 184,045 | 371,435 | 6.0% | |
| Australian Capital Territory | 49,977 | 46,036 | 96,013 | 63.2% | |
| Northern Territory[a] | 21,508 | 15,925 | 37,433 | 33.3% | |
| Australia | 5,816,359 | 5,734,103 | 11,550,462 | 9.9% | |
Age
| Age | 1966[9] | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | ||
| 0–4 years | 1,143,144 | |
| 5–9 years | 1,162,896 | |
| 10–14 years | 1,086,448 | |
| 15–19 years | 1,048,226 | |
| 20–24 years | 853,941 | |
| 25–29 years | 746,065 | |
| 30–34 years | 687,354 | |
| 35–39 years | 764,562 | |
| 40–44 years | 773,751 | |
| 45–49 years | 677,672 | |
| 50–54 years | 641,634 | |
| 55–59 years | 543,016 | |
| 60–64 years | 435,349 | |
| 65–69 years | 356,396 | |
| 70–74 years | 275,971 | |
| 75–79 years | 196,387 | |
| 80–84 years | 102,864 | |
| 85–89 years | 41,621 | |
| 90–94 years | 10,976 | |
| 95–99 years | 2005 | |
| 100 and over | 184 | |
| Total | 11,550,462 | |
Single characteristics
Race
At the seventh Australian census in 1966 the population was self-enumeration. In the official sense, the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, which collected demographic data, defined the term "European" to "cover those ethnic or racial groups (e.g. Caucasian, Slavonic, Celtic, Latin) which have their origins in the countries of Europe while terms such as "Afghan", "Filipino", etc. cover those ethnic groups normally to be found in the countries of Afghanistan and the Philippines, etc.". The 1966 census enumeration of Aboriginals (full-blood) progressively made significant effort for those in contact and out of contact with population centres.[10]
| Race[11] | Population | Percent (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| European[12] | 11,453,375 | 98.74 | |
| Non-European[13] | |||
| Afghan | 89 | 0.00 | |
| Arab, Persian | 1321 | 0.01 | |
| Asiatic Jew | 243 | 0.00 | |
| Asiatic | 2636 | 0.02 | |
| African | 601 | 0.00 | |
| Australian Aboriginal[14] | 80,207 | 0.69 | |
| Chinese | 26,723 | 0.23 | |
| Sinhalese, Burgher, Tamil | 1,679 | 0.01 | |
| Egyptian | 425 | 0.00 | |
| Fijian | 257 | 0.00 | |
| Filipino | 765 | 0.00 | |
| Indian, Pakistani | 4,411 | 0.03 | |
| Indonesian, Javanese, Timorese, etc. | 818 | 0.00 | |
| Japanese | 3,573 | 0.03 | |
| Malay | 1,749 | 0.01 | |
| Māori | 862 | 0.00 | |
| Negro | 102 | 0.00 | |
| Pacific Islander | 3,005 | 0.02 | |
| Papuan, New Guinean | 502 | 0.00 | |
| Siamese, Thailander | 562 | 0.00 | |
| Syrian, Lebanese, New Guinean | 4,855 | 0.04 | |
| Torres Strait Islander | 5,403 | 0.04 | |
| Other and indefinite | 523 | 0.00 | |
| Mixed blood[15] | 4,812 | 0.04 | |
| Total non-European[16] | 146,123 | 1.26 | |
| Grand total | 11,599,498 | 100.0 | |
Religion
Population by religious affiliation according to the 1966 census results.
| Religion[17] | 1966 census | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent (%) | |
| Christian | 10,205,038 | 88.35 |
| Church of England | 3,877,473 | 33.57 |
| Presbyterians | 1,043,570 | 9.03 |
| Methodists | 1,124,310 | 9.73 |
| Baptist | 165,487 | 1.43 |
| Congregational | 76,588 | 0.66 |
| Lutheran | 177,324 | 1.53 |
| Church of Christ | 102,545 | 0.88 |
| Orthodox | 255,493 | 2.21 |
| Brethren | 15,516 | 0.13 |
| Salvation Army | 56,501 | 0.48 |
| Seventh-day Adventist | 37,617 | 0.32 |
| Protestant (undefined) | 105,223 | 0.91 |
| Roman Catholic | 1,103,969 | 9.56 |
| Catholic | 1,932,161 | 16.73 |
| Other (including Christian undefined) | 131,261 | 1.14 |
| Non-Christian | 76,383 | 0.66 |
| Hebrew | 63,271 | 0.54 |
| Others | 13,112 | 0.11 |
| Indefinite | 36,050 | 0.31 |
| No religion | 94,091 | 0.81 |
| No reply | 1,138,900 | 9.86 |
| Grand total | 11,550,462 | 100.0 |
See also
- 2026 Australian census
- 2021 Australian census
- 2016 Australian census
- 1911 Australian census
- Census in Australia
Notes
- ^ The Northern Territory since 1911 used the Australian National Flag (the Blue Ensign) and did not adopt its own flag until 1978.
References
- ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PART 1. GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION" (PDF). ausstats.abs.gov.au. 1973. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1966" (PDF). Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1970. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PART 1. GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION" (PDF). ausstats.abs.gov.au. 1973. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "1966 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING PUBLICATIONS issued by the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics" (PDF). ausstats.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "CENSUS, 30th JUNE, 1966 HOUSEHOLDER'S SCHEDULE" (PDF). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "Volume I - POPULATION - Single Characteristics - Part 1 Age" (PDF). censusdata.abs.gov.au. 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PART 1. GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION" (PDF). ausstats.abs.gov.au. 1973. p. 10. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Volume I - POPULATION - Single Characteristics - Part 1 Age" (PDF). censusdata.abs.gov.au. 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Volume I - POPULATION - Single Characteristics - Part 1 Age" (PDF). censusdata.abs.gov.au. 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA VOLUME 1 POPULATION: SINGLE CHARACTERISTICS PART 11. RACE" (PDF). COMMONWEALTH BUREAU OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS. 1971. p. 11. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA VOLUME 1 POPULATION: SINGLE CHARACTERISTICS PART 11. RACE" (PDF). COMMONWEALTH BUREAU OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS. 1971. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ Persons of over 50 per cent European race.
- ^ Persons of more than 50 per cent of the race specified, or of 50 per cent of the race specified and 50 per cent European.
- ^ The figures in this bulletin relate to those persons who described them-selves in the 1966 Census as being 50 per cent or more Aboriginal or simply as "Aboriginal"."CENSUS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 30 JUNE 1966 THE ABORIGINAL POPULATION OF AUSTRALIA" (PDF). COMMONWEALTH BUREAU OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ Persons of three or more races where no race represents more than 50 per cent or persons of two non- European races each of which represents 50 per cent.
- ^ Persons of more than 50 per cent of the race specified, or of 50 per cent of the race specified and 50 per cent European.
- ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PART 7. RELIGION" (PDF). ausstats.abs.gov.au. 1970. Retrieved 7 February 2026.