1911 Australia Census
First Commonwealth Census | |
---|---|
General information | |
Country | Commonwealth of Australia |
Date taken | 3 April 1911 |
Total population | 4,455,005 |
Percent change | 18.05% |
Most populous state/territory | New South Wales (1,646,734) |
Least populous state/territory | Federal Territory (1,714) |
The 1911 Australia Census was the first national population census held in Australia. The day used for the census, was taken for the night between the 2 and 3 April 1911. The total population of the Commonwealth of Australia was counted as 4,455,005 - an increase of 681,204 people, 18.05% since the 1901 "Federation" Census.[1][lower-alpha 1][2]
The Census Volumes II and III were published on 30 September 1914. At that time it was intended to issue shortly thereafter Volume 1.[3]
Collection method
The first Commonwealth Statistician was George Handley Knibbs. He began his career as a licensed surveyor in government service. In April 1911, a Monday, census collectors set out all over Australia under mostly clear skies to begin gathering in Australia’s first national census forms. They covered suburbs to rural towns and the outback. They travelled by bike or horse where they had the transport that was needed to cover large areas, however, most travelled by foot. Some in Northern Queensland had to find their way through a flooded landscape while others in South Australia had difficulties finding water and fodder for their horses due to droughts. They had distributed the forms prior to the census day.[4]
Collectors had to supply their own transport and cover any associated costs such as fodder and petrol. They were paid according to their method of transport. Collectors on foot were paid ten shilling a day, those on bicycle fifteens shillings a day and those on horse 20 shillings a day. Police were used in the days immediately following the census to get travellers, swagmen and campers to provide their information. Train conductors and ships' captains were also used as collectors in the 1911 census and several subsequent censuses, to cover people travelling overnight on census night.[5]
Census questions
For Every Person present in the Night from 2 to 3 April 1911, or returning on 3rd April (if not included elsewhere).[6]
- Name in full (Underline Surname.)
- Sex - {Write M for Male}, {Write F for Female}
- Date of Birth: Day
- If married, write M. If widowed, write W. If divorced, write D. If never married, write N. M.
- Date of existing Marriage: Year.................
- Number of Children (living and dead) from existing Marriage .....................
- (a) Number of Children: (living and dead) from previous Marriage ...............
- Relation to Head of Household
- State if Blind or Deaf and Dumb ................
- Country (or Australian State) where born
- If a British subject by parentage. write P.
- If a British subject by Naturalization. write N.
- Race -
- If born outside Commonwealth, state length of residence therein
- (a) Date of Arrival in Commonwealth
- Religion
- Education
- (a) At present receiving Education
- Profession or Occupation
(If engaged in more than one occupation. underline principal occupation.)- (a) State if Employer or Employee, &c
- (b) If out of work, state period
- (c) Occupation of Employer (if any).
Population and dwellings
Population counts for Australian states and territories had 4,455,005 and 19,939 full-Aboriginals for a total population of 4,474,944.[7]
Note: All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
States and Territories | Males | Females | Total |
---|---|---|---|
States | |||
New South Wales | 857,698 | 789,036 | 1,646,734 |
Victoria | 655,591 | 659,960 | 1,315,551 |
Queensland | 329,506 | 276,307 | 605,813 |
South Australia | 207,358 | 201,200 | 408,558 |
Western Australia | 161,565 | 120,549 | 282,114 |
Tasmania | 97,591 | 93,620 | 191,211 |
Territories | |||
Northern Territory | 2,734 | 576 | 3,310 |
Federal Territory | 992 | 722 | 1,714 |
Commonwealth of Australia | 2,313,035 | 2,141,970 | 4,455,005 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[lower-alpha 2][8][9] |
States and Territories | Males | Females | Total |
---|---|---|---|
States | |||
New South Wales | 1,152 | 860 | 2,012 |
Victoria | 103 | 93 | 196 |
Queensland | 5,145 | 3,542 | 8,687 |
South Australia | 802 | 637 | 1,439 |
Western Australia | 3,433 | 2,936 | 6,369 |
Tasmania | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Territories | |||
Northern Territory | 743 | 480 | 1,223 |
Federal Territory | 5 | 5 | 10 |
Commonwealth | 11,385 | 8,554 | 19,939 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Full-blooded Australian Aboriginals Enumerated in the several states and territories.[10] |
Birthplace
At the Census of the 3rd April, 1911, each person was asked to state on a " personal" card, the" Country or Australian State where born," and to state on a "personal" card, the Country or Australian State where born," and from the replies to this query, taken in conjunction with the other data furnished, the tables contained in Part II.[11]
Country | Population |
Percent | |
---|---|---|---|
Australasia | 3,699,538 | - | |
Australian-born | 3,667,670 | 82.90% | |
New South Wales | 1,315,030 | - | |
Victoria | 1,181,787 | - | |
Queensland | 415,064 | - | |
South Australia | 394,768 | - | |
Western Australia | 114,550 | - | |
Tasmania | 193,770 | - | |
Northern Territory | 710 | - | |
Australia (undefined) | 51,991 | - | |
Totals, Overseas-born | 787,335 | 17.10% | |
New Zealand | 31,868 | 0.72% | |
Europe | 664,671 | 15.02% | |
England | 346,030 | 7.75% | |
Scotland | 93,083 | - | |
Isle of Man | 1,007 | - | |
Ireland | 139,434 | - | |
Wales | 12,175 | - | |
Other European British pos. | 2,378 | - | |
Austria-Hungary | 2,774 | - | |
Belgium | 339 | - | |
Denmark | 5,663 | - | |
France | 2,876 | - | |
Germany | 32,990 | - | |
Greece | 1,798 | - | |
Italy | 6,719 | - | |
Netherlands | 745 | - | |
Norway | 3,451 | - | |
Portugal | 173 | - | |
Russia | 4,456 | - | |
Spain | 658 | - | |
Sweden | 5,586 | - | |
Switzerland | 1,736 | - | |
Other European Countries | 600 | - | |
Asia | 36,442 | 0.82% | |
China | 20,775 | - | |
Africa | 4,958 | 0.11% | |
South Africa (undefined) | 2,525 | - | |
America | 11,278 | 0.25% | |
United States of America | 6,642 | - | |
Canada | 2,944 | - | |
Polynesia | 3,410 | 0.08% | |
Fiji | 852 | - | |
At sea | 4,238 | 0.10% | |
Unspecified | 30,470 | - | |
Totals, Commonwealth | 4,455,005 | 100.0% | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (Part II. Birthplaces)[12] |
Race
At the first Australian census in 1911 only those "aboriginal natives" living near European settlements were enumerated, and the main population tables included only those of half or less Aboriginal descent. Details of those "full-blood" Aborigines enumerated were included in separate tables.[13]
Race | Population | Percentage | |
---|---|---|---|
European | 4,402,662 | 98.83% | |
Full-Aboriginal (counted separately)* | 19,939 | - | |
Totals, others | 52,343 | 1.17% | |
Aboriginal (half) | 10,113 | 0.23% | |
Asiatic | 38,690 | 0.87% | |
Chinese | 25,772 | - | |
Hindus | 3,698 | - | |
Japanese | 3,576 | - | |
African | 693 | 0.01% | |
American | 89 | 0.00% | |
American Indians | 51 | - | |
Polynesian | 2,751 | 0.06% | |
Polynesians (so described) | 2,197 | - | |
Indefinite | 7 | 0.00% | |
Commonwealth of Australia | 4,455,005 | 100.00% | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics*Counted separately to the grand totals given. |
Religion
According to these figures it appears that of the 4,455,005 souls in Australia on census day (April 3. 1911) 4,274,414 were Christians, 36,785 non-Christians, 14,673 are described as indefinite, 10,016 were of no religion, 83,003 objected to state to what faith, if any, they belonged, and the remaining 36,114 were unspecified.
Religion. | 1911 Census | ||
---|---|---|---|
Number | Percentage | ||
Christian | 4,274,414 | 95.95% | |
Church of England | 1,710,443 | 38.4% | |
Presbyterians | 558,336 | - | |
Methodists | 547,806 | - | |
Baptist | 97,074 | - | |
Congregational | 74,046 | - | |
Lutheran | 72,395 | - | |
Church of Christ | 38,748 | - | |
Salvation Army | 26,665 | - | |
Seventh-day Adventist | 6,095 | - | |
Unitarian | 2,175 | - | |
Protestant (undefined) | 109,861 | - | |
Roman; Catholic | 921,425 | 20.7% | |
Greek Catholic | 2,646 | - | |
Catholic (undefined) | 75,379 | - | |
Others | 31,320 | - | |
Non-Christian | 36,785 | ||
Hebrew | 17,287 | - | |
Confucian | 5,194 | - | |
Mohammedan | 3,908 | - | |
Buddhist | 3,269 | - | |
Pagan | 1,447 | - | |
Others | 5,680 | - | |
Indefinite | 14,673 | ||
Freethinker | 3,254 | - | |
Agnostic | 3,084 | - | |
No Denomination | 2,688 | - | |
Others | 5,647 | - | |
No Religion | 10,016 | ||
No Religion | 9,251 | - | |
Atheist | 579 | - | |
Others | 186 | - | |
Object to state | 83,003 | - | |
Unspecified | 36,114 | - | |
Grand total .. | 4,455,005 | 100.00% | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[14] |
See also
Notes
- ↑ (Excluding the Dwellings occupied solely by Full-blooded Aboriginals).
- ↑ At the Census of 3rd April, 1911 (Full-blooded Aboriginals not included).
References
- ↑ Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1911, Australian Bureau of Statistics
- ↑ Census of The Commonwealth Of Australia, 1911. PART XIV.-SUMMARY TABLES
- ↑ VOLUME I. STATISTICIAN'S REPORT INCLUDING APPENDICES]
- ↑ Reflecting a Nation: Stories from the 2011 Census, July 2011
- ↑ Reflecting a Nation: Stories from the 2011 Census, July 2011
- ↑ SPECIMEN OF A FILLED IN PERSONAL CARD. COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA. CENSUS, 3rd APRIL, 1911.
- ↑ Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1911, Australian Bureau of Statistics
- ↑ Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1911, Australian Bureau of Statistics
- ↑ Census of The Commonwealth Of Australia, 1911. PART XIV.-SUMMARY TABLES
- ↑ Census of The Commonwealth Of Australia, 1911. PART XIV.-SUMMARY TABLES
- ↑ Census of The Commonwealth Of Australia STATISTICIAN'S REPORT INCLUDING APPENDICES.
- ↑ Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1911, Australian Bureau of Statistics
- ↑ Madden, Richard; Al-Yaman, Fadwa (2003). "How Statisticians Describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples" (PDF). 2003 Seminars on Health and Society: An Australian Indigenous Context. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Retrieved 25 June 2006.
- ↑ Census of The Commonwealth Of Australia, 1911. PART XIV.-SUMMARY TABLES (Page: 2111) Religion.