Region | Number in 1976 | Rank in 1976 | Rank in 1920-1939 (migrants leaving Italy for Australia) |
Sicily | 55,180 | 1 | 2 |
Calabria | 47,400 | 2 | 3 |
Veneto | 31,120 | 3 | 1 |
Friuli Venezia Giulia | 27,570 | 4 | 11 |
Abruzzi | 24,630 | 5 | 8 |
Campania | 22,420 | 6 | 9 |
Puglie | 10,360 | 7 | 6 |
Piemonte | 7,740 | 8 | 5 |
Liguria | 5,875 | 9 | 15 |
Basilicata | 5,030 | 10 | 12 |
Trentino Alto-Adige | 4,833 | 11 | 10 |
Lombardia | 4,735 | 12 | 4 |
Molise | 4,050 | 13 | ** (with Abruzzo) |
Lazio | 4,050 | 14 | 17 |
Toscana | 3,905 | 15 | 7 |
Sardegna | 3,820 | 16 | 16 |
Marche | 3,590 | 17 | 13 |
Emilia - Romagna | 1,955 | 18 | 14 |
Umbria | 1,695 | 19 | 18 |
Val D’Aosta | 170 | 20 | * (with Piemonte) |
Born in Other Countries Unclassified | 37,697 | | |
Total | 307,825 | | |
The mix of migrants varies according to the state they settled in. The following groups predominate in the following states:
Victoria: Sicilians and Calabrians
New South Wales: Calabrians and Sicilians
South Australia: Campanians
Western Australia: equally Calabrians and Sicilians.
Queensland: Sicilians, then Calabrians and Venetians.
Intermarriage rates between Northern and Southern Italian born immigrants were as low as those between Italians and Greeks or Italians and Yugoslavs.
Source:Ware, Helen, A Profile of the Italian Community in Australia, Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs and CO.AS.IT, Italian Assistance Association, Melbourne, 1981.pp. 27-28.