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ASCCEG 2025 | Culture and ethnicity

Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups

ASCCEG is the ABS standard used for ancestry and related cultural coding. The 2025 release keeps the hierarchy tight, updates the lowest level and reflects the current Australian community more accurately.

Open ABS source Search ASCCEG

Hierarchy at a glance

Level Code Count Notes
Broad group 1 digit 9 Highest level of the classification.
Narrow group 2 digits 28 Middle level, grouped by proximity and similarity.
Cultural and ethnic group 4 digits 276 Base level, including 24 nec categories.

What changed in 2025

  • The 2025 review was limited to the four-digit lowest level of the classification.
  • Two new stand-alone cultural and ethnic groups were added.
  • Five groups received label changes.
  • One group was retired and split into two new stand-alone groups.
  • Five groups were retired to the most appropriate nec category.

Parsed from ABS release

Broad groups

The page now exposes the top ASCCEG broad groups directly, so the classification can be browsed on-site instead of only described in prose.

1

Oceanian

Broad group

 2

North-West European

Broad group

 3

Southern and Eastern European

Broad group

 4

North African and Middle Eastern

Broad group

 5

South-East Asian

Broad group

 6

North-East Asian

Broad group

 7

Southern and Central Asian

Broad group

 8

Peoples of the Americas

Broad group

 9

Sub-Saharan African

Broad group

How ASCCEG is used

ASCCEG supports the collection and analysis of ancestry, culture and ethnicity data in Australia. It is used in statistical and administrative contexts where identity needs to be coded consistently.

The ABS review process used statistical analysis, research and stakeholder consultation to align the classification with the current Australian community.

Scope and boundary notes

  • Used for the collection and analysis of ancestry, culture and related demographic data.
  • The ABS recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples within the structure.
  • Broad groups and narrow groups are built using geographic proximity and social-cultural similarity.
  • Residual nec categories are part of the standard structure and not a temporary placeholder.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the 2025 release matter?

It updated the lowest level of the classification and brought the structure into line with current Australian demographic usage.

Should I use ASCCEG for language data?

No. ASCCEG is for cultural and ethnic groups. For language data, use ASCL.

Are nec categories part of the classification?

Yes. The nec categories are part of the standard structure and are used when a response cannot be coded to a separately identified group.

Source and trust

Official ASCCEG source
ABS ASCCEG 2025
Last reviewed
2026-04-18

This page is an independent reference summary. For exact coding decisions, verify against the ABS release and correspondence tables.

Please verify critical classification decisions with the official authority before using them for tax, payroll, licensing, immigration or compliance work.

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Why it matters

One standard for ancestry data

ASCCEG gives demographic and administrative collections a shared structure for ancestry and cultural identity data. That keeps reporting consistent across systems and over time.

2025 review

Lowest level only

The 2025 review focused on the detailed four-digit level and deliberately left the broader structure in place.