Assyrian Australians

Assyrian Australians

Total population
21,626 (by birth, 2011),[1] 60,000 (by ancestry, 2011)[2]
Regions with significant populations
New South Wales Victoria
Languages
Neo-Aramaic, English, (some knowledge of Arabic
Religion
Mainly Chaldean Catholic Church, Assyrian Church of the East , Ancient Church of the East , Syriac Orthodox Church

Assyrian Australians refers to Australians who are of Assyrian descent. The Assyrians in Australia mainly came from Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran that largely corresponds with the Assyrian homeland, including parts of what is now primarily northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, northwestern Iran, and southeastern Turkey.^[3]

The Assyrian diasporic community is located mainly in the state of New South Wales, with a significant community also in Melbourne. According to the 2011 census, there are 21,626 Assyrians in Sydney, the majority of which reside in the city of Fairfield and are mostly members of the Church of the East and Chaldean Catholic Church.^[4] Assyrians are considered to be a successful group in Australia.

Notable Assyrian Australians

• Jibrail Kassab - Bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church.
• Sham Khamis - Plays for Sydney FC in the Australian W-League.
• Ninos Khoshaba - Politician and a is former member of Parliament of New South Wales.
• Cindy Sargon - TV chef and business woman.
• Meelis Zaia - Assyrian Church of the East's Metropolitan of Australia, New Zealand and Lebanon.

References

1. "The People of Australia – Statistics from the 2011 Census" (PDF). Australian Government.
2. http://museumvictoria.com.au/origins/history.aspx?pid=29&cat=NONE&cid=0
3. Reforging a Forgotten History: Iraq and the Assyrians in the Twentieth Century By Sargon Donabed
4. "The People of Australia – Statistics from the 2011 Census" (PDF). Australian Government.