OCCUPATIONS OF THE PEOPLE UNDER TWENTY-THREE HEADS,(1) 1857 TO 1891., (Including Chinese and Aborigines, but exclusive of those whose occupation was not returned.)
| Occupations. |
1857. |
1861. |
1871. |
1881. |
1891. |
| Numbers. |
Proportions per Cent. |
Numbers. |
Proportions per Cent. |
Numbers. |
Proportions per Cent. |
Numbers. |
Proportions per Cent. |
Numbers. |
Proportions per Cent. |
| Ministering to government |
3,946 |
0.96 |
3,774 |
0.70 |
4,150 |
0.57 |
4,494 |
0.53 |
6,877 |
0.61 |
| Ministering to religion |
286 |
0.07 |
490 |
0.09 |
899 |
0.12 |
1,237 |
0.14 |
2,261 |
0.20 |
| Ministering to health |
1,111 |
0.27 |
1,682 |
0.31 |
2,452 |
0.34 |
1,595 |
0.19 |
3,474 |
0.31 |
| Ministering to law |
718 |
0.17 |
918 |
0.17 |
1,138 |
0.16 |
1,243 |
0.14 |
2,065 |
0.18 |
| Ministering to education |
1,713 |
0.42 |
2,777 |
0.52 |
5,767 |
0.79 |
6,795 |
0.79 |
7,300 |
0.64 |
| Ministering to art, science, and literature |
1,213 |
0.30 |
1,509 |
0.28 |
1,860 |
0.26 |
3,344 |
0.39 |
6,751 |
0.59 |
| Ministering to commerce |
12,751 |
3.12 |
15,594 |
2.91 |
18,267 |
2.51 |
21,974 |
2.57 |
36,875 |
3.24 |
| Ministering to entertaining and clothing |
9,355 |
2.29 |
12,747 |
2.37 |
26,876 |
3.59 |
42,023 |
4.91 |
54,473 |
4.79 |
| Domestic servants |
19,739 |
4.83 |
23,695 |
4.41 |
25,041 |
3.44 |
32,234 |
3.77 |
49,423 |
4.35 |
| Contractors, artisans, and mechanics |
25,025 |
6.13 |
33,780 |
6.29 |
42,066 |
5.78 |
47,609 |
5.56 |
94,699 |
8.33 |
| Miners and others engaged in mining |
87,428 |
21.39 |
83,116 |
15.47 |
53,128 |
7.30 |
36,066 |
4.22 |
23,099 |
2.03 |
| Engaged in pastoral pursuits (2) |
10,172 |
2.49 |
11,583 |
2.16 |
9,479 |
1.31 |
11,822 |
1.38 |
14,702 |
1.30 |
| Engaged in agriculture(2) |
26,838 |
6.57 |
41,218 |
7.67 |
54,288 |
7.46 |
108,919 |
12.73 |
117,023 |
10.29 |
| Engaged in land carriage |
9,289 |
2.27 |
9,755 |
1.81 |
12,223 |
1.68 |
11,389 |
1.33 |
22,457 |
1.98 |
| Engaged in sea carriage |
3,867 |
0.95 |
2,490 |
0.46 |
2,713 |
0.37 |
3,363 |
0.39 |
6,166 |
0.54 |
| Dealing in food and drink |
8,971 |
2.20 |
12,380 |
2.30 |
14,088 |
1.93 |
15,277 |
1.79 |
22,786 |
2.00 |
| Labourers |
8,374 |
2.05 |
10,244 |
1.92 |
18,236 |
2.50 |
22,033 |
2.58 |
34,055 |
3.00 |
| Engaged in miscellaneous pursuits |
748 |
0.18 |
1,056 |
0.20 |
391 |
0.05 |
3,703 |
0.43 |
6,493 |
0.57 |
| Persons of independent means |
1,175 |
0.29 |
1,363 |
0.25 |
1,859 |
0.25 |
12,072 |
1.41 |
17,741 |
1.56 |
| Wives, widows, children, relatives, &c. |
133,220 |
32.60 |
193,451 |
36.01 |
277,918 |
38.18 |
272,779 |
31.88 |
365,346 |
32.13 |
| Scholars |
34,476 |
8.44 |
61,056 |
11.37 |
142,684 |
19.60 |
184,655 |
21.58 |
228,048 |
20.06 |
| Public burden |
3,115 |
0.76 |
4,559 |
0.85 |
10,304 |
1.42 |
9,808 |
1.15 |
11,386 |
1.00 |
| No occupation |
5,102 |
1.25 |
7,973 |
1.48 |
2,143 |
0.29 |
1,214 |
0.14 |
3,452 |
0.30 |
| Total |
408,632 |
100.00 |
537,210 |
100.00 |
727,970 |
100.00 |
855,648 |
100.00 |
1,136,952 |
100.00 |