Between 2014 and 2018 Australia and New Zealand commemorate the Anzac Centenary, marking 100 years since our nation’s involvement in the First World War. The Anzac Centenary is a milestone of special significance to all Australians. The First World War helped define us as a people and as a nation. During the Anzac Centenary we will remember not only the original Anzacs who served at Gallipoli and the Western Front, but commemorate more than a century of service by Australian servicemen and women. The Anzac Centenary Program encompasses all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australians have been involved. The Program aims to give all Australians the opportunity to honour the service and sacrifice of all those who have worn our nation’s uniform, including the more than 102,000 who have made the supreme sacrifice. It also aims to encourage all Australians to reflect upon and learn more about Australia’s military history, its costs and its impacts on our nation. The little island of Malta, just in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, played an important part during the first world war so much so that it earned the title of The Nurse of the Mediterranean. A strong bond exists between the three countries since then – Australia, New Zealand and Malta.
The National Statistics Office yesterday released a breakdown of surnames recorded in the census. There were 19,104 surnames listed while a tenth of the population had Borg, Camilleri and Vella as their surname. The list of most common surnames was no different from the 2005 census with the top 10 having an identical rank order. There are almost 14,000 people with the surname Borg, which remains the most common. Almost a tenth of the Borgs live in Birkirkara. Camilleri comes in at second place with just over 13,000 people having the surname. The highest number of Camilleris live in Mosta. With more than 12,000 people, Vella is the third most common surname with Mellieħa having the highest number. The NSO figures showed a concentration of particular surnames in particular areas. Grech, Farrugia and Spiteri are most likely to be found in Żabbar, Żurrieq and Żejtun respectively. Interestingly, Mintoff ranks 144th at a national level but has the most common cluster in Għasri. Carabott is the third most common surname in Marsaxlokk but it places 94th nationwide. The NSO said such trends indicated that despite an increasingly mobile population, many surnames still had strong ties to specific localities.