The number of identifying Lutherans has been recorded as census data since 1911 when 72 395 people or 1.63 percent of the overall population identified as Lutherans. This number had fallen to 60 803 or 0.92 percent in 1933 as a consequence of the First World War when the use of German was prohibited and many Germans were interned. During the time Australia was at war with Germany, other settlers were reluctant to identify themselves with Germany or with the German Lutheran Church due to its political implications. Thus toward the end of the Second World War the number of Lutherans had decreased to 0.88 percent.

However, after the Second World War, there was an influx of immigrants from various parts of Europe including northern Europe and Germany. The number of Lutherans increased again. By 1961 there were 160 182 Lutherans representing 1.52 percent of the population. This growth tapered off with the decline in immigration from northern Europe and between 1971 and 1981 Lutherans increased by only 3 000. As a result Lutherans decreased to 1.37 percent of the overall population.

In the period leading to 1991, growth was experienced in the Lutheran Church with an increase of just over 50 000 to 250 844 which represented 1.49 percent of the population. It has been suggested that this increase may in part be due to the Lutheran community becoming less of an immigrant church and appealing to a wider section of the Australian population. However, a change in the wording of the census question may be partly responsible for this change.

A slight decrease in the number of identifying Lutherans occurred had occurred by 1996 when they numbered 249 989 and dropped slightly to 1.41 per cent of the population. By 2001, although they had slightly increased in number (250 365) identifying Lutherans declined as a proportion of the population to 1.33 per cent.