Family nucleus

A family nucleus comprises a couple with or without child(ren), or one parent and their child(ren) whose usual residence is in the same household; the children do not have partners or children of their own living in that household.

Included are people who were absent on census night but usually live in a particular dwelling and are members of a family nucleus in that dwelling; generally, these will be people reported as being absent on the dwelling form or the household set-up form and are away from New Zealand for less than twelve months.

See also ‘Absentee’, ‘Usual residents’, and ‘Usual residents in private dwellings’ in Individual definitions.