Family history is more than the basic facts. Follow our guide on how to begin tracing your family tree. Find out the steps to follow, and where to start looking for information.
There are many different types of records that relate to births, deaths and marriages in Australia and overseas. Use the following research guides to discover the resources you need to get started when locating civil birth, death and marriage records; Australian parish records, adoption records, divorce records, cemetery records plus records relating to orphanages, children’s homes and child migrants.
European settlement in Australia began in 1788. Since then millions of people from Europe and around the world have arrived in Australia. How did your ancestors come to Australia? Why did they come? Did they migrate for a better life, or were they convicts serving time? Find out about their voyage and migration. Use our research guides to chart your family's journey with State Library's collections.
See also child migrants (located under 'Births, deaths and marriages')
See also British Army in colonial Australia (located under 'Occupations')
Transportation of convicts to Australia occurred between 1788 and 1868. Depending on the time period; convicts were sent to New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. Convicts were extensively documented from their trials, transportation records and steps towards freedom such as tickets of leave, conditional pardons and certificates of freedom.
See also Colonial Secretary's correspondence: letters recieved re Moreton Bay 1822-1860 (located under 'Social history')
See also Census and muster records (located 'Electoral rolls, directories and census records')
A family history is not just a listing of facts. It is being able to find information that will put people in a place at a certain time. This enables you to create a picture of their life. Our research guides can help you discover how these resources can provide historical context. They are also useful when trying to discover more about who lived in a particular house at a particular time.
Records for employment can be an important source of information about when (and where) your ancestors worked, how they made their living and what type of life they led. They help provide more detail to your family tree. Find out what resources State Library has on some specific occupations, and where else you can search.
See also Persons called before government committees (located under 'Social history')
Family history is more than just facts. It is finding information that places your ancestors in a specific time in history enabling you to build a picture of their life. By discovering where someone lived or what happened during their life lets you add historical detail to your family tree.