[Research Guidance: Australia - Research Outline] Research Guidance Version Of Data : 6/8/2001

Table of Contents
Helps For Using This Research Outline
Introduction
     Record Selection Table
Archives And Libraries
     National Archives And Libraries
     Branches Of The National Archives Of Australia
     National Library
     State Archives
     State Libraries
     Other Libraries
     Computer Networks And Bulletin Boards
     Familysearch™
Biography
Business Records And Commerce
Cemeteries
Census
     Census Substitutes
Church Directories
Church History
Church Records
     Information Recorded In Church Registers
     Locating Church Records
     Indexes To Church Records
Civil Registration
     General Historical Background
     Information Recorded In Civil Registers
     Indexes To Civil Registration Records
     Locating Civil Registration Records
     Records At The Family History Library
Convict Records
Correctional Institutions
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Encyclopedias And Dictionaries
Gazetteers
     Finding Place Names In The Family History Library Catalog
     Modern Place Names
     Historical Place Names
Genealogy
     Major Collections And Databases
     Family Histories
     Genealogical Collections
     Genealogical Indexes
     Research Coordination
Heraldry
Historical Geography
History
     Local Histories
Land And Property
     Finding Land Records In Australia
     Finding Land Records In The Family History Library
Languages
     Language Aids
Maps
     Using Maps
     Finding The Specific Town On The Map
     Finding Maps And Atlases
Medical Records
Military Records
Minorities
Native Races
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Obituaries
Occupations
Orphans And Orphanages
Periodicals
     Indexes
     Obtaining Periodicals
Probate Records
Public Records
Schools
Societies
     Genealogical And Family History Societies
     Historical Societies
     Family Associations And One-name Societies
     Locating Records At The Family History Library
     Records Not At The Family History Library
Taxation
Voting Registers
Other Records Of Australia
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

GENEALOGY

The term genealogy is used in this outline and in the Family History Library Catalog to describe a variety of records containing family information. These records may be gathered by individuals, other researchers, societies, or archives. They may include pedigree charts, compiled information on families, correspondence, ancestor lists, research exchange files, record abstracts, and collections of original or copied documents. These types of records can be a good source of time-saving information, but they must be carefully evaluated for accuracy.

Major Collections and Databases

The Family History Library has several sources that contain previous research or that can lead you to other

individuals who are interested in sharing family information. These sources include:

International Genealogical Index. This index provides names and vital information for many deceased individuals who lived in Australia. This valuable research tool lists birth, christening, and marriage dates and will occasionally list death, burial, or probate dates. The index for Australia includes names extracted from parish registers by volunteers and names submitted by other researchers.

The International Genealogical Index is available on microfiche and on compact disc as part of FamilySearch™. If you are using the microfiche edition, it is arranged alphabetically for the whole country. If you are using the compact disc edition, the computer will search the entire country for any name.

Ancestral File. This file, part of FamilySearch™, contains family history information linked in family groups and pedigrees; this information has been contributed since 1979. Since 1996, the file contains the names of millions of people, including hundreds of Australian families. Ancestral File allows you to print pedigree charts, family group records, and individual summary sheets for any person in the file.

Family Group Records Collection. More than eight million family group record forms have been microfilmed in the Family Group Records Collection. These records include some Australian families. There are two major sections: the Archive Section and the Patrons Section. The film numbers for both sections are listed in the microfiche edition of Family History Library Catalog under:

FAMILY GROUP RECORDS COLLECTION

Family Histories

Many Australian families have produced histories or newsletters that often contain genealogical information, biographies, photographs, and other excellent information. These histories can often include several generations of a family.

The Family History Library has some published Australian family histories and newsletters. Copies at the Family History Library are listed in the Surname Search of the Family History Library Catalog. Not every name found in a family history will be listed in the Family History Library Catalog because only major surnames are included.

The following is a helpful bibliography of family histories:

Peake, Andrew Guy. Bibliography of Australian family history. Dulwich, S.A.; Gumeracha, S.A.: Tudor Australia Press: Gould Books, 1988. (FHL book British Ref 994 D23p; computer number 538130.) This book lists published family histories that are deposited at the National Library of Australia. A few unpublished family histories that the author discovered are also included.

Genealogical Collections

The Family History Library has some collections of genealogical material of Australian families. These materials include published and unpublished collections of family histories and lineages as well as the research files of some genealogists. The following is an example of a genealogical collection:

Smee, C. J. The Pioneer register. Spit Junction, N.S.W.: The Pioneer Register, 1983–. (FHL book British 994 D2s; computer number 167858.) This is an ongoing project to gather genealogical and historical information about all individuals arriving in Australia before 1820.

Genealogical collections are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

AUSTRALIA- GENEALOGYAUSTRALIA, [STATE]- GENEALOGYAUSTRALIA, [STATE], [TOWN]- GENEALOGY

Genealogical Indexes

Indexes are excellent tools for the genealogist. Many organizations and individuals compile indexes to certain records, groups of people, or localities. If an index applies to your research, it can save you many hours of searching. The Family History Library has some of these indexes. The following are some examples:

Australasian genealogical computer Index: a bi-centennial project. Sydney, N.S.W.: Society of Australian Genealogists, 1987. (FHL fiche 6341633, nos. 1–37; computer number 495894.) This index includes various records held by the Society of Australian Genealogists and other genealogical societies and repositories. It includes records from every state, including some Irish transport records of unassisted passengers to New South Wales, 1854–1922. This project is ongoing.

Mutch, Thomas Davies. Thomas Davies Mutch Card Indexes. Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1960–1980. (FHL computer number 30194.) This index is said to cover all existing records for New South Wales from 1787 to 1828, except the Newcastle Registers and the Methodist Church records. It also contains some other records up to 1957.

Other genealogical indexes are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

AUSTRALIA - GENEALOGY - INDEXESAUSTRALIA - GENEALOGY - SOURCESAUSTRALIA, [STATE] - GENEALOGY - INDEXESAUSTRALIA, [STATE] - GENEALOGY - SOURCESAUSTRALIA, [STATE], [TOWN] - GENEALOGY - INDEXESAUSTRALIA, [STATE], [TOWN] - GENEALOGY - SOURCES

If indexes are not available at the Family History Library, they may be listed in the following:

Webster, Judy. Specialist indexes in Australia: A genealogist’s guide. Brisbane, Queensland: Judy Webster, 1994. (FHL book British 994 D27w 1994; computer number 729076.) This book contains an extensive list of name indexes for different localities, names, and subjects.

Research Coordination

Many organizations, such as family history societies, publish directories listing the research interests of individuals. These directories are excellent tools for finding living relatives who are unknown to you and who may have information about your family. The following are some examples:

Johnson, Keith A., and Malcolm R Sainty, eds. Genealogical research directory: Australasian edition. Sydney: Library of Australian History, 1981. (FHL book British 994 D24g 1981; computer number 104239.) This is a list of surnames being researched in Australia by individuals from many different countries.

Johnson, Keith A., and Malcolm R. Sainty, eds. Genealogical research directory: national & international. Melbourne: McPherson’s, 1983–. (FHL book British Ref 929.1025 G286grd; computer number 507132.) An annual list of surnames being researched in many different countries by individuals throughout the world.

Other similar directories or interest lists can be found in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

AUSTRALIA - GENEALOGY - DIRECTORIESAUSTRALIA - GENEALOGY - PERIODICALSAUSTRALIA - GENEALOGY - SOCIETIES - DIRECTORIESAUSTRALIA, [STATE] - GENEALOGY - DIRECTORIESAUSTRALIA, [STATE] - GENEALOGY - PERIODICALSAUSTRALIA, [STATE]- GENEALOGY - SOCIETIES - DIRECTORIES

Directories with an international scope can be found in the microfiche edition of the Family History Library Catalog under:

GENEALOGY - INDEXESGENEALOGY - DIRECTORIESGENEALOGISTS - DIRECTORIES

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[FamilySearch^TM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/8/2001]