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Australia Research Outline |
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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
CENSUS National censuses have been taken by the Australian government since 1911. However, to protect individual privacy, all national censuses were destroyed after statistical information was collected. Because of this policy, census usage in Australian research may vary greatly census usage in other countries.
Typically a census is a count and description of the population. Where available, census records can provide an ancestor’s name, age, occupation, marital status prior to the marriage, birthplace, and family member relationships. Census returns can also provide clues that lead to other records. A census may list selected people or the whole population. The percentage of people listed depends on the purpose of the census and on how careful the enumerator was.
Australian states have also taken censuses—mostly from the eighteenth century on. However, many of the censuses do not survive because they were taken primarily for population studies and taxation. See the listing below for dates of the initial censuses in each state:
1788
1861
1861
1841
1803
1836
1829
The first country-wide census was taken in 1881. For a list of existing census returns look under “Census” for each state in the following book:
Vine Hall, Nick. Tracing your family history in Australia: a guide to sources. 2nd ed. Albert Park, Victoria: N. Vine Hall, 1994. (FHL book British Ref 994 D23v; computer number 732232.)
Existing censuses have been published or microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library. Look in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
Index to the Australian Census Records in the British Collection of the Family History Library. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1991, 1985. (FHL book British Reg 994 X22c 1991; computer number 624227.)
In Australian research, other records can be used in place of census records. They are referred to as “census substitutes,” and they list individuals who lived in specific places. It is rare, however, to find an entire family listed. Usually these records list only the head of household’s name, date and place of residence, occupation, age, value of property, and sometimes ship of arrival.
Records that can be used as census substitutes are:
Census substitutes can be found in most major archives and libraries in Australia. For a listing of these archives and libraries and their addresses, see the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline.
Population Musters. Because convicts were transported into Australia, the government found it necessary to survey the population at least annually. These surveys, known as musters, began in 1788. Information contained in the records might include an individual’s residence, status (convict, free, military), sex, name, ship of arrival, trial date, trial place, sentence, and remarks. Some early musters list children, wives, and servants. For a list of surviving musters, look under the topic of “Census” for each state in the following book:
Vine Hall, Nick. Tracing your family history in Australia: a guide to sources. 2d ed. Albert Park, Victoria: N. Vine Hall, 1994. (FHL book British Ref 994 D23v; computer number 732232.)
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•New South Wales
•Northern Territory
•Queensland
•South Australia
•Tasmania
•Victoria
•Western Australia
AUSTRALIA, [STATE] - CENSUS AUSTRALIA, [STATE], [TOWN] - CENSUS
The following is a register of the census records available in the Family History Library:
Census Substitutes
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/8/2001]