[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

CIVIL REGISTRATION

Civil registration (vital) records were created by the government and include births, marriages, and deaths. They are commonly referred to as vital records because they pertain to critical events in a person’s life. They are an excellent source of information for names, dates, birthplaces, marriages, and deaths. These records may also include divorce records.

For birth, death, and marriage records before civil registration, see the “Church Records” section of this outline.

General Historical Background

The government of each colony or state began keeping civil registration records as follows:

•Tasmania
1838

•South Australia
1842

•Western Australia
1842

•Victoria
1854

•Queensland
1856

•New South Wales
1856

•Northern Territory
1870

•Australian Capital Territory
1911

At first, civil registration required the clergy to make copies of marriage, baptism, and burial records. These records are known as civil transcripts of church records. Because churches were involved in early civil registration, it is difficult to clearly distinguish between civil registration and church records. Later, about 1856, the responsibility for civil registration was placed in the hands of government employees independent of the church. Civil registration then required people to report all births, marriages, and deaths to a civil registrar.

Information Recorded in Civil Registers

When civil registration first began, there was no common standard of recording information, so the information listed may vary from state to state. Later records generally give more complete information than earlier ones.

Birth records may provide the following information:

Surname and forenames of child

Date and place of birth of child

Sex of the child

Multiple births

Surname and forenames of father

Age, birthplace, and occupation or rank of father

Maiden surname and forenames of mother

Place and year of marriage of parents

Age and birthplace of mother

Number and sex of previous issue, if deceased

Name, relationship, description, and residence of informant

Marriage records may provide the following information:

Surname and forenames of parties
Occupations and places of residence of parties
Ages and places of birth of parties
Marital status prior to the marriage
Date and place of marriage
Name of celebrant and denomination
Names of witnesses
Surnames and forenames of parents

Death records may provide the following information:

Surname and forenames of deceased
Date and place of death
Occupation, age, and sex of deceased
Place of birth and place and date of marriage of deceased
Length of residence in Australia and in what colonies, states, and territories
Name of spouse and names and ages of living children of deceased
Number and sex of issue, if deceased
Name and occupation of father
Maiden surname of mother
Cause of death and duration of last illness
Name of medical practitioner
Date and place of burial
Religion and name of minister or witness
Names of undertaker and informant
Residence and relationship or description of informant
Date and place of civil registration

Indexes to Civil Registration Records

Each of the several states in Australia have created indexes to their civil registration records. These indexes are on microfilm or microfiche and cover births, deaths, and marriages from the beginning of civil registration in the state to the present day. Where available, indexes can help you find your ancestor more easily.

There are also Pioneer Indexes on compact discs which index civil registration records and some church records. These indexes include the following:

New South Wales Pioneers Index, 1788–1918
The Federation Series:1899–1918 (part 2 of New South Wales Pioneer Index)
The Tasmanian Pioneers Index, 1803–1899
The Victoria Pioneers Index, 1837–1888
The Western Australian Pioneers Index, 1841–1905

These indexes are available in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah; genealogical societies throughout Australia; and many local public libraries all over Australia. These indexes are not available at Family History Centers.

A compilation of most of these Pioneer Indexes was produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a set of four compact discs entitled Australian Vital Records Index 1788–1905. It is available for purchase, except in Australia, through the Salt Lake Distribution Center, 1999 West 1700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84104-4233, USA.

Locating Civil Registration Records

Birth, marriage, and death records may be obtained from the state civil registration offices or archives in Australia.

Pre-civil registration records from many towns are in the various state archives and registrar general’s office. Many of these records have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library. However, for more recent records, and for those not yet microfilmed, contact the appropriate state archives.

If your request is unsuccessful, search for duplicate records such as church registers. For more information on church registers, see the “Archives and Libraries” and the “Church Records” sections of this outline.

The following are the addresses of civil registration offices where requests may be made:

Australian Capital Territory
Office of the Registrar General
of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
National Mutual Centre, 4th Floor
Darwin Place
P.O. Box 788
Canberra City
Australian Capital Territory 2601
AUSTRALIA

New South Wales
Office of the Registrar General
of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
G.P.O. Box 30
Sydney
New South Wales 2001
AUSTRALIA

Northern Territory
Office of the Registrar General
of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
G.P.O. Box 3094
Darwin
Northern Territory 5794
AUSTRALIA

Queensland
Office of the Registrar General
of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
P.O. Box 188
Brisbane, North Quay
Queensland 4000
AUSTRALIA

South Australia
Principal Registrar
of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
Department of Public and Consumer Affairs
G.P.O. Box 1351
Adelaide
South Australia 5001
AUSTRALIA

Tasmania
Registrar General
of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
G.P.O. Box 875 J
Hobart
Tasmania 7001
AUSTRALIA

Victoria
The Government Statist
Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
295 Queen Street
P.O. Box 4332
Melbourne
Victoria 3001
AUSTRALIA

Western Australia
Registrar General
of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
Oakleigh Building
22 St. George’s Terrace
Perth
Western Australia 6000
AUSTRALIA

Records at the Family History Library

The Family History Library has microfilmed very few Australian civil registration records because the government has placed restrictions on public access to these records. By law, personal application must be made to the various state archives for copies of the certificates.

To find civil registration records in the Family History Library, look in the Locality Search of the Family History Library’s catalog under:

AUSTRALIA, [STATE]- CIVIL REGISTRATION

There may also be information under:

AUSTRALIA - CIVIL REGISTRATION

Archive offices may have inventories and guides that describe the record-keeping systems and available civil registration records in Australia. These guides are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

AUSTRALIA - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIESAUSTRALIA, [STATE]- ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES

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