Australia, New South Wales, Census (fragment), 1841 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
These records include images and indexes for the 1841 census returns from New South Wales. Original records are located in the Mitchell Library in Sydney.

To protect individual privacy, all national censuses were destroyed after statistical information was collected. The New South Wales 1841 census was one of the few census records that had survived the destruction.

Australian states have also taken censuses—mostly from the nineteenth century on. However, many of the censuses do not survive because they were taken primarily for population studies and taxation.

Record Content


Census records may contain the following information:
 * Name of ancestor
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Religion
 * Marital status
 * Birthplace
 * County
 * Sub-district

How to Use the Record
To search this collection, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:
 * Name of ancestor
 * Approximate year and place of residence

Search the Collection
‘’’To search by index:’’’ Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

When searching: As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Related Websites

 * NSW Government State Records, Index to 1841 Census
 * National Archives of Australia, Step-by-step Guide for Researchers

Related Wiki Articles
Australia Census Australia

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.