Australia Occupations

Online Resources

 * Australian Pastoral Directories, ($), index..
 * Australian Almanacs at Findmypast - index & images ($)
 * Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters, index.
 * 1882-1945 Queensland, Australia, Mining Accident Index, 1882-1945 - index at Ancestry ($)
 * 1860-1879 Tasmania Charitable Grants and Children of the State Department at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1860-1903 Australia Department of Public Instruction at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * These registers are particularly rich in genealogical information because the information required on the form includes date of birth, nationality (often listing the county and country of birth), religious denomination, starting date as a teacher, resignation date, professional training (which often includes names and places of schools attended in the country of origin), previous employment (by places and years), miscellaneous facts (such as when the individual came to the colony), wife’s maiden name (if married), wife’s attainments and experience (if she also taught school), the number and ages of the teacher’s children, and an employment history.


 * 1866-1919 Queensland Railways Central Division at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Introduction
Knowing an ancestor’s occupation can help you distinguish him or her from others with the same name. The records about your ancestor’s occupation could provide information about his or her life and family.

Most trades required a training period or apprenticeship that included several steps. Records were often created to indicate the progress or completion of this training. These records can provide information about the apprentice such as age, place of residence, length of apprenticeship, and father’s name.

In most societies, occupations were a measure of social status. Some trades were viewed as more prestigious than others. Many trades, such as butchers, tanners, shoemakers, tailors, and others, were organized into guilds. Guild records often give information about workers such as names of parents, place of origin, occupation, and age.

Some types of occupational records that you will find are:
 * Apprenticeships
 * Registers
 * Appointments
 * Histories
 * Guild records