Family Historians

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You've come to the right place! The National Library's collections contain a wealth of information of interest to the family historian.

We have the answers to some frequently asked questions on our FAQ page.

Visiting the Library

The Library's Newspaper/Microcopy Reading Room is the best place to start your research. Frequently used family history material on microfiche and microfilm is located in a special area of the reading room.

Staff can assist you in locating resources and in using the microform equipment.

You can search the Library's catalogue for specific topics, such as published family histories, local histories, ship information and biography.

Check Family History Resources on Open Access to see the range of material we hold in the Reading Room.

Major resources held include:

• Australian birth, death and marriage indexes
• General Register Office: indexes to English and Welsh births, deaths, marriages
• Australian electoral rolls
• Records relating to convict transportation
• Immigration and passenger lists
• British government records relating to the Australian colonies (AJCP)
• The Griffith Valuation and index to the Tithe Applotment books (Ireland)
• Indexes to Probate records
• Indexes to Inquests
• Cemetery records
• Australian parish records on microfilm (SAG collection)
• Australian and selected overseas newspapers and indexes
• Post office directories
• Biographical archives

Electronic Family History:

The Library subscribes to many online resources relating to family history. Some of the databases are only accessible in the Library's reading room. For a complete listing of genealogical databases check Indexes & Databases.

Additional online information relating to Australian family history can be found at Australian Family History and Genealogy on the Internet.

For pictures of people and places check PictureAustralia.

Guides to the Collections

Check our Discover guides, designed to be useful starting points for your research:

• Discover Australian Electoral Rolls
• Discover Australian Federal Elections
• Discover Australian Censuses, Musters and Population Counts
• Discover Ship and Passenger Records
• Discover Australian Biography
• Discover Australian History

Material relating to your family history may be found in other parts of the Library's collections such as:

• Newspapers
• Manuscripts for original materials.
• Pictures
• Maps
• Oral History

Other Australian institutions that may hold material relating to your family history include:

Military history: The Australian War Memorial

Aboriginal records: AIATSIS

Business records: Noel Butlin Archives Centre

Government records:

• National Archives of Australia
• State Records of NSW
• Public Records Office (Vic)
• State Records of South Australia
• Archives Office of Tasmania
• Queensland State Archives
• State Records Office of Western Australia

State and Territory Libraries:

• ACT Library and Information Service
• State Library of New South Wales
• Northern Territory Library and Information Service
• State Library of Queensland
• State Library of South Australia
• State Library of Tasmania
• State Library of Victoria
• State Library of Western Australia