For family historians
Starting your research
The Library's collections offer a wealth of resources to the Australian family historian.
Frequently used family history material on microfiche and microfilm is located in a special area of the Newspapers and Microforms Reading Room. Check our guide to Family history sources in the Newspapers and Microforms Reading Room to see the range of material we hold in this area.
Staff can assist you in locating resources and in using the microform equipment, but cannot undertake extensive or ongoing genealogical, historical or other research for clients.
You can search the Library's catalogue for specific topics, such as published family histories, local histories, ship information and biography.
The Library subscribes to many online resources relating to family history. For a complete listing of databases check eResources but note that not all are accessible outside the Library's reading rooms.
Note that the terms, 'family history' and 'genealogy' are used interchangeably between databases and across the National Library website, so searches should be constructed appropriately.
Frequently asked family history questions:
- How can the National Library of Australia help with my family history research?
- Where can I find information about Indigenous Australians?
- How can I get an Australian birth, death, or marriage certificate?
- How can I get a birth, death or marriage certificate from England?
- Where can I find Australian Electoral Rolls?
- Where can I find Australian cemetery records?
- Where can I find military records?
Major resources in the collection:
- Australian birth, marriage and death records
- General Register Office: indexes to English and Welsh births, deaths, marriages
- Australian electoral rolls: print resources
- Records relating to Convict Transportation
- Ship and passenger records: print resources
- British government records relating to the Australian colonies (AJCP)
- The Griffith Valuation and index to the Tithe Applotment books (Ireland)
- Indexes to Inquests and Probate records
- Australian censuses and musters: print resources
- Cemetery records: print resources
- Australian parish records on microfilm (SAG collection)
- Newspaper indexes
- Post office directories
- Australian biography: print resources
Material relating to your family history may be found in other parts of the Library's collections such as:
- Newspapers
- Manuscripts
- Pictures
- Maps - including digitised parish maps
- Oral History