Search Historical Records
Ancestry.com.au could help you discover the stories of your ancestors in more than
4 billion historical records. Our rich collections include photographs, memoirs, maps and family trees — along with census records and detailed accounts of births, marriages, deaths, military service, immigration, land ownership and much more.
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Use these helpful tips to quickly understand historical records
Learn more about Ancestry Search Discover ways get better results.
What are historical records?
Historical records are typically old documents that can provide important details about family relationships and the lives of your ancestors. Whether created by quill pen, typewriter, or computer, these records can help you discover new clues about your family story.
What things can I learn from a historical record?
Historical records often provide information about when and where your ancestors were born and lived; who, when and where they married; whether or not they served in the military; what property they may have owned; what their occupations were; and even what they looked like. You can also discover info about other relatives to help you grow your family tree.
What is the best way to find a historical record?
The best way to find a historical record is to enter as much information as you can into your search. The more you tell us about your ancestor, the easier it will be to find good matches about him or her.
What do I do after I find a historical record?
Once you find a matching historical record, save it to your family tree—that way you can provide evidence to back up the info in your family tree, easily share your discovery with your family, and quickly find the historical record again later.
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Go Directly to a Specific Title or Collection
Go to the Card Catalogue- Census & Voter Lists
- Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1954
- 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (TNA Copy)
- Australia, List of Convicts with Particulars, 1788-1842
- UK Census Collection
- U.S. Federal Census Collection
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- Court, Land, Wills & Financial
- Australia - Convict Savings Bank Books, 1824-1886
- Ireland, Index to Griffith’s Valuation, 1848-1864
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- Directories & Member Lists
- Sands Directories: Sydney and New South Wales, Australia, 1858-1933
- Who’s Who in Australia, 1921-1950
- U.K. and U.S. Directories, 1680-1830
- British Phone Books, 1880-1984
- Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900
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- Immigration & Emigration
- Australian Convict Transportation Registers – First Fleet, 1787-1788
- Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Second Fleet, 1789-1790
- Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Third Fleet, 1791
- Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Other Fleets & Ships, 1791-1868
- New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters, 1806-1849
- See more...
- Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- World Foreign Gazetteer, Vol. 1
- Cassell's Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland
- Scotland Gazetteer
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- Military
- ANZAC Memorial, 1914-1918
- British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920
- British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
- British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
- See more...
- Newspapers & Periodicals
- The Times (London, England)
- Scotsman (Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland)
- Dunfermline Journal, 1851-1931
- Railway Gazette Worldwide Historical Data, 1860-1930
- See more...
- Reference Materials & Finding Aids
- The Dictionary of Australasian Biography
- An Australian Biographical Dictionary
- Ancestry Database Card Catalog
- Irish Names and Surnames
- Tracing Your British Ancestors
- See more...
- Stories, Memories & Histories
- The Australian Portrait Gallery and Memoirs of Representative Colonial Men
- Australia's Fighting Sons of The Empire. Portraits and Biographies of Australians in the Great War
- See more...
Go to the Card Catalogue to browse through all titles across all of our collections