State Records NSW - Indexes online

Indexes online

Search several indexes at once with the KeyName Search

Online copy services are available for some indexes

Photocopy services with secure online payments are available from several of our indexes. Where a copy service is available we have indicated this in the list below. The standard fee is $25.00 - includes administration, postage/handling and the first entry - with a further charge for additional copies (usually from $1.50 to $5.00). Divorce Case Papers and Probate Packets are charged at $45.00 per file.

See more about the copy services

Census records

1841 Census
A name search which includes all the surviving householders' returns and abstracts of returns.
Copy serivce = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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1891 Census
Individuals are not listed.
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1901 Census (Short Guide 7)
Individuals are not listed.
| Browse |

Colonial Secretary

Colonial Secretary Papers, 1788-1825
Arranged by surname and subject this is the most comprehensive index of early NSW settlement.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry. This is not an online copy service.
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Letters Relating to Land
This index is part of the first stage in a long-term project to ensure the preservation and accessibility of the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1826-56.
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Main Series of Letters Received, 1826-1982
The main series of letters is a searchable database. It is part of the Colonial Secretary's Guide to Correspondence.
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Convicts

» See more on the convict records (includes examples and information on how to research a convict)

Certificates of Freedom, 1823-69
A document stating that a convict's sentence had been served and was usually given to convicts with a 7, 10 or 14 year sentence.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Convict Bank Accounts, 1837-70
Convicts could retain the money they brought with them for their own use. This money could often 'purchase' a more comfortable life during their period of servitude.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Convict Exiles, 1846-50
Transportation to NSW effectively ceased in 1842 but between 1846-50 exiles were transported. Exiles had served part of their sentence in a penitentiary in Britain and were granted a conditional pardon or ticket of leave on arrival in the Colony.
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Pardons, 1791-1825, 1837-47
Convicts with life sentences generally received pardons.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Tickets of Exemption from Government Labor, 1827-32
Similar to a Ticket of Leave but the convict was not allowed to employ him or herself or to acquire property.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Tickets of Leave, Certificates of Emancipation and Pardons, 1810-19
Search tickets, certificates and pardons from the early years of the Colony.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Tickets of Leave
Available at the Society of Australian Genealogists
A ticket of leave allowed convicts to work for themselves on condition that they remained in a specified area, reported regularly to local authorities and if at all possible, attend divine worship every Sunday.

Ticket of Leave Passports, 1835-69
Allowed convicts holding tickets of leave to travel between certain points, visit a certain place or to attend the city markets for a specified period of time.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Tasmanian convicts, 1804-53
Available at the Archives Office of Tasmania website
An index of all convicts transported to Tasmania and those who were convicted (through the convict system) in the colony, from the beginning of transportation in 1804 until 1853 when transportation ceased. The latest entry in the database for the locally convicted convicts is 1893. About 76,000 people are indexed.

Court‚ Police & Prison

Bench of Magistrates, 1788-1820
Includes criminal and civil cases, publicans' licenses issued/cancelled, constables appointed, controlling the markets etc.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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Court of Civil Jursidiction 1799-1814
Includes judgements on legal and equity matters, especially promissory notes and recovery of small debts.
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Criminal Court records, 1788-1833
This is a valuable resource relating to the New South Wales colonial justice system and will be of benefit to those of you researching criminals, convicts and crimes committed during the early years of the Colony.
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Criminal Depositions Received, 1849-1921
Includes criminal actions at country Quarter Sessions relating to cases of a non-capital nature etc.
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Divorce, 1873-1930
At present this index is complete for the years 1873-1923. It will be progressively updated to cover the years 1924-30. The index includes judicial separations.
Copy service = $45.00 per file.
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Gaol Photographs, c.1870-1930
Over 20,000 entries presently available. We are progressively adding other gaols to this index in alphabetical order.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Police Service Registers
Covers police appointments from 1852 to 1913.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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Quarter Sessions cases, 1824-37
This index includes case papers for both criminal and civil cases registered by the Clerk of the Peace.
Copy service = $25.00 + $5.00 for each additional entry.
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Deceased Estates and Related Records

Deceased Estate Files, 1880-1923
Covers files from the Stamp Duties Office from 1880 to c. May 1907 and will be progressively updated.
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Intestate Estate Case Papers
Intestate: A person who dies without leaving a will.
The index currently covers the years 1823-1861. There is a contemporary index to the Intestate Case Papers available on microfilm reels 40-41 in both our reading rooms.
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Probate - early records
This index was created from three record series. It is for supplementary probate records and does not include the main probate series. The index to the main probate series is available on microfiche in the reading rooms.
Copy service = $25.00 + $5.00 for each additional entry.
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Education and Child Welfare

Mittagong Farm Home for Boys, 1907-21
Covers the Register of Committals for a limited period of the Farm Home.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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Orphan schools, 1817-33
A number of series of records relating to the Orphan Schools which were run by the colonial government of NSW.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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Randwick Asylum for Destitute Children, 1852-1915
Name search for children admitted to the Asylum. This index is complete and contains 5890 entries.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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Schools and related records, 1876-1979
Arranged alphabetically by school name. Individuals are not listed.
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Immigration and Shipping

Assisted Immigrants

Other Shipping Indexes

New! Miscellaneous Immigrants 1828-43
This index contains the names of some passengers who paid their own fare and some assisted immigrants.
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Unassisted Immigrants 1842-55
This index covers free or unassisted passengers arriving in NSW.
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Unassisted passenger and crew arrivals, 1854-1900
Available at the Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters website.
Covering Shipping Inward lists from the Shipping Master's Office, lists for the 1850s, 1860s and 1870s are almost complete, 1880s and 1890s to follow. Searchable by person's name, vessel name, and date; includes transcribed passenger lists and links to scans of the original lists.

Ships' Musters, 1816-25
Available at the Society of Australian Genealogists
This series - NRS 1289 - lists both passengers and crew departing from Sydney.

Vessels Arrived in Sydney, 1837-1925
This index covers vessels arrived in Sydney only. It records the name and date of arrival and in some cases type of vessel. If you know the name of a ship then this Index can be consulted to check the date of arrival.
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Indigenous Australians

Aboriginal Colonial Court Cases, 1788-1838
There are approximately 250 entries in the index.
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Aboriginal people in the Register of Aboriginal Reserves, 1875-1904
This index includes the names of approximately 80 Aboriginal people. It is not a complete list of Aboriginal people living on reserves in NSW in this period.
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Documents relating to Aboriginal people and the law, 1797-1840
Available at the Centre for Comparative Law History and Governance of Macquarie University website
Original documents and transcriptions covering the period between 1797 and 1840. These are believed to have been collected by Justice William Burton of the Supreme Court of NSW.

Insolvency

Insolvency Records, 1842-87
Name search for those unable to pay their debts or meet their expenses. We are progressively adding entries to this index. We do not offer a copy service from this index.
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Land records

Colonial Secretary's Letters Relating to Land
This index is part of the first stage in a long-term project to ensure the preservation and accessibility of the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1826-56.
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Closer Settlement and Returned Soldier's Transfer files, 1907-36, 1951
This index will be of interest to local and family historians researching the transfer of land ownership originally obtained under the Closer Settlement and Returned Soldiers schemes.
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Returned Soldier Settlement Miscellaneous Files
The indexing of two boxes of Qualification Certificates in these miscellaneous files has been a volunteer project. These appear to be the only surviving examples of World War 1 Qualification Certificates from New South Wales.
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Court of Claims relating to Land, 1833-1835
This index will be of interest to local and family historians researching early or disputed land ownership.
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Surveyor General's Maps and Plans, 1792-1886
A complete listing of the Surveyor General's Select List of Maps and Plans (and Supplement) which is available in our reading rooms.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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Surveyors' Field Books, 1794-1860
The index records surveyor's name, date and locality.
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Surveyors' Letters, 1822-55
These are letters received from surveyors, mostly relating to matters such as the survey description of farms, reserves, churches, schools, rivers and mountain ranges, or forwarding tracings and plans of these after survey.
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Naturalization

Naturalization, 1834-1903
Name search for non-British subjects wishing to own land or vote in NSW. This index is complete and includes over 5500 entries.
Copy service = $25.00 + $1.50 for each additional entry.
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Railway Employees

Railway Employees - Nominal Roll of the First Railway Section (AIF), 1917-20
Name search for railway employees who formed the 1st Railway Section of the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force. This index is complete and contains 435 entries.
Copy service = $25.00 + $3.00 for each additional entry.
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Railway Supply Detachment
A complete index of a single photo (No. 1331) from the State Rail Authority Archives Photographic Reference Print Collection, now in the custody of State Records. The 65 names have been transcribed from the back of the photograph.
| Search | More information | View the photograph |

Railway Employment Records
This index contains 763 entries from two series of records: a register of salaried officers working for the NSW Government Railways and Tramways, 1856-1890; and a personnel register for Darling Harbour, 1909-32.
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NSW Government Railways and Tramways Roll of Honour, 1914-19
Name search for railway employees who died in the First World War. This index is complete and contains 1214 entries.
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Registers of Firms

Registers of Firms, 1903-22
This index will be of interest to local and family historians researching owners of firms Registered under the Firms Act, 1902.
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Street Names

Sydney Street Names, 1903-1984
Available at the Society of Australian Genealogists