Indexes Online

A | B | C | D | F | G | I | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T

Try the new KeyName Search - a powerful search tool to help you find individuals across many of our online indexes. You can perform multi-name searches and order from multiple indexes. Finding your ancestor has never been easier!
» See how KeyName search works

A

Aboriginal People - see Indigenous Australians

Assisted Immigrants - see Immigration

B

Bankruptcy

see also Insolvency

Bankruptcy records, 1888-1928
Name search for those unable to pay their debts or meet their expenses. 
| Search |  More information |

Buildings - see the Colonial (Government) Architect resource page for a list of public buildings 1837-c.1970

C

Census | Chemists | Child Welfare | Colonial Secretary | Convicts | Courts

Census

Census - 1841
A name search which includes all the surviving householders' returns and abstracts of returns.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

Census - 1891
Individuals are not listed. Browse by district
| Browse |

Census - 1901 (Short Guide 7)
Individuals are not listed. Browse by district.
| Browse |

Chemists

Chemists, Druggists and Pharmacists, 1876-1920
Name search c.3000 entries of chemists, including qualifications and residence. The index was compiled from two record series.
| Search |  More information |

Child Welfare

Child Welfare - Mittagong Farm Home for Boys, 1907-21
Covers the Register of Committals for a limited period of the Farm Home.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

Child Welfare - Orphan schools, 1817-86
A number of series of records relating to the Orphan Schools which were run by the colonial government of NSW.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

Child Welfare - Randwick Asylum for Destitute Children, 1852-1915
Name search for children admitted to the Asylum. This index contains 5890 entries and was compiled from one record series.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

Colonial Secretary

Colonial Secretary Papers, 1788-1825
Arranged by surname and subject this is the most comprehensive index of early NSW settlement.
Copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Browse and more information |

Colonial Secretary - 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. (Also listed below under Land)
| Search |  More information |

Colonial Secretary - 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.
| Search |

Companies - see Firms

Convicts

Convict Index
This database combines eight Indexes:
* Certificates of Freedom, 1823-69
* Convict Bank Accounts, 1837-70
* Convict Death Register, 1828-79
* Recommendations for Convict Pardons, 1826-56
* Tickets of Exemption from Government Labor, 1827-32
* Tickets of Leave, Certificates of Emancipation and Pardons, 1810-19
* Tickets of Leave, 1810-75 New!
* Ticket of Leave Passports, 1835-69
Online copy service available = $1.50 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information including examples of records & how to research a convict |

Applications to Marry, 1825-51
These registers record key details about the parties applying for permission to marry including: their names; their ages; the date of permission or refusal; ship of arrival; sentence (for the party who was the convict); whether free or bond and the name of the clergyman.
Indexed so far: January 1826 - April 1833 [4/4508]
Online copy service available = $1.50 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

Convict Exiles, 1849-50
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.
| Search | More information |

Convict Pardons, 1791-1825, 1837-47
Convicts with life sentences generally received pardons. This is an ongoing Volunteer project. Please check regularly for updates.
Online copy service available = $1.50 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

Convicts (Tasmanian), 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.

Coroners' Inquests - see Inquests

Courts

Court of Claims relating to land - see Lands

Court records - Bench of Magistrates Proceedings, 1788-1820
Includes criminal and civil cases, publicans' licenses issued/cancelled, constables appointed, controlling the markets etc.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

Court records - Court of Civil Jurisdiction, 1799-1814 
Includes judgements on legal and equity matters, especially promissory notes and recovery of small debts.
| Search |  More information |

Court records - Criminal, 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.
| Search | More information |

Court records - Criminal Depositions Received, 1849-1921
Includes criminal actions at country Quarter Sessions relating to cases of a non-capital nature etc.
| Search | More information |

Court records - Quarter Sessions cases, 1824-37 
This index includes case papers for both criminal and civil cases registered by the Clerk of the Peace.
Online copy service available = $5.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

D

Deceased Estates

see also Probates

Deceased Estate Files, 1880-1923
Covers files from the Stamp Duties Office from 1880 to c. 1923 and will be progressively updated. See also Intestate Case Papers and Probate
Online copy service available = $15.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

Divorce

Divorce, 1873-1930
At present this index covers for the years 1873-1923. It will be progressively updated to cover the years 1924-30. The index includes judicial separations.
Online copy service available = $30.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

Doctors

Search the Australian Medical Pioneers Index (AMPI).

F

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.
| Search | More information |

G

Gaols

Gaol Photographs, c. 1870-1930
Over 35,200 entries presently available. We are progressively adding other gaols to this index in alphabetical order. The records usually include a mugshot of each prisoner and a list of their convictions.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

I

Immigration | Indigenous Australians | Inquests | Insolvency | Intestate

Immigration

see also Shipping for vessels

Assisted Immigrants arriving in Sydney, Newcastle, Moreton Bay and Port Phillip
The Index covers:
* Port Phillip, 1839-51
* Sydney and Newcastle, 1844-59
* Moreton Bay (Brisbane), 1848-59
* Sydney, 1860-79 
* Sydney, 1880-96 
You can search these separately or do a combined search of all of the above.
New! Scroll through digital copies of the Bounty Immigrants lists, 1838-96, ship by ship, as if you were going through a microfilm in the reading rooms.
Online copy service available = $6.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

Assisted (Bounty) Immigrants, 1828-42
A pilot project available to search at familysearch.org
The project offers a digitised version of the index to search.

Miscellaneous Immigrants 1828-43
This index contains the names of some passengers who paid their own fare and some assisted immigrants.
| Search |  More information |

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

Unassisted Immigrants 1842-55
This index covers free or unassisted passengers arriving in NSW.
| Search |  More information |

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.

Indigenous Australians

Aboriginal Colonial Court Cases, 1788-1838
There are approximately 250 entries in the index.
| Search |  More information |

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.
| Search | More information |

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.

Inquests

Inquests - Coroners', 1796-1824
There are 809 entries in this index.
| Search | More Information |

Insolvency

see also Bankruptcy

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.
| Search | More information |

Intestate

see also Probate

Intestate Estate Case Papers
Intestate: A person who dies without leaving a will.
The index currently covers the years 1823-1896. There is a contemporary index to the Intestate Case Papers available on microfilm reels 40-41 in both our reading rooms. See also Deceased Estates
Online copy service available = $30.00  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

L

Land

see also Maps and Plans and Soldier Settlement

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. (Also listed above under Colonial Secretary)
| Search |  More information |

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.
| Search | More information |

Depasturing Licenses, 1837-46 and 1851
Depasturing Licences permitted settlers to graze stock on Crown Lands "beyond the limits of location". The "limits of location" refer to the nineteen counties of settled area extending from Sydney.
| Search | More information |

NEW! Squatters and Graziers, 1837-49
This is an index to holders of depasturing licences and others who were occupying Crown land beyond the Nineteen Counties, and who were visited by Commissioners of Crown Lands.
| Search | More information |

Surveyors' Field Books, 1794-1860
The index records surveyor's name, date and locality.
| Search | More information |

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.
| Search | More information |

M

Maps and Plans

see also Lands

see also the Colonial (Government) Architect resource page for a list of public buildings 1837-c.1970

Surveyor General's Maps and Plans, 1792-1886
A listing of the Surveyor General's Select List of Maps and Plans (and Supplement) which is available in our reading rooms.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

Mines

Register of auriferous (gold) leases, 1874-1928
The index records applicant's name, lease number, location, reel or item number. 
| Search | More information |

N

Naturalization

Naturalization, 1834-1903
Name search for non-British subjects wishing to own land or vote in NSW. This index contains over 5500 entries and was compiled from one record series.
Online copy service available = $1.50 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

O

Orphans - see Child Welfare

P

Police | Probates | Publicans' Licences

Passengers Arriving - see Immigration

Pharmacists - see Chemists

Police

Police Service Registers
Covers police appointments from 1852 to 1913. This index has been compiled from one record series.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

Prisons - see Gaols

Probates

see also Intestate

Probate packets
Probate Packets for 1817-May 1873 (Series 1), 1873-76 (Series 2), 1876-c.1890 (Series 3) and between c. 1928-mid 1950's from Series 4 are listed in Archives Investigator. They can be located using the Simple Search option in Archives Investigator. For example type in John Byrne death and select the 'all words' option.
The index to the main probate series is also available on microfiche in the reading rooms. See also Deceased Estate Files
Online copy service available = $30.00 per entry + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | See Tips on Using Archives Investigator for search hints |

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.
Online copy service available = $5.00 per entry + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search |  More information |

Public Buildings - see the Colonial (Government) Architect resource page for a list of public buildings 1837-c.1970

Publicans' Licences

Publicans' Licences, 1830-61
This Index was created from three record series and covers the years 1830-61, surnames A-Z. There are c. 20 000 entries in the index.  
Copy service available = $3.00 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

R

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 contains 435 entries and was compiled from one record series.
Online copy service available = $3.00 per entry + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |

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.
| Search | More information |

NSW Government Railways and Tramways Roll of Honour, 1914-19
Name search for railway employees who died in the First World War. This index contains 1214 entries and was compiled from one volume.
| Search | More information |

S

Schools |Shipping |Soldier Settlement |Squatters | Street Names

Schools

Schools and related records, 1876-1979
Arranged alphabetically by school name. Individuals are not listed.
| Search |  More information |

Shipping

see Immigration for passengers

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.
| Search | More information |

Soldier Settlement

see also Land

Closer Settlement Promotion files, 1913-
The indexing of the promotion files has been a Volunteer project. 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.
| Search | More information |

Closer Settlement Transfer Registers, Jul 1919-Apr 1925
This index has been a Volunteer project. It will be of interest to local and family historians researching the transfer of land ownership origianlly obtained under the Closer Settlement and Returned Soldiers schemes.
| Search | More information |

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.
| Search | More information |

Registers of Settlement Purchase, 1905-1929
This index will be of interest to local and family historians researching land settlement under the Closer Settlement and Returned Soldiers schemes.
| Search | More Information |

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.
| Search | More information |

Squatters and Graziers

NEW! Squatters and Graziers, 1833-49
This is an index to holders of depasturing licences and others who were occupying Crown land beyond the Nineteen Counties, and who were visited by Commissioners of Crown Lands.
| Search | More information |

Street Names

Available at the Society of Australian Genealogists

Teachers

Teachers' rolls, 1869-1908
The teachers' rolls provide service record details for each teacher and can include date of birth, examination results, appointments, promotions and date of resignation. The index contains 14, 867 entries.
Online copy service available = $1.50 per entry  + Admin Fee + Postage
| Search | More information |