Using the ARK - Naturalization records
Letters of Denization | Index to naturalization | Registers of Certificates | Other guides to the records
Letters of Denization
(1 part roll of 35 mm microfilm)
Reel 128A part
Denization was a process by which an alien could acquire some of the rights of a natural born subject. The letters of denization recite the various rights and privilege conferred on the grantee, such as the right to own land, and the restrictions, such as the clause forbidding him to own or to be master of a British ship. They are signed by the Governor and sealed with the Great Seal of the Colony. Attached to the letters of denization are the signed copies of the oaths and declarations sworn.
The letters of denization which have survived have been filmed at the beginning of Reel 128A, which also contains the first volume of the Registers of Certificates of Naturalization, series below.
Indexes
A list of persons to whom letters of denization were granted is located at the front of the series below, the Naturalization index (Fiche 757).
Item List
| Year | Number | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1834 | 34/1 | Henry Ludwig Miller |
| 1836 | 36/1 | Josephine Bridget Coymanc Rens |
| 1837 | 37/1 | Charles William Roemer |
| 1842 | 42/1 | George Starbuck |
| 42/2 | Francois Chretien | |
| 42/3 | Jean Meillon | |
| 42/4 | Burchard Frericks | |
| 1843 | 43/1 | Henry Isler |
| 43/2 | Nicholas Hyeronimus | |
| 1844 | 44/1 | Severin Kanute Salting |
| 44/2 | Frederick Peterson | |
| 44/3 | Henry Albert Meinertzhagen | |
| 44/4 | John Christian Simon Handt | |
| 44/5 | Nathan Mandelson | |
| 44/6 | Francis Nicholas Rossi | |
| 1847 | 47/1 | Edward Austin |
Index to naturalization
(11 microfiche)
Fiche 757-767
This volume records name, date of certificate, native place, and reference to Register (register number and page number), as well as occasional remarks. In the front of the volume is a list of persons to whom letters of denization were granted between 1834 and 1848 and a copy of a circular relating to naturalization certificates (Fiche 757).
The Index is a valuable aid for tracing the arrival of non-British persons in the Colony.
Item List
| Fiche | Pages | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 757 | 1-50 | A, Bj, Ba (to 1901) |
| 758 | 51-108 | Ba (from 1901)-By, Chy, Ca-Chr |
| 759 | 109-164 | Chu-Eck |
| 760 | 165-226 | Ed-F. Gy, Gj, Ga (to 1885) |
| 761 | 227-292 | Ga (from 1887)-H |
| 762 | 293-348 | I-J, Kh, Kj, Kw, Ka-Ku |
| 767 part | Jo (p. 626, cont from p. 307) | |
| 763 | 349-406 | Ky, L-M, Mc |
| 764 | 407-464 | Ng, N-Ri (to 1886) |
| 767 part | Oh-O1 (p. 629, cont from p. 425); Ra (p. 631, cont from p. 457) | |
| 765 | 465-526 | Ri (from 1888)-Ry, Sb, Sj, Sa-Sn |
| 766 | 527-588 | So-Wi (to 1875) |
| 767 part | So (p. 633, cont from p. 529); St (p. 635, cont from p. 535); Su-Sz (p. 624, cont from page 537) | |
| 767 | 589-636 | Wi (from 1875)-Z and continuation entries as noted above |
Registers of Certificates
(15 rolls of 35mm microfilm)
Reels 128A-141A
Provision of a general nature for the naturalisation of aliens in New South Wales was first made by Act 11 Vic. No.39, which came into force in 1849. This Act provided for the granting of certificates of naturalisation, which gave the naturalised persons all the rights of a natural born British subject, except the right to be a member of the Executive Council, Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly. These disqualifications were removed in 1858.
These registers contain a complete record of certificates of naturalisation issued, certified as having been entered on record by the Colonial Secretary or Under Secretary. Each certificate states the name, native place, age, occupation, date and ship of arrival in the Colony, present place of residence, and reason for seeking naturalisation.
Volumes 3 and 4 (on Reel 130) form a separate series, List of Aliens to whom Certificates of Naturalization CGS 1041 have been issued, and differ in format from the other volumes. These two volumes do not contain a record of the certificate, but rather give particulars concerning persons to whom certificates of naturalisation were issued, including the annual number of the certificate, age, ship by which the person arrived and year of arrival, place of residence at the time the certificate was granted, and the date of the certificate.
Investigation has shown that the personal details relating to recipients of certificates of naturalisation cannot be totally relied upon; in particular, in many cases, details of the name of the ship and the year of arrival have proved to be erroneous.
The Letters of Denization for the period 1834 to 1847 (series above) are located at the beginning of the first reel, Reel 128A.
Indexes
These registersare indexed in the Naturalization index (series above). In addition, an index is located at the front of each volume.
Item List
| Reel | Dates of Certificates | Vol. No. | Inclusive Nos. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128A | 26 Jul 1849-22 Jul 1851 | 1 | 1-330 |
| 129 | 22 Jul 1851-20 May 1857 | 1 | 330-846 |
| 3 Jun 1857-9 Mar 1859 | 2 | 1-601 | |
| 130 | 18 Mar 1859-17 Mar 1875 | 3 | 59/40-75/76 |
| 25 Mar 1875-6 Mar 1876 | 4 | 75/77-76/41 | |
| 24 Jul 1876-19 Sep 1878 | 5 | 1-250 | |
| 28 Sep 1878-5 Mar 1879 | 6 | 251-295 | |
| 131 | 5 Mar 1879-11 Apr 1881 | 6 | 295-899 |
| 19 Apr 1881-23 Jan 1883 | 7 | 1-247 | |
| 23 Jan-14 Mar 1883 | 8 | 1-64 | |
| 132 | 14 Mar 1883-17 Feb 1884 | 8 | 64-450 |
| 133 | 17 Feb 1884-25 Mar 1886 | 9 | 1-470 |
| 134 | 27 Mar 1886-18 Jun 1890 | 10 | 1-502 |
| 26 Jun-19 Sep 1890 | 11 | 1-20 | |
| 135 | 25 Sep 1890-22 Jul 1893 | 11 | 21-496 |
| 22 Jul-4 Dec 1893 | 12 | 1-75 | |
| 136 | 4 Dec 1893-13 Dec 1895 | 12 | 75-501 |
| 13 Dec 1895-20 Aug 1896 | 13 | 1-113 | |
| 137 | 20 Aug 1896-8 Jun 1898 | 13 | 113-501 |
| 8 Jun-16 Dec 1898 | 14 | 1-157 | |
| 138 | 16 Dec 1898-27 Aug 1900 | 14 | 158-498 |
| 25 Aug 1900-19 Feb 1901 | 15 | 1-201 | |
| 139 | 19 Feb-31 Jul 1901 | 15 | 202-500 |
| 31 Jul 1901-22 Mar 1902 | 16 | 1-262 | |
| 140 | 22 Mar-10 Oct 1902 | 16 | 263-500 |
| 10 Oct 1902-25 Aug 1903 | 17 | 1-299 | |
| 141A | 25 Aug-31 Dec 1903 | 17 | 300-468 |
Naturalisation records after 1903 are held by the National Archives of Australia.
Other guides to the records
State Records has published the guide Colonial Secretary: Naturalization and Denization records, 1834-1903, which provides more extensive information on these records. Naturalisation records from 1904 onwards are held by the National Archives of Australia.
