Births, Deaths and Marriages Guide

Are you looking for BDMs?

Microfiche copies of the following NSW Registry of BDM indexes are available in our reading room, the Society of Australian Genealogists, the Mitchell Library and in many libraries throughout Australia:

• Pioneer series of Indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1788-1888
• Federation series of Indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1889-1918
• NSW Between the war series of Indexes to Deaths and Marriages, 1919-1945 (NOTE: there are no births listed on this index)

Historical overview

The practice of recording baptisms, burials and marriages in church registers was established in England during the sixteenth century. This practice was continued in New South Wales when the following Acts, aimed at validating and regularising practices, were passed:

• 1825 Church of England
• 1834 Roman Catholic (then Church of Rome)
• 1834 Presbyterian Church (then Church of Scotland)
• 1839 Wesleyan Methodist Society
• 1840 Congregational or Independent and Baptist denominations

Nonetheless, records were kept prior to the years and, in fact, the first Church of England records are of baptisms and burials during the assembly and movement of the First Fleet before its arrival in Sydney in 1788. However, some ceremonies that took place prior the years shown above, were not retained by church authorities, or the event was not recorded. If you are researching this early period some searches may end with no surviving records of the event you are looking for.

Between 1826 and 1855 copies of Church of England records were required to be sent firstly to the Registrar of the Archdeacon's Court and later to the Registrar of the Bishops of Australia. These records did not pass into the possession of the Registrar General until 1882 following the Clergy Returns Transfer Act of 1878. They were subsequently numbered as Volumes 1-44 (Volume 44 also includes some records after 1856).

As Deputy Registrar in the office of the Registrar of the Bishop of Australia during the years 1836 to 1856, Henry Kerrison James compiled (from sources available to him) chronological registers of baptisms, burials and marriages from 1787 to 1831. No other record of some of these events came into the possession of the Registrar General. The chronological registers which are numbered 1 (baptisms), 2 (burials), and 3 (marriages), often contain less detail than any other available record of the same event.

As from the date of recognition of each of the other denominations the ministers were required to send copies of their records annually to the Registrar of the Supreme Court. These records were transferred to the Registrar General in 1856.

Prior to 1856 some children born in New South Wales may not have been baptised and some persons who died may not have had a church burial. Even after 1856 some events were not registered due to time limits (since removed) and factors such as distances from townships and failure to appreciate future needs. Divorce was not possible under New South Wales law until 1875 and undoubtedly this meant that some persons who wished to marry were unable to do so.

Are you starting your family tree?

For historical information and other sources on baptisms, deaths and marriages, this guide may be of interest. After checking the NSW Registry of BDMs above the following indexes may assist in mapping out your family tree. 

1. The Mutch Index

Another useful source, especially for the early years of the Colony, is the Thomas Davies Mutch Card index to births, deaths and marriages, 1787-1957 (known as the Mutch Index). We have a microfilm copy (Reels 2125-2129) of the original index which is held by the Mitchell Library.

The Index is believed to cover all relevant extant records relating to New South Wales from 1788-1828, except for the Newcastle Register and the Methodist Church records, and selected records to 1957. Later entries are from tombstone inscriptions and the most recent from news-cuttings and relate only to comparatively few families. A list of the records included is at the beginning of the index, and further information is available from the Mitchell Library.

Description	Dates	Reel
Abbott - Youngston	1787-1814	2125
Abbott - Curtin	1815-1957	2126
Curtis - Jurd	1815-1957	2127
Kable - Roper	1815-1957	2128
Rose - Zillman	1815-1957	2129

2. Registers of BDMs

Series	Title	Dates
NRS 12937 (Reels 5001-5048)	Microfilm copies of Registers of Baptisms, Burials and Marriages *ARK This series is a set of 48 rolls of microfilm published by NSW State Archives in co-operation with the Genealogical Society of Utah and the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Sydney. Copies also available at the Society of Australian Genealogists; the Mitchell Library and in a number of other libraries.	1787-1856

3. Early BDM records

Series	Title	Dates
NRS 898	Colonial Secretary: Special Bundles Norfolk Island: Annual return of births, deaths and marriages, 10 April 1810-10 April 1811 [4/1169 p.287a]; Reel 763 See full list »	1794-1825
NRS 905	Colonial Secretary: Main series of letters received Church of England: Returns of baptisms, marriages and burials, 1835-1838 The returns are listed in the Mutch Index.  See item list »	1826-1982

Births and baptisms records

In the earliest years of the colony records of baptisms rather than births were kept. If a child was not baptised there might be no record of its birth.

It being essentially necessary that regular Returns should be transmitted annually to England of the Exact state of the Population of the Colony, and that regular Accounts for this Purpose should be kept in the different districts and Parishes throughout the whole of the territory, of all Births and Deaths. His Excellency the Governor accordingly directs that exact and correct registers shall in future be kept by the several Chaplains … of all Births and Deaths that may occur in their respective Parishes or Districts, transmitting regular Quarterly Returns thereof to the Principal Chaplain at Parramatta, from which he will make up a general one to be laid before the Governor …"

- General Order dated 15 September 1810 (Copy in 4/1725 No. 124 pp. 107-8)

Related records

• NRS 5314: Entitlement certificates of persons on bounty ships, 1832-1834 (Reels 1286-1349). Each certificate records the name of the ship, native place, calling, age, health, religion and name of the immigrant. Each is endorsed with a character reference and a certificate of baptism
• Naturalization records usually contain information relating to a person's age and native place

Marriage records

The total number of women in the Colony is about one thousand four hundred and thirty, including Officers and free Settlers wives: the number of married among them, is three hundred and ninety five and unmarried one thousand and thirty five — these in general are living in open Prostitution. The total number of legitimate Children is eight hundred and seven, and the number of natural Children, one thousand and twenty five…"

- Revd Samuel Marsden: a few Observations on the Situation of the Female Convicts in New South Wales. c.1806 (M.L.Mss18).

In the early colony, marriages were of two kinds, either by licence or by the publication of banns. As the fees were comparatively high, £4.4.0, only the more affluent members of the community married by licence. The licence was granted by the Governor as there was no Bishop of the Church of England in the colony.

Most marriages followed the publication of the banns in a church on three successive Sundays. Convicts were married by banns having first obtained the Governor's permission.

You appear to be sensible of the Importance of promoting the Increase of Marriages in the Colony; and, undoubtedly, the very great proportion which appears to exist of illegitimate in comparison with Legitimate Children, leads to the conclusion that a proper System for advancing this grand object has not been adopted. From the Circumstances of the Colonists, and the Numbers that go out leaving their Wives or Husbands in England, and the Disproportion between the Sexes, it must be extremely difficult to remedy the evil complained of; but I have understood that sufficient Pains have not been taken with respect to the Disposal of the Female Convicts on their first arrival in the Colony, and that they have been indented to improper Persons in order to ease, as soon as possible, the Expense of supporting them by Government Rations. The Impolicy of this System is so obvious that I trust you will not persevere in it, but in every case endeavour to make the Reformation of the Female Convict and her regular Settlement by marriage a Consideration superior to the saving, for any short period, the expense of maintaining her."

- Castlereagh to Thigh, 31 December 1807 Historical Records of Australia 1.6.202

For the early period of the colony, see the Index to the Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1825. It is arranged alphabetically by surname and subject. Convicts had to obtain permission to marry from the Colonial Secretary. There are also instances where correspondence relating to the marriage of free people was kept by the Colonial Secretary. Records relating to marriages are listed under the names of the parties.

Series	Title	Dates
NRS 898	Colonial Secretary: Special Bundles Applications to marry by special licence, 1819-36 We have prepared a card index and typescript copies are located at 2/8304A & B and a microfilm copy at Reel 2278. The applications for 1819-25 [2/8305 and 2/8305A] are also indexed in the published Index to the Papers of the New South Wales Colonial Secretary, 1788-1825. Item list: Church Dates Reel Item   1819-25 6028, 2279 2/8305   1823 6028 2/8305A   1826-27 2279 2/8306   1827 2279 2/8306A Church of England 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 2279 2279 2279 2279 2279 2280 2280 2280 2280 2/8307 2/8308 2/8309 2/8310 2/8311 2/8312 2/8313 2/8314 2/8315 Church of Scotland 1828-36 2280 2/8316 See full NRS 898 list »	1794-1825
NRS 905	Colonial Secretary: Main series of letters received​ Returns of applications for the publication of banns, 1828-41 The returns show name, age, status (widower, widow, bachelor, or spinster), ship and year of arrival, sentence, free or bond, present service, character and result of application. Please note that most returns are grouped together by denomination and then by clergyman/district within each year. A small number of other returns have been located in various other bundles in the main series of Colonial Secretary: Letters received. They have not been listed here, but individual entries may be located by using the microfiche index. Index list An index to these returns has been compiled by Joan Reese and Norma Tuck and published on 8 microfiche. The first three fiche give name, ship and year of application. It is then necessary to look at one of the other five fiche under the year. At the beginning of the entries for a particular year is an additional index which provides a page reference. From there one turns to the main entry which records, for both parties, name, age, ship and year of arrival, and status. It also provides reference to the original record in the collection, and microfilm or other copy. A more detailed description of the index is provided in the Introduction at the beginning of the first fiche. As convicts were often applying to marry free persons, the information in the index is not restricted to convicts still under sentence. Individuals: Fiche 5270 - A-Foy, Edward Fiche 5271 - Foy, John-Mulligan, Edward Fiche 5272 - Mulligan, Edward-Z Yearly Index: Fiche 5273 - 1826-29 Fiche 5274 - 1830-32 Fiche 5275 - 1833-35, Page 25 Fiche 5276 - 1835, Page 26-1838, Page 20 Fiche 5277 - 1838, Page 21-1841 Item list The returns were microfilmed in the order that they were found in the boxes at the date of filming. Unfortunately the extent to which the arrangement of the returns had been disturbed in use was not realised and hence the order in which they appear on the films is not always logical. This Item list is designed to reflect the order of the returns on the films, without going into excessive detail. Researchers may have to search for a particular reference on a film but the return should be there. See item list »	1826-1982
NRS 937	Returns of persons whose marriages had been authorised by the Governor following the publication of banns *ARK (1814-25) These returns are included in the series Colonial Secretary: Copies of letters sent within the Colony. The names of the parties do not appear in the indexes to the volumes. This series is indexed for the years 1814-25 in the Index to the Colonial Secretary's papers, 1788-1825. Item list: Dates Reel Item 1 Jan 1814-28 Mar 1815 6004, 1028 & 754 4/3493 29 Mar 1815-19 Jun 1816 6004, 1028 4/3494 20 Jun 1816-19 Feb 1817 6005, 1029 4/3495 19 Feb 1817-26 Aug 1817 6005, 1029 4/3496 26 Aug 1817-24 Jan 1818 6005, 1029 4/3497 23 Jan 1818-23 Jul 1818 6006, 1030 4/3498 25 Jul 1818-27 Feb 1819 6006, 1030 4/3499 1 Mar 1819-28 Oct 1819 6006, 1030 4/3500 30 Oct 1819-19 Apr 1820 6007, 1031 4/3501 20 Apr 1820-26 Dec 1820 6007, 1031 4/3502 29 Dec 1820-18 Apr 1821 6007, 1031 4/3503 19 Apr 1821-25 Oct 1821 6008, 1032 4/3504 25 Oct 1821-8 Mar 1822 6008, 1032 4/3504A 8 Mar 1822-28 Jun 1822 6009, 1033 4/3505 28 Jun 1822-28 Nov 1822 6009, 1033 4/3506 28 Nov 1822-20 Mar 1823 6010, 1034 4/3507 21 Mar 1823-1 Aug 1823 6010, 1034 4/3508 31 Jul 1823-18 Dec 1823 6011, 1035 4/3509 18 Dec 1823-26 Apr 1824 6012 4/3510 26 Apr 1824-20 Jul 1824 6013, 1036 4/3511 21 Jul 1824-11 Nov 1824 6013, 1036 4/3512 11 Nov 1824-5 Apr 1825 6014, 1037 4/3513 2 Apr 1825-8 Jul 1825 6014, 1037 4/3514 8 Jul 1825-18 Nov 1825 6015, 1038 4/3515 19 Nov 1825-31 Dec 1825 6016 4/3516 pp.1-276, 295-301 19 Nov 1825-27 Jan 1826 1038 4/3516 27 Jan 1826-28 Feb 1826 1039 4/3517 1 Mar 1826-28 Mar 1826 1039 4/3518 28 Mar 1826-27 Jul 1826 1040 4/3519 26 Jul 1826-30 Jan 1827 1040-1 4/3520	1814-1827
NRS 1037 [4/1710 pp.151-222]; Reel 2281, Fiche 836, COD10	Abstract of all licences for marriages granted to free persons  *ARK Information given includes: the number and date of the licence; parties' names; and where, when and by whom the marriage was solemnised. In many cases name of parent (father or mother), name of previous spouse (for women only), occupation, and place of residence are also recorded. A PDF index to these abstracts is available (see the sidebar).  We have prepared a card index and typescript copies are located at 2/8304A & B and a microfilm copy at Reel 2278.	17 Mar 1813-26 Dec 1827
NRS 1037	Butts of Special Marriage Licences, The butts record licence number; date; the bridegroom's name, residence and designation (bachelor, widower); the bride's name, residence and designation; and the church, parish, county and Minister. We have prepared a card index and typescript copies are located at 2/8304A & B and a microfilm copy at Reel 2278. Item list: Church Dates Reel Item Church of England 24 Jan 1828-30 Jan 1832 9 Jan 1832-18 May 1835 6 Aug 1835-2 Jun 1836 2281 2386 2281 4/6030 4/6031 4/6032 Church of Scotland 22 Apr 1828-25 Oct 1831 21 Jul 1832-8 Jun 1835 2281 2281 4/6033 4/6034	1828-1836
NRS 906	Colonial Secretary: Special Bundles List of Marriage Licences granted by Governor Darling, 23 December 1825-25 August 1828 [2/8306 pp.1-11]; Reel 2279	1826-1982
NRS 12212 Reels 713-715, COD11-15, COD 377-381, Fiche 780-802	Principal Superintendent of Convicts: Registers of convicts applications to marry *ARK (Fiche) There are two sections-those granted permission to marry and those refused permission-which provide varying degrees of information, eg. name, age, date of permission, ship, sentence, free or bond, clergyman. Item list  Dates Description Fiche COD Jan 1826-May 1833 Index to permissions granted 780 11, 377 Jan 1826-May 1828 Granted   11, 377 May 1828-May 1833 Granted 781 11, 377 May 1833-Dec 1837 Partial index to females, A-C 782 12, 378 May 1833-Dec 1837 A-F   12, 378 May 1833-Dec 1837 G-N (to 1833) 783 12, 378 May 1833-Dec 1837 N (from 1834)-T 784 12, 378 May 1833-Dec 1837 U-Z 785 12, 378 Jan 1838-Mar 1841 A-G 786 13, 379 Jan 1838-Mar 1841 H-R 787 13, 379 Jan 1838-Mar 1841 S-Z 788 13, 379 1826-31 Granted 789 13, 379 1826-31 Refused 790 13, 379 Jan 1831-Jul 1837 Index to refusals 791 14, 380 Jan 1831-Dec 1834 Refused pp. 1-61 791 14, 380 1835-Jul 1837 Refused pp. 62-101 792 14, 380 Jan 1831-1832 Granted pp. 1-76   14, 380 1833-Jan 1836 Granted pp. 77-194 793 14, 380 Jan 1836-Jul 1837 pp. 195-262 794 14, 380 Aug 1837-Sep 1842 Index to permissions granted 795 14, 380 Aug 1837-Dec 1838 Granted pp. 1-71   14, 380 Dec 1838-Nov 1840 Granted pp. 72-193 796 14, 380 Nov 1840-Sep 1842 Granted pp. 194-310 797 14, 380 Aug 1837-Sep 1842 Index to refusals 798 14, 380 Aug 1837-Dec 1841 Refused pp. 1-99   14, 380 Jan 1842-Sep 1842 Refused pp. 100-115 799 14, 380 Oct 1842-Feb 1851 Index to permissions granted 800 15, 381 Oct 1842-Dec 1844 Granted pp. 1-77   15, 381 Dec 1844-Feb 1851 Granted pp. 78-166 801 15, 381 Sep 1842-Dec 1850 Index to refusals 802 15, 381 Sep 1842-Dec 1850 Refused pp. 1-39   15, 381 *An index to convicts applications to marry for the period January 1838 to March 1841 has been compiled by Elizabeth Ann Roberts. A copy of this index is located at COD401.	20 Dec 1825-26 Feb 1851
NRS 12939 [5/7691]; Reel 741	Consents of the Governor and Declarations for Presbyterian marriages Original letters from the Colonial Secretary and later the Principal Superintendent of Convicts, to Presbyterian ministers granting, or not, permission for the publication of the banns of marriage 1826-4186. From 1850-1860 the volume consists mostly of declarations that parties are free to marry. There is an index in front of the volume.	6 Feb 1826 - 21 Jan 1860

Divorce records

New South Wales was the last Australian colony to implement divorce legislation with the Matrimonial Causes Act, 1873. Initially only men could petition for divorce on the grounds of adultery. For women requesting divorce adultery was an additional clause to causes such as bigamy, cruelty or desertion. See the Divorce Records Guide »

Death records

See the related 'death' guides including deceased estates, intestates, probates, coroners' inquests, cemeteries, . 

55. With Respect to the Departures and Deaths of Convicts and Settlers, I have to Inform Your Lordship that no regular Account of these Circumstances has been ever deemed necessary to be kept here in a Separate or distinct Form…
56…The Deaths Can only be Collected from the Reports of the Chaplains, and until After My Arrival Many of the Interments took place Without the Attendance of the Chaplains, or even the Decency of Carrying the Bodies to the regular prescribed Burial Grounds Which were at the time of My Arrival, only three in Number, vizt. Sydney, Parramatta and Windsor; the Consequence is that No Registration of these Events Could possibly take place, and even now the Returns made by the Chaplains are not Sufficient to Account for All the Deaths, Neither Can their Reports be looked upon as Correct in the Cases of Convicts, as they Can only Acquire that Information on Hear-Say from some of the persons attending the Funerals".

- Macquarie to Liverpool, 17 November 1812 Historical Records of Australia 1.7.615-616

Series	Title	Dates
(Fiche 5016-5182, 5266-269)	Probate Index Set of 171 microfiche published by the Probate Division of the Supreme Court. The index provides the following information: number, series number, name, residence, date of death and instrument.	1800-1984
NRS 366 [2/848]; Reel 690	Auditor General: Statements of the proceeds from the sale of the effects of convicts who died during the voyage to the colony or after their arrival	c.1824
NRS 2145 (COD 184)	Corrective Services: Death register [Darlinghurst Gaol] Original retained by Department of Corrective Services.	1867-1926
NRS 4206 (Reel 712)	Establishments (Military): Copies of returns sent by the Commandant Returns of deaths at King George's Sound	3 Dec 1829-10 Sep 1830
NRS 10978 [4/4552]; Reel 694	Police: Annual returns of convicts who died p.157 1867, p.196 1868, p.237 1869, p.250 1870, p.273 1871, p.290 1872, p.310 1873, p.341 1874, p.367 1875, p.386 1876, p.397 1877, p.411 1878, p.420 1879, p.432 1880, p.441 1881, p.451 1882, p.460 1883, p.468 1884, p.477 1885, p.485 1886, p.492 1887, p.500 1888, p.510 1889 (nil), p.518 1890, p.525 1891.	1867-1869
NRS 12213 [4/4549]; Reel 690, Fiche 749-751	Principal Superintendent of Convicts: Convict death register *ARK (Fiche) The volume is arranged chronologically under the letters of the alphabet and shows name, ship of arrival, age, date of burial, parish and occasionally other details. Item list Fiche 749 - A to H (to 1842) Fiche 750 - H (from 1842) to S Fiche 751 - T to Y	1828-1879
NRS 905	Colonial Secretary: Main series of Letters received Papers re the sale of the effects of deceased convicts, 1826-41 [4/2526.3], Reel 690 The papers relate to convicts who died on the voyage out as well as those who died after arriving. List of 107 Prisoners who died at Norfolk Island, 1 October 1836-22 April 1842 [CSIL with 42/5520 in 4/2583.1], Reel 693; COD226 The return shows name, ship, age, county, date of decease, disease, and remarks as to character and conduct. Returns of Burials at Moreton Bay, 1837-38 [CSIL with 41/5332 in 4/2539.2], Reel 751; COD225 The returns show name; if free or convict; if convict, by what ship; age; when deceased and when interred.	1826-1982
NRS 1024 (Reels 6021, 2928)	Proceedings of Coroners Inquests *ARK Reports of some of the inquests held in the colony, arranged alphabetically by the names of the deceased. They provide details of the names of the coroner, the deceased, the jury and a record of depositions and the jury's finding. The proceedings of inquests which returned a finding of murder by a named person are not here. From 1826 on they are in the series Clerk of the Peace: Depositions and proceedings in Criminal Cases, 1826-1922. This volume is included in the Index to the Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1825.	1809-1822

Related records

• Reports of vessels arrived (or Shipping reports), 1826-59, NRS 1291, Reels 1263-85 and 2851. Includes date and cause of death during the voyage.
• Persons on bounty ships (Agent's Immigrants Lists), 1838-96, NRS 5316, Reels 2134-2143. Shows if a person died during the voyage but not necessarily the date of death.

Other Finding Aids

Other Australian States and Territories

The State Library of New South Wales holds microfiche and CD-Rom versions of many state and territory birth, death and marriage records.

ACT - Births, Deaths and Marriages

Northern Territory - Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Queensland - Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

South Australia - Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office

Victoria - Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages

Western Australia - Department of the Attorney General

International

England and Wales - General Register Office

Ireland - Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages

New Zealand - Births, Deaths and Marriages

Northern Ireland - General Register Office Northern Ireland

Scotland - General Register Office for Scotland

*ARK signifies that a copy of the record or guide is part of the Archives Resources Kit and is held by the community access points.