Australia Census

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Census

Online Census Records

New South Wales

• 1811-1825 New South Wales, Census and Population Books, 1811-1825 at Ancestry, index, browse, and images ($).
• 1828 Australia, New South Wales, 1828 Census at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1828 1828 Census inscribed on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register at New South Wales Archives, images.
• 1828 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (Australian Copy) at Ancestry, index, browse, and images ($).
• 1828 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (TNA Copy) at Ancestry, index, browse, and images ($).
• 1828 New South Wales, 1828 Census Householders' Returns, at Findmypast, index and images ($).
• 1841 1841 New South Wales, Australia, Census at Ancestry, index, browse, and images ($).
• 1841 Australia, New South Wales, Census (fragment), 1841 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1843-1869 Correspondence, etc., 1843-1869 - at FamilySearch, images. Includes 1851 censuses of 3 aboriginal tribes.
• 1891 Australia, New South Wales, Census, 1891 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and image
• 1891 1891 New South Wales, Australia Census at Ancestry, index, browse, and images ($).
• 1901 1901 New South Wales, Australia Census at Ancestry, index, browse, and images ($).

South Australia

• 1836-1841 South Australia Census at Findmypast - index ($), incomplete
• 1841 1841 Census for South Australia family history research, index.

Northern Territory

• 1881-1921 Northern Territory Census at Findmypast ($); index
• 1881, 1891, 1901 -- Northern Territory of Australia censuses, 1881, 1891, 1901 at FamilySearch, images.

Victoria

• 1836 Abstract of the returns of population at Port Phillip in the New South Wales census of 1836 at FamilySearch, images. Lists by name the householders of Port Phillip District, now the state of Victoria, Australia.
• 1838 Census of Port Phillip, 1838 at FamilySearch, images. Lists by name the householders of Port Phillip District, now the state of Victoria, Australia.

Western Australia

• 1832 A colony detailed : the first census of Western Australia, 1832 at FamilySearch, images.
• 1837 1837 census of Western Australia at FamilySearch, images. Arranged alpphabetically.
• 1837 Census 1837, extracted from volume 58 of inward correspondence of the Colonial Secretary's Office of Western Australia by staff of the Battye Library at FamilySearch, images.
• 1837 Census returns Western Australia, 1837 at FamilySearch, images of original document.

Substitute Records

Electoral Rolls/Voting Registers

• New South Wales Electoral Rolls at Findmypast, index and images ($).
• 1842-1864: New South Wales, Australia Historical Electoral Rolls at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1903-1980 Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980 at Ancestry, index, browse, and images ($).

Directories

• The Australasian federal directory of commerce, trades & professions at FamilySearch, images.
• 1831 Australian almanack, for the year of our Lord 1831 at FamilySearch, images.
• 1835 Australian almanack and general directory, for the year of our Lord 1835, e-book.
• 1869 Indian and colonial mercantile directory for 1869 at FamilySearch, images.
• 1873 Australian handbook & almanac & shipper & importers directory, e-book.
• 1888 The Australasian federal directory of commerce, trades & professions at FamilySearch, images.
• 1893 The Australian handbook (incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea) shippers and importers' directory & business guide for 1893, e-book

Population Musters

• 1800-1802 Muster and lists, New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1800-1802 at FamilySearch, images.
• 1806-1849 - New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1806 - Muster of all females in the colony, August 1806, at FamilySearch, images.
• 1811, 1814, 1819 Population musters, 1811, 1814, 1819 at FamilySearch, images.
• 1825-1840 - New South Wales, Australia, Wives & Children of Irish Convicts at Ancestry - index only ($)

Finding Records

For an excellent analysis of extant records and where they can be found in Australia archives and libraries, see State Library of Victoria: Early Australian census records.

Historys

The first country-wide census was taken in 1881. National censuses have been regularly taken by the Australian government since 1911. However, to protect individual privacy, all national censuses were destroyed after statistical information was collected. Earlier, in 1882, a fire destroyed the New South Wales census records for 1846, 1851, 1856, 1861, 1871 and 1881, including the household forms from 1861, 1871 and 1881. Therefore, census usage in Australian research is different from census research in other countries.

There are surviving local state censuses that do exist however. See the online list above to access the local state censuses. No records of individuals exist for censuses after these dates:

• Victoria: 1853
• New South Wales: 1901
• Northern Territory: 1921
• Queensland: 1841
• South Australia: 1841
• Tasmania: 1857
• Western Australia: 1837

Contents

Typically a census is a count and description of the population. Where available, census records can provide an ancestor’s name, age, occupation and/or employer, whether free or bond, religion, ship and date of arrival, marital status, birthplace, and family member relationships. Census returns can also provide clues that lead to other records. A census may list selected people or the whole population. The percentage of people listed depends on the purpose of the census and on how careful the enumerator was.

Census Substitutes

In Australian research, other records can be used in place of census records. They are referred to as "census substitutes," and they list individuals who lived in specific places. It is rare, however, to find an entire family listed. Usually these records list only the head of household’s name, date and place of residence, occupation, age, value of property, and sometimes ship of arrival.

Records that can be used as census substitutes are:

• Population Musters

Because convicts were transported into Australia, the government found it necessary to survey the population at least annually. These surveys, known as musters, began in 1788. Information contained in the records might include an individual’s residence, status (convict, free, military), sex, name, ship of arrival, trial date, trial place, sentence, and remarks. Some early musters list children, wives, and servants.

• Electoral rolls—See Australia Voting Records.
• Directories and almanacs—See Australia Directories.
• Emigration and immigration records—See Australia Emigration and Immigration.
• Depasturing licenses—See Australia Land and Property.
• Rate and valuation books—See Australia Taxation.
• Lists of convicts—See Australia Convict Records.