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Selected international databases
England
- Parish register transcriptions - UK, Wales, Scotland, Channel Islands - 1538 to 1837
- FreeBDM - find UK births deaths and marriages 1837 - 1983
- Free UK Census - the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891 census
- England and Wales - Parish Jurisdiction maps in 1851
- England Census records
- War records - initial search available and then you need to join to download.
- North East Inheritance database (pre-1858 Durham Probate Records)
- Bishops' Transcripts
- Marriage Licences
- Tithe records
- Estates
- Ordination papers
- Consistory Court
- Durham University
- Durham City Guilds
- Land Tax
- Printed Collections
- Old Occupation names
Ireland
- National Archives of Ireland
- Census of Ireland, 1901 and 1911, and pre-1901 survivals
- Census Search Forms, 1841 – 51
- Tithe Applotment Books, 1823 – 37
- Soldiers’ Wills, 1914 – 1918
- Calendars of Wills and Administrations, 1858 – 1922
- Historic Graves - mainly Ireland but also includes some in England, Scotland, Belgium and Poland
- Irish genealogy Church records
- Irish genealogy Civil records
- Failte Romhat - genealogical information extracted from various census, directories, cemeteries and newspapers including Land Owners in Ireland 1876, Irish Flax Growers List 1796, Pigot & Co's Provincial Directory of Ireland 1824, Postal Directory of Cork 1842-43, Slater's Commercial Directory of Ireland 1846, Guy's Postal Directory of Cork 1914 and cemetery transcriptions and photographs.
- Freeholders' Records - Search and view digitised images of pre-1840 Freeholders' Registers and Poll Books
- Londonderry Corporation Records - includes digitised versions of the Londonderry Corporation Minute Books, Records of the Freemen of the City, and War Memorial Records
- Public Record Office of Northern Ireland - Search indexes to surviving pre-1858 wills found in various PRONI collections; diocesan will and administration bond indexes; surviving fragments of the 1740 and the 1766 religious census returns and 1775 dissenters petitions
- PRONI Web Archive - A searchable A-Z index of archived websites of historical and cultural importance to Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland street directories - Search and view digitised images of Street Directories covering the years 1819 to 1900
- Ulster Covenant - Search and view digitised images of the original signatures of almost half a million men and women who signed the Ulster Covenant or women's Declaration in opposition to Home Rule on 28th September 1912
- Valuation Revision Books - A searchable placename index linking to digitised images of Valuation Revision Books covering counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone between the years 1864 to 1933
- Will Calendars - Search the index to will calendar entries for the District Probate Registries of Armagh, Belfast and Londonderry covering the period 1858-1965. View digital images of copy wills for Armagh, (1858-1918), Belfast (1858-1909) and Londonderry (1858-1899)
- Anglican Record Project - some registers of baptism, marriage and burial from Church of Ireland parishes
- Defence Forces Ireland Military Archives
- Catholic Parish Registers
Wales
- Parish register transcriptions - UK, Wales, Scotland, Channel Islands - 1538 to 1837
- FreeBDM - find UK births deaths and marriages 1837 - 1983
- Free UK Census - the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891 census
- Welsh Newspapers Online - similar to Trove
- Dictionary of Welsh Biography
- England and Wales - Parish Jurisdiction maps in 1851
Scotland
- Parish register transcriptions - UK, Wales, Scotland, Channel Islands - 1538 to 1837
- FreeBDM - find UK births deaths and marriages 1837 - 1983
- Free UK Census - the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891 census
- Wiki of parishes in Scotland - general info and links
- Scotland's War Dead - data on Scottish men and women who lost their lives during the Second World War
New Zealand
- New Zealand newspapers
- Early New Zealand Photographers and their successors
- New Zealand Genies Jottings - World War I - personnel paragraghs
HOLOCAUST
- Yad Vashem - Database of holocaust (Shoah) victims - Yad Vashem, together with its partners, has collected and recorded the names and biographical details of millions of victims of systematic anti-Jewish persecution during the Holocaust (Shoah) period.
Last update November 2020
Health, Homes and Adoption
Births, Deaths and Marriages
Australian Birth, Death and Marriage records are held individually by each state. All states except Tasmania and the Northern Territory have searchable online indexes available. Tasmanian records are held on CD which is available for purchase. All online indexes are free. Northern Territory certificates can be ordered online however you need to know the record details.
Buildings, land and settlement
Useful in family history research, this list provides links to records relating to how our country was settled. Most links have online databases that you can use to search for records by surname, area or address.
Cemeteries and burials
Many of Australia's cemetery records have been digitised to provide relatives with easy online search functions. The list below includes links to over 300 documented cemeteries across the country most of which have online records.
Census and Electoral rolls
Since 1901 (Federation) Australia has conducted elections and kept detailed electoral rolls. The laws have changed a few times over the years: Compulsory voting was introduced in 1924, Women's right to vote was won progressively across the different states between 1895 and 1911, Indigenous Australians won voting rights in 1962. Included are some links to naturalisation records and some census records.
Convicts, prisoners and courts
Australian convicts are some of the most well documented people in history. Follow their journeys here with this growing list of resources dedicated to our colonial convict history. There are also links to prison records for "non-convicts" (people who were not here by means of convict transportation from England.) Also, here you will find many links to databases of court records including both criminal and civil cases.
Historical Societies and Groups
Australia has a vast network of History Societies and groups dedicated to recording and preserving our nation's history. Support them now by becoming a member today!
Below is a list of active historical societies across the country. Click the links to visit their websites and/or Facebook pages. History groups are an invaluable resource especially for genealogy research as they usually have local knowledge of family names in their area. Where available you can make enquiries regarding your ancestry interests direct to the group and usually you'll find they are happy to assist. Be patient - most family history societies are run by teams of dedicated volunteers who generously donate their time to carefully locate, investigate and preserve valuable images, documents and family tree resources.
Occupations and trades
Wills and Inquests
Looking through last Will and Testament documents are a good source of information on descendants, property and locations. At some stage almost all Wills must pass through the Australia Court system and thus become an official court record to be stored in perpetuity. Where no Will has been left (intestate estates) usually next of kin apply for estate administration, documents of which also complement the official records. Many early Wills are now online in index of full document form. Also, this list has links to inquest documents and coroners reports.