Family History Resources | Parramatta History and Heritage

The Research Library has special collections and a wealth of resources for family historians to help them in their research.

These Family History Resources & Online Databases are available in the library

Ancestry Library Edition
A genealogy tool which provides instant access to a wide range of resources for genealogical and historical research. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com/

Guide to searching http://proquest.libguides.com/content.php?pid=322379&sid=2669013

NSW Family History Document Service

Images of historical documents relating to family records in New South Wales dating between 1850 to 1920 http://www.ihr.com.au/

Newspapers
The library has access to historic Australian newspapers and older editions of local newspapers at the Local Studies Library.

Trove

Provides access to over 90 million items, ranging from books and journals to maps and music, from a multitude of sites http://trove.nla.gov.au/

Local Newspapers (Microfilm Reels)

Cumberland Argus Sep 1888 – Oct 1962

Parramatta Advertiser Jul 1956 –

Parramatta and Hills News Jan 1957 – Jun 1982

Parramatta Journal Mar 1995 –

The Sydney Gazette Mar 1803 – Jun 1880

Sydney Gazette Card Index 1803 – 1829

Sydney Gazette Manuscript Index 1803 – 1826, 1827 – 1842

Sydney Morning Herald Card Index Jan 1842 – Jan 1845, 1904 – 1918

The Sydney Mail Jun 1860 – Dec 1938

Cumberland Free Press Sep 1896 – Jun 1897

Advocate (Parramatta) Jun 1975 – May 1976

Chronicle (Parramatta) Oct 1958 – Mar 1961

Courier (Parramatta) Dec 1960 – Jan 1962

Granville Independent Sep 1900 – Mar 1901

Auburn News and Granville Sep 1903 – May 1935

Auburn and Lidcombe Advance Dec 1925 – Dec 1939

Parramatta Messenger Jan 1847 – Jun 1847

Sydney Morning Herald Index to B.M.D. &F. notices 1831 – 1853

Parramatta Chronicle & Cumberland General Advertisers Dec 1843 – Dec 1847

Parramatta City News Dec 1928 – Dec 1929

Cumberland Times Jan 1903 – Jun 1911

Parramatta Argus Jul 1977 – Nov 1977

Cumberland Mercury Jan 1875 – Apr 1895

Farm and Garden (Parramatta) Oct 1958 – Jan 1984

Chinese Times Dec 2002 – Mar 2003

Hills District Farm and Garden Jan 1984 – Feb 1985

Weekly Advance (Granville) Feb 1892 – Jan 1893

Local Newspapers (Hard copies)

o Hills Shire & Times (July 1985 – Jun 1986)

o The Hills District Farm and Garden (1969 – 1984)

o Mercery (Aug 1977 – March 1995)

o Parramatta Advocate ( June 1965 – Dec 1975)

o Parramatta hills News (July 1965 – June 1982)

Sydney Morning Herald (Microfilm Reels)

Search every edition of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald from 1831-

These family history resources you can access online

Australian Records and Indexes

LINC Tasmania: Colonial Tasmanian Family Links Database – An Tasmanian family history research resource that links individuals with other members of their family living in Tasmania in the 19th Century. http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=8

Australasian Association of Genealogists and Record Agents Inc – A Directory listing reliable and competent genealogists and record agents to those wanting professional family history and genealogy services and general record searching. http://www.aagra.asn.au/

Australian Family History Compendium – The Compendium is a directory for Australian family historians containing indexes, repository listing, and guides. http://afhc.cohsoft.com.au/

Convicts to Australia – A guide for researching your convict ancestors. http://www.convictcentral.com/index.html

Index to NSW Convict Tickets of Leave, 1810-1875 – An index to New South Wales Convict Tickets of Leave. http://www.nla.gov.au/pathways/jnls/newsite/view/1145.html

Index to the 1841 Census – The Census of 1841 is an index to the surviving householders’ returns and abstracts of returns, recording the name of the head of the household. http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/indexes-online/census-records/index-to-the-1841-census/index-to-the-1841-census?searchterm=1841%20census

Index to the Bench of Magistrates, New South Wales – The index lists all the cases heard before the Judge Advocate’s Bench of Magistrates 19 Feb 1788-25 Nov 1820. It includes criminal and civil cases, publicans’ licenses issued/cancelled, constables appointed, controlling the markets etc. http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/indexes-online/court-records/index-to-the-bench-of-magistrates?searchterm=magistrates

Index to the Colonial Secretary’s Correspondence, 1788-1825 – An index to the primary correspondence records of the the Colonial Secretary’s Office and related services. http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/colonial-secretarys-correspondence-guide/colonial-secretarys-correspondence?searchterm=colonial

JewishGen – an internet source connecting researchers of Jewish genealogy worldwide. http://www.jewishgen.org/

New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages – a free search index to the birth (1788-1913), death (1788-1983), and marriage (1788-1963) records for New South Wales. http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/

Society of Australian Genealogists– An Australian organisation providing assistance in search family history. The Society also provides workshops, and seminars, and can give advice on all aspects of genealogy. http://www.sag.org.au/

State Records of New South Wales – State Records is the NSW Government’s archives and records management authority, providing access to a broad range of primary source historic documents and records. http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/

Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages– The Victorian Registry holds records dating back to 1836. The registry provides resources and products for people http://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/

Australian Jewish Genealogical Society Inc. http://www.ajhs.info/

Genealogy Link.net

http://www.genealogylinks.net/australia/

Military Records and Indexes

Australian War Graves in South Africa, 1899 – 1902 – This site includes a searchable database of information from Australian Boer War memorials.

http://www.hagsoc.org.au/sagraves/

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour Database – A searchable honour roll database providing details of Australia’s war dead. http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/roll_of_honour/

Commonwealth War Graves Commission – This Register provides personal and service details and places of commemoration for the 1.7 million members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the First or Second World Wars, as well as record some 60,000 civilian casualties of the Second World War is provided without details of burial location. http://www.cwgc.org/

Nominal Roll of the AIF who served overseas 1914-1918 – A Searchable index of approximately 324,000 names of members of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) who served overseas during the First World War. http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/nominal_rolls/first_world_war/

World War II Nominal Roll – A searchable index created to honour and commemorate the men and women who served in Australia’s defence forces and the Merchant Navy during World War II. http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/

Shipping

Ancestors on Board – An index to Passenger lists of thousands of ships sailing from British Ports to destinations worldwide (1890-11960). Passengers include not only immigrants and emigrants, but also businessmen, diplomats and tourists. http://www.ancestorsonboard.com/

Emigrants – An online aid for those seeking emigrant passenger lists. http://www.emigrants.net.au/
Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild – A site for researching emigration, immigration and naturalization, passenger list, as well as other maritime information. http://www.immigrantships.net/

Patricia Downes’ Australian Pioneers – lists First, Second, Third Fleet and Irish Convicts to Australia 1791-1820 http://members.pcug.org.au/~pdownes/

International

AFHC Family History Compedium – The Australian Family History Compendium is a free Internet resource for people researching their family tree. It contains information on a wide variety of categories related to genealogy, with a strong emphasis onAustralian material. http://afhc.cohsoft.com.au/

Cyndi’s List of Genealogical Sites on the Internet– A categorized & cross-referenced indexed list of genealogical resources on the Internet. http://www.cyndislist.com/

Deciphering Old Handwriting – Old handwriting in genealogy research http://amberskyline.com/treasuremaps/oldhand.html

Family Search Database – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Family Search Database. Search for your ancestors, view maps, forms, guides, find other web sites containing family history information. https://familysearch.org/

Family Tree Maker: Genealogy How-To Guide http://www.familytreemaker.com/

Genealogy Home Page http://www.archives.com/

Genealogy Gateway to the Web http://www.gengateway.com/

Genealogy.com – Genealogy Dictionary http://www.genealogy.com/00000736.html

Ultimate Family Tree – Family Tree Resources and Glossary of Genealogical Terms and Abbreviations http://www.uftree.com/

Names

Behind the Name– the etymology and history of first names: http://www.behindthename.com/names/letter/n

United Kingdom

Emery Paper – A concise guide to researching British ancestry – the IGI, using parish registers, the Civil Registration system, the 19th century Census returns and dozens of other archives, indexes and sources, with all the costs, contacts, addresses and tips. http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/EmeryPaper.html

Free BMD – contains index information for the period 1837-1901 in the United Kingdom. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/

Lincolnshire Archives – including birth, death, and marriage records for Lincolnshire; and convicts transported to Australia, Gibraltar and Bermuda. http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/residents/archives/

National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/

National Archives of the United Kingdom http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.htm

Scots Web – Scottish Roots is an ancestral research service for those who wish to discover more about their Scottish forebears – who they were, where they lived and how they were employed. http://www.scotweb.co.uk/clans

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey London 1674 to 1834 – A fully searchable online edition of the largest body of texts detailing the lives of non-elite people ever published, containing accounts of over 100,000 criminal trials held at London’s central criminal court. http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

United Kingdom and Ireland Genealogical Information Service http://www.genuki.org.uk/

United States of America

The Library of Congress: American Memory – provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html

US National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) http://www.archives.gov/

USA.gov Family History and Genealogy – Find Census, immigration, and military records, and record finding aids for genealogists and family historians. http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/History-Family.shtml