Finding an Irish Ancestor Using Australian Records

Notes on Immigration
The Irish did not immigrate to Australia in large groups or during specific time periods. They did immigrate individually or a few at a time. Irish were among the convicts who were shipped to New South Wales as early as 1788 and Tasmania in 1804. Passengers came unassisted, meaning they paid their own way. Others were assisted, meaning their passage was paid by the government or an individual. The debt had to be repaid.

How to Use This Page
Search each of the Web sites and sources listed under the state(s) where your ancestor lived. Look for clues pointing to a place of origin in Ireland. Each index and source covers a different time period. It's important to understand what's covered instead of assuming that every Web site and source is complete for every year and every name.

Web sites
Ireland-Australia transportation database includes not only convicts but convicts' families and free settlers.

Assisted Immigrants, 1839-1896

Index to the Unassisted Arrivals NSW 1842-1855

Passenger Indexes (various years and ports)

Web sites
Index to passengers &amp; ships arrivals - 19th Century

Index to Tasmanian Convicts, 1804-1853

Passenger lists, 1827-1862 (various ports)

South Australia
Church records

Marriage records may record names of parents or place of birth.

Government births, deaths and marriages

Cemetery records

Newspapers

Probate Records

Queensland
Government Birth, Marriage and Death records

Web sites
Index to Assisted British Immigration 1839-1871

Assisted Immigration to Victoria 1836 to 1879 Ships

Western Australia
Web sites