Australia, Victoria, Assisted Immigrant Arrivals at Victorian Ports - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records from 1839-1871. Included is a card file index documenting arrivals of assisted immigrants into Victorian ports. Approximately 65,000 cards are located in the Geelong Heritage Centre in Geelong, Australia. Among the files, there may be birth, marriage, immigration and death records. Assisted immigrants and other immigrants are identified below:

Prior to 1900, there were four classes of immigrants to Australia:

Convicts: Sent to Australia after they were tried and convicted for crimes committed in the British Isles. Tasmania and New South Wales were the states that received most of the convicts before 1830.

Bounty Immigrants: Chosen by Australian colonists to come from the British Isles to Australia.

Assisted Immigrants: Came to Australia by having all or part of their passage paid for by an outside agent, a private individual (usually a family member), the government, or a combination of the three.

Paying Passengers: Came to Australia through their own means.

Until the 19th century, a large portion of what is now Victoria, Australia was part of the New South Wales Territory. As such, some records for arrivals at Victorian Ports may also be in New South Wales archives and databases.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Immigration
 * Name
 * Date of Arrival
 * Name of the Ship

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Given name and surname
 * Gender
 * Approximate date of arrival

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Name Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Search for death records
 * Search for death or burial information in the BillionGraves Index or at Find A Grave
 * If last names are the same from the same ship at the same time they may be a family
 * Search for vital information in civil registration and church records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname
 * Search the records of nearby areas
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband
 * A name may be misspelled

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Australia.
 * Record Finder
 * Australia Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.