Australia, New South Wales, 1891 Census - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
These records include an index with images of census returns from 1891 for New South Wales. Original records are located in the Mitchell Library in Sydney.

To protect individual privacy, all national censuses were destroyed after statistical information was collected. The New South Wales 1891 census was one of the few census records that survived the destruction.

Australian states also took censuses—mostly from the nineteenth century on. However, many of the censuses did not survive because they were taken for population studies and taxation.

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

Census
 * Name of ancestor
 * Occupation
 * Marital status
 * Address
 * Number of individuals in household
 * Ethnicity

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Given name and surname
 * Approximate year and place of residence
 * Family relationships.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select District (district no.) Content 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?

 * Look at an image of the original record. The original may contain information that was not recorded in the index or transcription. To find a copy of the original record, visit the State Library - New South Wales page

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. This can help you find possible relatives.
 * Search the records of localities near to where the ancestor is believed to have lived
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * They might have been listed under a middle name or abbreviation of their given name.
 * A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband.

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.


 * Collection Citation: "Australia, New South Wales, Census, 1891." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. State Library of New South Wales, Sydney.

Top of Page