Australia, Tasmania, Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include records from 1829 to 2001.

These records come from the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office. They may include a variety of records, such as: land, school, court, occupation, cemetery, correctional institution, immigration, hospital, military, naturalization, guild and convict records.

Court records contain information about individuals who were involved in a number of matters, including those mentioned below. Details about Australian convicts are often found in court records. Most court records provide names of individuals who served as defendants, plaintiffs, jurors, or witnesses. They may also provide such information as the individual’s residence, occupation, physical description, and family.

Convicts first arrived in Australia in 1788, when the British government established a penal colony at Port Jackson, Sydney Bay. Records about convicts transported to Australia are numerous and play a major role in Australian family history research.

There are four types of convict records:


 * Tickets of leave
 * Certificates of Freedom
 * Pardons
 * Convict Indents

To see definitions of the records, go to Australia Convict Records for more information.

Sample Images
Prisoner records may include the following information:


 * Profession of prisoner
 * Crime for which incarcerated
 * Height
 * Age
 * Complexion
 * Portrait of self
 * Full name
 * Nickname
 * Place of birth
 * Marital status

Occupation records may include the following information:


 * Full name
 * Occupation
 * Names of witnesses

Petty pension records may include the following information:


 * Name of offender
 * Offense made
 * Name of magistrate present
 * Names of witnesses

Land records may include the following information:


 * Name of Grantor
 * Name of Grantee
 * Location
 * Date of Record
 * Date of Registration
 * Document Number
 * Signature

Cemetery records may include the following information:


 * Date of Death and Burial
 * Place of Death and Burial
 * Name and Age of Deceased
 * Cause of Death

Military records may include the following information:


 * Name or initials of soldier
 * Date of enrollment
 * Age at enrollment
 * Occupation
 * Discharge date

How Do I Search This Collection?
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, some tips on how to find records, and what to do if no record is found.

As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships.

Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

To search the collection by name: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page: ⇒Select the appropriate “Record Category” ⇒Select the appropriate “Record Type” ⇒Select the appropriate “Year Range, Archival Number” which will take you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.



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 your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname
 * Search the records of nearby areas

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:
 * - They might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name
 * - A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband


 * Consult the Australia Record Finder to find other records

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.

"Australia, Tasmania, Miscellaneous Records, 1829-1961" Database with Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, Hobart.
 * Collection Citation:

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