Australia, South Australia, Immigrants Ship Papers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
This collection has records of births and deaths aboard immigrant ships. Passenger lists are from ships arriving and departing from South Australia.

What is in This Collection?
Immigrant ships papers containing a record of births and deaths aboard, 1849-1867 and 1873-1885. Indexed records in collection include passenger lists arriving and departing from South Australia. Information on images varies but may include ship's name, master's name, tonnage, where bound, date, port of embarkation, names of passengers, ages, occupation, nationality, and port at which passengers have contracted to land.

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


 * Given Name
 * Surname
 * Age
 * Birth Year
 * Gender


 * Ship Name
 * Departure Port and Date
 * Arrival Port and Date

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Person's Name
 * Person's Age
 * Approximate year of migration

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?

 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching
 * Look at an image of the original record. The original may contain information that was not recorded in the index. To find a copy of the original record, visit the State Library Victoria (Australia) page
 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors

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

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, Civil Registration records may be more useful
 * While searching, it is helpful to know such information as the 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 an ancestor and that the ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800's
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another
 * Be aware that there may have been some transcription errors

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.