Australia Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Encyclopedias and dictionaries provide precise and comprehensive information on a specific topic. Also, they often contain valuable information for genealogical research. They may include articles about towns and places, prominent people, minorities, and religions and can give information about diverse topics such as record keeping practices, laws, customs, commerce, costumes, occupations, and archaic terminology.

The Family History Library has several encyclopedias and dictionaries for Australia. The following series is an especially good resource:


 * Australians: A Historical Library. 11 Volumes Broadway, N.S.W., Australia: Fairfax, Syne &amp; Weldon, 1987. (Family History Library Call Number 994 H2ah.) The first five volumes in the series are histories of the Australian people from 1788 to 1988. The other six volumes include a historical atlas, a guide to sources, events and places, a historical dictionary, historical statistics, and the guide and index to the series.

The following are other encyclopedias and dictionaries for Australia:


 * The Australian encyclopedia. Fourth Edition. 12 Volumes Sydney, N.S.W., Australia: Groiler Society of Australia, 1983. (Family History Library Call Number 994 A5a.)


 * Jupp, James, Editor. The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins. North Ryde, N.S.W., Australia: Angus and Robertson, 1988. (Family History Library Call Number Q994 A5ap.)


 * Ramson, W. S., Editor. The Australian national dictionary: a dictionary of Australianisms on historical principles. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press, 1988. (Family History Library Call Number 994 A5an.)


 * Shaw, John, Editor. Collins Australian encyclopedia. Sydney, Australia: Collins, 1984. (Family History Library Call Number 994 A5co.)


 * Turner, George W., Editor. The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary. Second Edition. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press, 1984. (Family History Library Call Number 994 G26a 1984.)


 * Wilkes, Gerald A. A Dictionary of Australian Colloquialisms. Sydney, Australia: Sydney University Press, 1978. (Family History Library Call Number 403.94 W652d.)

The Family History Library also has encyclopedias and dictionaries specific to the states of New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. Look in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

AUSTRALIA, [STATE] - ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND DICTIONARIES