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.

Sample Images
Immigration Records may include:


 * Name
 * Date of Arrival
 * Name of the Ship

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

When searching: 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 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 name range to see 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.


 * Collection Citation:

"Australia, Victoria, Assisted Immigrant Arrivals at Victorian Ports, 1839-1871." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Geelong Heritage Centre, Geelong.

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