South Australia Census

Online Resources

 * 1836-1915 - South Australia Census at FindMyPast - index ($), incomplete
 * 1838-1928 - South Australia, Australia, Select Tax and Financial Records, 1838-1928; Returns of Census, 1841 at Ancestry - index & images
 * 1841 - Australia, South Australia, Census, 1841 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1841 - Index to Census of 1841 for South Australia at FamilySearch, images.*1841 1841 Census for South Australia family history research index.

As Part of New South Wales Prior to 1834

 * 1811-1825 - New South Wales, Census and Population Books, 1811-1825 at Ancestry, index, browse, and images, ($).
 * 1828 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1828 1828 Census inscribed on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register at New South Wales Archives, images.
 * 1828 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (Australian Copy) at Ancestry, index, browse, and images, ($).
 * 1828 1828 New South Wales, Australia Census (TNA Copy) at Ancestry, index, browse, and images, ($).
 * 1828 New South Wales, 1828 Census Householders' Returns, at FindMyPast, index and images, ($).

Electoral Rolls/Voting Registers

 * New South Wales Electoral Rolls at FindMyPast, index and images, ($).

Directories

 * at FamilySearch.
 * The Australasian federal directory of commerce, trades & professions at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1831 - Australian almanack, for the year of our Lord 1831 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1835 - Australian almanack and general directory, for the year of our Lord 1835, e-book.
 * 1869 - Indian and colonial mercantile directory for 1869 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1873 - Australian handbook & almanac & shipper & importers directory, e-book.
 * 1888 - The Australasian federal directory of commerce, trades & professions at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1893 - The Australian handbook (incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea) shippers and importers' directory & business guide for 1893, e-book

Population Musters

 * 1800-1802 - Muster and lists, New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1800-1802 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1806-1849 - New South Wales and Tasmania, Australia Convict Musters at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1806 - Muster of all females in the colony, August 1806, at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1811, 1814, 1819 - Population musters, 1811, 1814, 1819 at FamilySearch, images.
 * 1825-1840 - New South Wales, Australia, Wives & Children of Irish Convicts at Ancestry; index only ($)

Immigration Records

 * at FamilySearch.

Finding Records
For an excellent analysis of extant records and where they can be found in Australia archives and libraries, see State Library of Victoria: Early Australian census records: South Australia.

History
The first country-wide census was taken in 1881. National censuses have been regularly taken by the Australian government since 1911. However, to protect individual privacy, all national censuses were destroyed after statistical information was collected. Earlier, in 1882, a fire destroyed the New South Wales census records for 1846, 1851, 1856, 1861, 1871 and 1881, including the household forms from 1861, 1871 and 1881. Therefore, census usage in Australian research is different from census research in other countries. No records of individuals exist for South Australia censuses after 1841.

Contents
Typically a census is a count and description of the population. Where available, census records can provide an ancestor’s name, age, occupation and/or employer, whether free or bond, religion, ship and date of arrival, marital status, birthplace, and family member relationships. Census returns can also provide clues that lead to other records. A census may list selected people or the whole population. The percentage of people listed depends on the purpose of the census and on how careful the enumerator was.

Census Substitutes
In Australian research, other records can be used in place of census records. They are referred to as "census substitutes," and they list individuals who lived in specific places. It is rare, however, to find an entire family listed. Usually these records list only the head of household’s name, date and place of residence, occupation, age, value of property, and sometimes ship of arrival.

Records that can be used as census substitutes are:
 * Population Musters
 * Because convicts were transported into Australia, the government found it necessary to survey the population at least annually. These surveys, known as musters, began in 1788. Information contained in the records might include an individual’s residence, status (convict, free, military), sex, name, ship of arrival, trial date, trial place, sentence, and remarks. Some early musters list children, wives, and servants.


 * Electoral rolls—See South Australia Voting Records.
 * Directories and almanacs—See South Australia Directories.
 * Emigration and immigration records—See South Australia Emigration and Immigration.
 * Depasturing licenses—See South Australia Land and Property.
 * Rate and valuation books—See South Australia Taxation.
 * Lists of convicts—See South Australia Convict Records.