Indigenous Family History - where do I start?
As with all family history research, a good idea is to start with a blank family tree and fill in as many names as you can. A good way of filling in the blanks in your family tree is by searching the Birth, Death and Marriage indexes and certificates.
The names and information in your family tree can then be used to search indexes and other resources relating to Indigenous people and families. For more information on Indigenous family history resources see Fact Sheet 8: Family History Unit Resources.
Below are some more tips to get you started with your Indigenous family history research:
1. Write down what you know about yourself and your heritage
- Your parent's names or nicknames? Where and when were they born?
- Your grandparent's names or nicknames? Where and when were they born?
- Do you know your grandparents' parents names?
- Do you know the names of your parents' or grandparents' brothers and sisters?
2. Work back through certificates
- Each state has a Births, Deaths and Marriages Registries or Departments
- You can apply for your own Birth or Marriage certificates
- You can apply for the certificates of your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents etc. If they are alive, you will need their permission. For more recent births, deaths and marriages you may be asked to show proof of your relationship to the person who the certificate relates to. For further information, click here.
3. What area was your family from?
Finding about about the town or area that your family is from can be helpful. It is useful to know about the time and place where your family lived.
For example, was there an Aboriginal mission, reserve or station in the area? Were particular types of employment associated with the town? For example, was it a mining town or might your family members have worked on a pastoral property? All of these may be possible sources of family history information and records.
4. Contact the local historical society of the town your family is from
Family history, genealogical and historical societies often have resources such as cemetery transcriptions and church records which may contain information on your family. You can pay a small fee for their research time or become a member for approximately the same price.
5. Think about what records people might kept about your family
For example; Army records, employment records, school records etc.
6. Think about the spellings of names.
There are sometimes differences between birth names and the names that people are commonly known by. It is also worth remembering that names may not always be spelt correctly on certificates and other records.
7. Think about other people in your family.
Brother and sister lines go back to the same parents. Cousins go back to the same grandparents.
8. Find out if any other family members have been doing their own heritage search.
Often the Family History Unit assists several people who are researching the same family. We have developed a confidential procedure for connecting people who are searching for the same family. For more information contact the Family History Unit.
9. Read about family history research.
You may like to borrow a “how to search your family history” book from your local library. Another useful resource is our brief guide to Indigenous family history research.
10. Do one family line at a time.
Once you have completed these steps you may like to contact the Family History Unit for further guidance with your family history research.
Updated: January 2008