The Library subscribes to several databases, both Australian and International, which can help you with your family history search.
Currently, you will need to join the library before you visit the Family History Centre. A Liverpool Library card is required to access the centre's computers, databases and printing.
Ancestry Library Edition
Explore your family’s history using local and international records including convict and free settler lists, passenger lists, Australian and New Zealand electoral rolls and military records. There are English, Welsh and Scottish records.
Access from: Family History Centre or Liverpool City Library
| Get started with Ancestry Library Edition |
- Australian Census Records, Electoral Rolls and Voters Lists
- Birth, Death and Marriages records
- Military Service Records
- Passenger Lists
- Build your family tree
Find My Past
Search millions of records for Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States & Canada. Find your past using family history records including census, birth, death and marriages records, parish records, migration and military records and more.
Access from: Family History Centre or Liverpool City Library
| Get started with Find My Past |
- Medal Rolls and Service Records
- Census and Electoral Rolls
- Postal and Telephone Directories
- Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Passenger Lists
- Build your family tree
The Genealogist
The Genealogist is a leading British Genealogy website featuring a collection of census transcripts and clever search tools. The site has a database of the Knights of England going back to 1127 and as well as civil registration indexes.
Access from: Family History Centre or Liverpool City Library
| Get started with The Genealogist |
- Census Records and Transcripts
- Military Records including Casualty Lists
- Parish Records
- Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Map Explorer
FamilySearch
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, (the Mormons) provides a searchable index of records from the Genealogies Ancestral File and the International Genealogical Index.
Access from: Family History Centre or Liverpool City Library. Home access available for transcripts only.
| Get started with FamilySearch |
- Births, Deaths, and Marriages
- Cemetery, Military, Church transcripts
- Immigration records
- Digital Library Project provides free access to genealogy and local studies books across the world
Biographical Database of Australia
A unique resource for historians and genealogists made up of profiles of deceased persons born in Australia, including Aboriginal people, and people who arrived as convicts or immigrants.
Access from: Family History Centre or Liverpool City Library
| Get started with Biographical Database of Australia |
- Convict, muster, census, baptism, biographies, marriage & burial manuscript records for most of the NSW population 1788-1828+
- Immigrant and convict records 1829-1837
- Full-text short biographies of 24,000+ residents & clergy of most colonies/states published 1878-1907
- 10,000 Sydney burials & inscriptions 1819-1901
Forces War Records
Use Forces War Records to search military records of over 5 million British Armed Forces personnel exclusively cross matched with over 4000 units of the British Armed Forces going back to 1350.
Access from: Family History Centre or Liverpool City Library
| Get started with Forces War Records |
- Records held relate to World War One, World War Two, Crimean War, Boer War, African Wars, Indian Mutiny, Napoleonic Wars (including Waterloo and Trafalgar)
- Over 26 million service men’s records
- Medal rolls, individual battle data, casualties lists, prisoner of war records and more
Additional eResources
The following resources are reliable starting points for family history but are not a complete list. We recommend you look at our Local Studies and Family History pages or the Liverpool Genealogy Society's website for more resources.
There are a range of useful resources, worksheets and guides available online from a variety of reputable organisations which will help you in your family history search. Listed below are just a few to help you get started.
- Research guides from the State Library of NSW: Explore your family history using the State Library's diverse and extensive collections. Great resource whether you're a veteran family historian or just starting out.
- Research guide from NSW State Archives: A guide for family historians that highlights the key records and available indexes and the best way to approach your research.
- Research guides from the National Archives of Australia: A collection of 27 detailed research guides that cover areas such as immigration, military history, First Australians and family History.
Volunteers from the Liverpool Genealogy Society are available to assist visitors to the family history centre with their family history research. Family documents such as birth, death and/or marriage certificates, photos and other documents may assist with your search..
Currently you will need to join the library before you visit the Family History Centre. A Liverpool Library card is required to access the centre's computers, databases and printing.
Sydney Morning Herald Library Edition: 2006 - Today
| A digital copy of the printed Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. Browse and search articles, photos and advertisements from January 2006 - present. |
Sydney Morning Herald Archives 1955 - 1995
| A digital copy of the printed Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald newspapers. Browse and search articles, photos and advertisements from 1955 - 1995. |
Historical Newspapers: Australian Collection
| Access Australia's two leading newspapers, allowing researchers to find news coverage on Australian history throughout the years. |
| The British Newspaper Archive contains millions of digitised newspaper pages from the British Library's vast collection. |
| Search for digital copies of Australian newspapers, Government Gazettes, maps, magazines and newsletters as far back as 1803. |
| Obituaries from The Daily Telegraph and other sources from 2005 onwards. |
The traditional custodians of the land in Liverpool are the Cabrogal Clan of the Darug Nation, with the land also accessed by peoples of the Tharawal and Gandangara Nations.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that these Resources may contain images or names of deceased persons in photographs or printed material.
If you are looking for information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families, communities and places there are a range of resources to help you with your research. To check what resources the Library holds, search the catalogue.
The links below have specific resources relating to indigenous people. No login required:
Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council
| The Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council has further information about the land rights of the traditional custodians of the Liverpool LGA. Access from: Home. Freely available website |
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
| AIATSIS collections have information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families, communities and places. Their Family History Unit can also help to find information in other collections across Australia. Access from: Home. Freely available website |
Koori Mail Collection Online from AIATSIS
| The Koori Mail digitised collection by AIATSIS is the only complete online archive for the Koori Mail – Australia’s fortnightly national Indigenous newspaper. Access from: Home. Freely available website |
Aboriginal Family History from State Library of NSW
| Research your Indigenous family history with the help of their index, research guide and a wide range of resources, links and useful tips to help you along the way. Get started with the research guide to find key family history resources, specific to Aboriginal Australians. Access from: Home. Freely available website |
First Nations at Museums of History NSW
| Find guides, articles, webinars, and indexes relating to the First Nations of Australia on this website which combines NSW State Archives and Records and Sydney Living Museums. Start with their series of 'Aboriginal resources' guides if you're unsure where to begin. Access from: Home. Freely available website |
Ancient and Medieval History (Infobase)
| This database covers world history from prehistory through the mid-1500's. Each civilisation’s history is brought to life through tablet/mobile-friendly videos and slideshows, primary sources, maps and graphs, timelines, suggested readings, and suggested search terms. Access from: Home. Log in with your Library Card. |
Biography: In Context (Gale)
| Discover the most influential people across the world thoughout history including present day notables. Search by name, occupation, nationality, date of birth or browse by topic. Filter your search by narrative biographies, news, magazine, and multimedia content. Access from: Home. Log in with your Library Card. |
Modern World History (Infobase)
| Access world history from the mid-15th century to the present. Thousands of subject entries, biographies, images, videos and slideshows, maps and graphs, primary sources, and timelines combine to provide a detailed and comparative view of the people, places, events, and ideas that have defined modern world history. Access from: Home. Log in with your Library Card. |
World History In Context (Gale)
| Uncover information of the most significant people, events, and topics in world history from a variety of sources, including primary sources and multimedia content. Learn about history from the ancient world to today's headlines, delivering a chronicle of the great cultures and societies that have formed the history of the human race. Access from: Home. Log in with your Library Card. |
Listed below are a collection of links to free databases and websites that provide useful and relevant information for family history searches.
- Trove
- State Library of New South Wales
- NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages
- NSW State Archives Collection
- Australian War Memorial
- National Archives of Australia
- The Ryerson Index to Contemporary Death Notices and Obituaries in Australian Newspapers
- Internet History Resources
- Papers Past - Historical New Zealand Newspapers
- Society of Australian Genealogists
- Sands Residential and Business directories
- Cyndi’s List (US)
A more detailed list of suggested sites is available on the Liverpool Genealogy Society's website.