Family history sources held in Adelaide – Fact sheet 87
Family history sources held in the Adelaide Office of the National Archives consist mainly of records created by Commonwealth agencies located in South Australia. Most of the records date from Federation in 1901, although some records – naturalisation, post and telegraph, lighthouse and mercantile marine records – also cover the colonial period.
The Adelaide Office also has microfilm copies of selected genealogical research records that are located in other offices of the National Archives.
Sources held by the National Archives Adelaide Office
The main categories of genealogical information located in the Adelaide office are listed below. Reference staff can assist in directing you to particular records of interest.
| Description of records | Date range |
|---|---|
| Citizenship and naturalisation Pre-1904 (colonial) naturalisation certificates and memorials, Commonwealth certificates to 1937 (microfilm) and later applications (case files) | 1848–1937 |
| Commonwealth employees Commonwealth staff list (microfiche) Commonwealth of Australia Gazettes | 1903–72 1901–50 |
| Customs service Correspondence files (including some early immigration records) Record of officer’s service | 1845–1996 1865–1953 |
| Defence services
Boer War Attestation papers of the 5th South Australian Contingent Veterans’ funeral benefit files World War II Army pay files for those who enlisted in South Australia | 1901 1939–60 1939–46 |
| Electoral Printed electoral rolls for South Australia (microfiche) | 1905–75 and 1994 |
| Immigration Alien registration documents – non-British arrivals Migrant case files Migrant accommodation – registers and index cards for migrant hostels Migrant selection documents – assisted migrants (British) Migrant selection documents – assisted migrants (non-British) Passenger lists – overseas arrival and departure lists | 1917–80 1946–91 1947–87 1947–81 1947–54 1941–76 |
| Indigenous people Index cards for deceased and exempt Aboriginal people – South Australian Aborigines Department | 1917–57 |
| Internment and investigation World War I – includes nominal rolls of prisoners of war/internees at Torrens Island, index cards of prisoners of war/internees (incomplete) and investigation case files World War II – includes index cards (incomplete) and case files related to Loveday internment camp as well as investigation case files | 1910–87 1910–87 |
| Land Acquisition and disposal of Commonwealth land in SA | 1895–1996 |
Lighthouses Log books for South Australian lighthouses – beginning in the colonial period Correspondence files – related largely to lighthouse properties | 1852–1973 1915–92 |
| Mercantile marine (Maritime records) Agreements and account of crew – oversees and local vessels Competency and service – registers of certificates (officers) Port Adelaide* Crew discharged – Port Adelaide and other SA ports# Deaths at sea – reported at Port Adelaide* Deserters – Port Adelaide and other SA ports# Engagements – at Port Adelaide and other SA ports (with index)# Register of British Ships – Various Australian ports (with index)* Vessel arrivals and departures – Port Adelaide and other SA ports# * Available as microform # Portion available as microform | 1895–1983 1851–1921 1852–1942 1893–1922 1852–1975 1852–1942 1838–1982 1874–1957 |
| Patents, trademarks and copyright Including registers, applications, correspondence and graphic material such as invention specifications and trademark designs | 1867–1969 |
| Post and telegraph Staff registers Postal guides (including lists of personnel) Correspondence files – mostly relating to property | 1872–1936 1868–1977 1872–1990 |
| Railways Staff cards – Commonwealth Railways employees (incomplete) | 1912–59 |
Sources held in other locations
Further information relating to family history research will be found in other offices of the National Archives. Contact the National Reference Service on 1300 886 881.
Many records that complement holdings of the National Archives (such as passenger lists for arrivals in Adelaide before 1941) are held by State Records of South Australia.
Access to the records
Records held by the National Archives become eligible for public access once they enter the open access period.
