Early Australian census records

Illuminate Australian society and your family history using census records from 1788 to 1901

Key statistics

Quick starting points for statistical research are listed on this page. To discover more detailed resources, including those with information about individuals, click on your area of interest:

Victoria | New South Wales | Northern Territory | Queensland | South Australia | Tasmania | Western Australia

Up to 1901, statistics were collected by individual colonies or states, so the information collected was not always consistent. This means statistics collected across the censuses may not be directly comparable. Consult the Census history and Aboriginal Australians sections of this research guide for more information.

Online resources

Resources at the Library

Population of Australia