A guide to family history research using the major Victorian resources
Birth, death and marriage certificates (BDM's) are vital documents to help genealogists establish relationships of family members backwards in time. They are used to build the basic structure of the family history tree.
Certificates are kept by the Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages in each Australian state and territory. To obtain a copy of an historical certificate you first need to check the relevant index to find the registration number. The Family History Reading Room provides access to all published Australian civil registration indexes.
For a detailed list of state and territory indexes please refer to the following table. For details on how to get the full certificate please see our Obtaining certificates page.
Combined indexes Australian Birth Index 1788-1922 |
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Victoria Births: 1836-1920 Deaths:1836-1990 Marriages: 1836-1960 |
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New South Wales Births: 1788-1919 Deaths: 1788-1989 Marriages: 1788-1969 |
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South Australia Births: 1842-1928 Deaths:1842-1972 Marriages:1842-1937 |
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Tasmania Births: 1803-1933 Deaths: 1803-1933 Marriages:1803-1930 |
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Queensland Births: 1829-1919 Deaths:1829-1989 Marriages:1829-1944 |
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Western Australia Births: 1841-1932 Deaths: 1841-1971 Marriages:1841-1937 |
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Northern Territory Births: 1870-1918 Deaths: 1870-1913 Marriages:1870-1913 |
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Australian Capital Territory Marriages: 1930-1942 |
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Watch the following videos and see how easy it is to search the Victorian birth, death and marriage cdrom (Digger) indexes.
The first video shows you how to do a simple search. The second video shows how you can analyse records and identify other areas to investigate.
For the best view choose fullscreen and the highest resolution
You can order a birth, death or marriage certificate from the relevant registry. Wherever possibly provide all details given on the index entry, including the registration number. Fees apply for all certificates.
Unrestricted historic certificates are available in Victoria for births occurring 100 or more years ago, marriages occurring 60 or more years ago and deaths occurring 10 or more years ago. For other states please check with the relevant registry.
Location | How to obtain a certificate |
Victoria |
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New South Wales |
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South Australia |
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Tasmania |
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Queensland |
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Western Australia |
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Northern Territory |
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ACT |
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Divorce was possible in Victoria in the second half of the 19th century when the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act came into effect in 1861. Prior to this very few Victorian residents obtained divorces under English ecclesiastical law.
Records for 1861-1944
The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) holds Divorce files and cause books created between 1861 and 1944.
1860-1940 |
Victoria, Australia, Divorce Records, 1860-1940 Digitised copies of these records can now be accessed through the Ancestry database.
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Available at the Library on the Ancestry Library Edition database |
1860-1944 |
Victoria, Australia, Divorce Records, 1860-1944 Physical copies of these records are held at the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). For information on how to search and request copies from PROV please go to their Divorce files and cause books webpage. |
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1861-1900 |
Divorce Index Victoria |
GMF 105 Box 2 |
1861-1938 |
Divorce Index Victoria - Index to Divorce Cause Books Volume 1, 1861 -1884 Volume 2, 1885 -1897 Volume 3, 1897 -1910 Volume 4, 1911- 1924 Volume 5, 1925 -1932 Volume 6, 1932 -1938 Download the relevant collection and search through it to find a specific case i.e. `Grealy v Grealy' or `Cooksey v Cooksey'. |
Records for 1936 -1975
Researchers seeking access to Victorian divorce records created between 1936 and 1975 can contact the Registry of the Victorian Supreme Court for advice about access:
Supreme Court Registry,
Level 2, 436 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne, VIC., 3000
Tel: 03 9603 9300
Fax: 03 9603 9400
Office hours: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Supreme Court website (includes application forms and and payment advice)
Records created after 1975
In 1976 the administration of divorce was transferred from Victoria to the Commonwealth. Researchers seeking access to Victorian divorce records created after 1975 can contact the Family Court (Victoria) for advice about access:
Family Court of Australia (Victoria)
Phone: (03) 8600 3763 or 1300 352 000
Email: enquiries@familylawcourts.gov.au
For further information on how to access divorce records including a list of Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) records relating to divorce in Victoria please consult the PROV Divorce files and cause books 1861-1944.
Place names - abbreviations
Use the Trove - Historic Australian Newspapers archive to locate birth, marriage and death notices in newspapers. For further information on how to search for notices go to the How to find items in newspapers research guide.
If the newspaper is not available on Trove, search the library catalogue to see if there is an index to that particular newspaper title e.g. Births, deaths and marriages printed in the Hamilton spectator 1859-1920.
Search the Ryerson Index to death notices and obituaries in Australian newspapers. Originally created by the Sydney Dead Persons Society, its strength lies in notices from NSW papers however more Victorian notices are now being indexed.
Search Victoria Funeral Notices,1981-1997. Available in the library on the FindMyPast Australasia database, this index is built from funeral notices from the Melbourne Herald Sun.
LIBRARY UPDATE
The Library is closed from December 25 to January 3. From January 4 2021 we will be partially open to pre-booked and walk-up visitors and our Ask A Librarian service will resume for assistance with your research inquiries online and over the phone.