Research Guides: Early Australian census records: Victoria

Records of people

Please note: From 1854 to 1901, Victorian detailed household forms (census records which included the names of individuals) were destroyed once demographic data had been extracted. (Source) The records listed below are the only known surviving census records of individuals. As a lot of key muster and census records are now missing or destroyed, try other records to find similar information.

Records relating to Aboriginal Australians and Chinese Australians may be inaccurate.

Land musters, stock returns and lists: Van Diemen's land 1803-1822
Book. Includes some information about the people who settled at Sullivan Bay (Sorrento, Victoria), the first official European settlement in Victoria (1803-1804). Information includes names, occupations, and records of some births, deaths and marriages.
The early development of Melbourne by Michael Cannon (editor)
Book. Includes name indexes for censuses from:
- November 1836 (Port Phillip)
- March (Melbourne) & September (Port Phillip) 1838.
See Part IV: Population of Port Phillip, pages 419-449.
Copies of the original handwritten census records are held in the Library's Manuscripts Collection. The original records from the November 1836 and September 1838 census are held by the Public Record Office Victoria.
Index of Victorian genealogical records compiled by William Alfred Hall
Book. Includes name index to the 1836 Port Phillip census (p. 484-485). Index gives page references to more detailed census information, available on microfilm.
Victorian census records
Microfilm IN 65:
1836 census: includes name, date of arrival in Port Phillip District, information about cultivation of their land, description of residence, number of livestock. Sometimes includes additional remarks relating to livestock and land ownership and management
1838 census: includes name, indication if person was in 'bond' (that is, an assigned servant)

Microfilm IN 72:
Repeats information from 1836 and 1838 as above. Also includes:
9 November 1836: returns of sheep proprietors' stations, including name of owner, location of property, number of sheep.

The returns of occupants of pastoral lands from 1852, including name of occupant, extent of the run in acres and numbers of horses, sheep and cattle utilising the run, are available at the Public Records Office of Victoria.
Scraps of early Port Phillip history by Thomas O'Callaghan
Article from The Victorian Historical Magazine vol 11 no 4, June 1927, page 231. Reproduces the abstract of the census of 1836. The names of 43 heads of households are included, as is information about the number of males/females in each household, their status (free/convict), age (under/over 12) and religion.
Index to 1841 census
Website. Indexes names of heads of households recorded on the 1841 census. The census included people in the Port Phillip District of New South Wales (now known as Victoria).
Once a reference has been found, the microfilm 1841 census householders' returns can be accessed for more information. Alternatively, the householders' returns can be accessed online at the Library (see below).
1841 New South Wales, Australia, census
Online on Ancestry Library Edition database. Indexed, digitised copy of householders' returns from the 1841 census of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales (now known as Victoria). Includes names (heads of households only). This database is available at State Library Victoria, and some local libraries.

Statistics

Please note that statistics relating to Aboriginal people may be inaccurate. Chinese people were also excluded from some censuses (see census reports, reproduced in the Colonial statistics, for more information).

Australian historical population statistics
Website. Contains a wide range of demographic data in Excel spreadsheet form, going back in some cases to 1788. Statistics include population size and growth, population distribution, population age-sex structure, births, deaths, migration, marriages and divorces.
Colonial statistics: Australian statistical publications, 1804-1901
Copies of historic Australian statistical publications, available online and on microfiche:

Online
Some census reports are available online from the Historical census and colonial data archive.
Note: The easiest way to view this data is to download the .xtml files (the fourth option in the list of files) and then open it with your preferred web browser.

Microfiche
The Colonial statistics: Australian statistical publications, 1804-1901 microfiche include copies of many different statistical publications. A list of included publications and a subject index are available online.

The microfiche are available in the Family History & Newspaper Room at LTMF 53 (fiche N2 and V5). Note that the microfiche do not include information about:
- individuals
- the 1838 or 1851 censuses

The N2 set of microfiche includes censuses for the years:

1836: see statistics labelled Port Phillip. Includes statistics relating to age (under/over 12 years), sex, religion, and if free/a convict.
1841: see statistics labeled Bourke (Melbourne & surrounds) and Grant (Geelong and surrounds). Includes similar statistics to 1836 census.
1846: see detailed report on Port Phillip District. Statistics include sex, age, civil condition (free/convict, born in colony, ticket of leave, private assignment etc), social condition (i.e. married/single), education, country where born (by region), occupation, houses.

The V5 set of microfiche includes:

1854: population tables
1857: population tables
1861: population tables
1871: general report and appendices
1881: general report, with summary tables, diagrams, and map
1891: general report
1893/1898-1900: abstract of statistics
1901
The early development of Melbourne by Michael Cannon (editor)
Book. Includes includes basic population statistics for 1836 to 1839. See Part IV: Population of Port Phillip, pages 419-449.
Ergo: population
Webpage. A short introductory article about Victoria's population in the 1800s, from the Library's Ergo website.
Lost & almost forgotten towns of colonial Victoria: a comprehensive analysis of census results for Victoria, 1841-1901 by Angus B Watson
Book. Lists all towns and villages for Victorian censuses between 1841 and 1901. It includes the latitude and longitude for each town. It indicates how many males and females lived in the town, and the number of occupied dwellings (where available).
Origins: immigrant communities in Victoria
Population numbers of immigrant groups in Victoria over time (often including statistics divided by age and gender). Also includes background information on the 1854 and 1901 censuses, and immigration law. Produced by Museum Victoria.
Vanishing burgesses - emerging citizens by Angus B Watson
Book. Gives population statistics for local government bodies (e.g. shires & municipalities) in Victoria, up to the early 1990s
Victoria, census districts and distribution of the population, March 29th 1857
Map showing census and electoral divisions.
Victoria - census - 1851
Online.
Summary tables and reports from this census are available on microfilm in the Votes and proceedings of the Legislative Council during the session: with copies of the various documents ordered by the Council to be printed. See 1851/2 session, page 207 (reel 74).
These publications are also available in print (bound in one volume, but catalogued to two records, Victoria - census - 1851 and Victoria census, 1851. General summary).

There was criticism of the accuracy of the collection methods used in this census, particularly in the Geelong area.
Victorian year-book (1873 onwards)
Victorian year-books provide quick access to state wide data, or data organised by region.
Note that earlier issues may be labelled with one date but only include data from the last census, several years prior.
Also available in hard copy
[Index of Victorian genealogical records compiled by William Alfred Hall]
Book. Includes statistics from the Census of Australia Felix District of Port Phillip, now Victoria, March 1846 (p. 486), including population statistics (by sex, age group, marital status, religion, some divided by region e.g. Gippsland). Statistics are identical to those in Records relating to early Victorian history. More detailed statistics can be found in the original census report - see Colonial statistics above.
[Victorian census records]
These microfilms include:

Microfilm IN 65:
1836 census: includes name, date of arrival in Port Phillip District, information about cultivation of their land, description of residence, number of livestock. Sometimes includes additional remarks relating to livestock and land ownership and management
1838 census: includes name, indication if person was in 'bond', that is, an assigned servant
1852: includes name, size of run (acres), types and number of livestock

Microfilm IN 72: Repeats information from 1836 and 1838 as above. Also includes:
1836: abstract of returns, giving age bracket and religion.
9 November 1836: returns of sheep proprietors' stations, including name of owner, location of property, number of sheep.

Saving the census

A bird's eye view of Melbourne from Sandridge, September 2, 1885; IAN02/09/85/144

Researchers visiting the Library are often dismayed when they discover that prior to 2001, there are no surviving census returns for individuals in the Colony of Victoria. What were the reasons behind the destruction of our census records? And how did our ‘genies’ save the day?

Read more in our blog: How our 'genies' saved the census.

People in the census

This table indicates if information about individuals is available from a particular census. Most Victorian censuses only name the head of the household, rather than everyone living at an address.

Census	Names of people?
1836	Yes
1838	Yes
1841	Yes
1846	No
1851	No
1852	Yes* *Crown land occupiers only
1854	No
1857	No
1861	No
1871	No
1881	No
1891	No
1901	No

*Returns of occupants of pastoral lands from 1852 are available at the Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV).

Please note: From 1854 to 1901 (inclusive), Victorian detailed household forms (census records which included the names of individuals) were destroyed once demographic data had been extracted. This was done for privacy reasons. Other records can include similar information to what would have been recorded on these forms.

Census dates

Censuses, musters or returns took place on:

Year	Month, Day	Description
1836	September	Unclear if 2 or 29 September?
1836	November	Sheep station owners only
1838	March	Melbourne area only
1838	September 12	Census
1838	December
1839	December 31
1841	March 2	Part of New South Wales census
1846	March 2	Part of New South Wales census
1851	March 2	Census
1852		Crown land occupiers only
1854	April 26	Census
1857	March 29	Census
1861	April 7	Census
1871	April 2	Census
1881	April 3	Census
1891	April 5	Census
1901	March 31	Census

Early census records online

The Public Records Office Victoria (PROV) have made the returns from the 1836 census and the 1838 census available online. Note however, that they have not been indexed, so you will need to browse through them.

The 1841 census returns are held by the State Records of NSW. You can browse or search the index to the 1841 census on the Museums of History NSW website.