Are you looking to explore your family history? The best place to start is with yourself — record your date of birth and then other important dates and places. From there, you can work backwards to your parents, grandparents and preceding generations. Record what you find, check facts that have been shared with you and search for documents relating to your family. Most importantly though, have fun!
Videos about finding your history
Find Your Family History - Part 1
Find Your Family History - Part 2
Family History Interactive
Links for finding your history
(Login to the library catalogue: https://canadabay.spydus.com/ to access the link)
Instant access to a wide range of unique resources for genealogical and historical research. With more than 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases, Ancestry Library Edition includes Sands Directory; electoral rolls; military records; court, land and probate records; vital and church records; directories; passenger lists and more! Now available from home until the end of December 2021. Check our video to see how to access.
National Archives of Australia
The National Archives of Australia holds the memory of our nation and keeps vital Australian Government records safe. The records connect you with the stories and people that define our past, shape our future and help safeguard our democracy.
Search for digital copies of newspapers, Government Gazettes, maps, magazines and newsletters. There are also books, pictures, photographs, archived websites, music and interviews - even information about famous Australians, including copies of letters, diaries and personal archives.
NSW State Archives and Records is one of Australia’s pre-eminent archives and records authorities with a vast collection of historical records and archives dating back to the European settlement of Australia in 1788. They have a particularly useful guide to their collections for family historians here.
NSW Births Deaths and Marriages
Start your ancestry research with free access to the index of births, marriages and deaths in NSW that date back to 1788. Records for births are available if over 100 years old, marriages after 50 years and deaths after 30 years.
The Ryerson Index is a free index to death notices appearing in Australian newspapers. They date from 1803 up to notices published within the last week. The Index also includes many funeral notices, and some probate notices and obituaries.
A family history and genealogy resource, which includes millions of records covering Australasia, Ireland and United Kingdom. NOTE: We have arranged with Find My Past to provide remote access until further notice.
You can access Find My Past from home with the following log in details:
Username: CanadaBay@findmypast.com
Password: FMP2020
