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                    Family history

                    black and white historical image of early italian migrants the inglese family
                    Ancestry and findmypast are keys to discovering your family history. Find out how to access them and plan your visit to one of our branches.
                    • ​​​​​​​​ Ancestry Library Edition
                      Search births, deaths and marriages, passenger lists, census records and more from all over the world. Onsite access in the library – contact us if you need help or for more information. 

                    • findmypast Australia
                      Browse historical records with a focus on Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.
                      Onsite access in the library – contact us if you need help or for more information.

                    • findmypast UK
                      Browse historical records with a focus on England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the US and other parts of the world. 
                      Onsite access in the library – contact us if you need help or for more information.

                    • Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages
                      Search historical indexes of births, baptisms, marriages, burials and deaths dating back to as early as 1836.

                    • Sands & McDougall directories
                      The Sands & McDougall directories list surnames, addresses and professions, and are useful when researching people and houses. The directories were published from 1857 until 1974. Free digital access to a full set at North Melbourne Library, East Melbourne Library and Library at The Dock.

                    • Trove digitised newspapers
                      Search through hundreds of Australian titles from 1803 to 2007.

                    Tracing your family history

                    Where to begin tracing your family history

                    Genealogy vs. family history

                    There is a distinct difference between genealogy and family history. If genealogy is the skeleton, family history is the flesh, muscle and defining features.

                    Genealogy is the investigation and recording of family lineage, usually realised in the form of a “family tree”, or comprehensive listing of names and dates.

                    Family history is the unique information about the individuals in the family tree: where they lived, went to school and worked, their achievements, quirks and so on. It may be sourced from family stories and anecdotes, letters, newspapers and memorabilia.

                    • Start with yourself: Note down everything you know about your immediate and extended family: names, dates, places, relationships, professions.
                    • Contact your relatives: Ask them where and when they were born, where they lived, went to school, names of their parents and other relatives. Ask them if they have birth, marriage and death certificates as these provide valuable details. Take notes as you go and don’t be nosy – some people will have things they don’t want to talk about.
                    • Check your facts: Memories can be unreliable – check dates, names, places and other details on official records.
                    • Work backwards from yourself: Check the birth, death and marriage dates of your parents. Get certificates if necessary; these will give details of their parents. Follow the same steps for each generation until you can go back no further.
                    • Build a tree: Plot your findings using a family tree. Ancestry and FamilySearch both offer free online charts.
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