Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
For other baptism/ christening or birth register records other than early baptism or birth register records (1803-1853) see Churches, Synagogues and Religious Records.
TASMANIAN ARCHIVE AND HERITAGE FAMILY HISTORY TASMANIAN NAMES INDEX - VICTORIAN BAPTISM RECORDS 1803-1804
The baptism records for the Sullivan Bay settlement at Sorrento in 1803 to 1804 can be viewed online at the Tasmanian Names Index at the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Family History website.
https://www.libraries.tas.gov.au/how-to/Pages/Names-Index-content.aspx
NEW SOUTH WALES REGISTRY OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES - VICTORIAN BAPTISM RECORDS 1788-c1847
Victoria was the Port Phillip District of the Colony of New South Wales until 1851. There was a convict settlement at Rhyll and Corinella from 1826 to 1828. The baptism or birth register records for Victoria until about 1847 may be obtained using the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages website. There is an index on the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages website.
https://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/Pages/family-history-research/family-history-research-nsw.aspx
BIRTHS DEATHS MARRIAGES VICTORIA - BAPTISM/ BIRTH REGISTER RECORDS 1836-1853
The baptism or birth register records from 1836 to 1853 are lodged with Births Deaths Marriages Victoria. Baptism or birth register records for this period may be downloaded from the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website. There is an index on the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website.
https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
FAMILYSEARCH - AUSTRALIA, BIRTHS AND BAPTISMS 1792-1981
An index to records held by the Genealogical Society of Utah is searchable on their FamilySearch website. This has births and baptisms from New South Wales and Victoria. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1770729
ANCESTRY - AUSTRALIA, BIRTH INDEX, 1788-1922
This includes births in New South Wales from 1788 to 1910 and births in Victoria from 1836 to 1910.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=1778
ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, BIRTH INDEX 1837-1917
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=61648
ANCESTRY - AUSTRALIA, BIRTHS AND BAPTISMS, 1792-1981
These are sourced from FamilySearch. They include births and baptisms from New South Wales and Victoria. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=9776
FINDMYPAST - NEW SOUTH WALES BIRTHS 1788-1914
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/new-south-wales-births
FINDMYPAST - VICTORIA BIRTHS 1836-1920
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/victoria-births
FINDMYPAST - AUSTRALIA BIRTHS AND BAPTISMS 1792-1981
These are sourced from FamilySearch.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/australia-births-and-baptisms-1792-1981
BIRTHS DEATHS MARRIAGES VICTORIA - BIRTH CERTIFICATES 1836-Present
Birth registration began in 1853 in Victoria. Birth certificates can be obtained using the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website. Historical birth certificates can be downloaded from the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website; these are for births occurring more than a hundred years ago and where the person in question is deceased. There is an index on the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website; this includes births occurring more than a hundred years ago.
https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
Places of birth may be included on this index for deaths registered from 1936.
FAMILYSEARCH - CERES DISTRICT BIRTH REGISTER 1863-1875
Original records in possession of the Geelong Historical Records Centre, Geelong.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/154506?availability=Family%20History%20Library
ANCESTRY - AUSTRALIA, BIRTH INDEX, 1788-1922
This includes births in New South Wales from 1788 to 1910 and births in Victoria from 1836 to 1910.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=1778
ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, BIRTH INDEX 1837-1917
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=61648
FINDMYPAST - VICTORIA BIRTHS 1836-1920
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/victoria-births
Ship passenger lists may include list of births occurring onboard ship. See Passenger Arrival Records and Passenger Departure Records.
GENERAL REGISTER OFFICE, ENGLAND - MARINE REGISTER 1837-1965
Records of births from 1837 to 1965 on British registered ships bound for Victoria had to be sent directly to the General Register Office and recorded in the Marine Register. Certificates can be obtained from the General Register Office. They are not online.
https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate
FINDMYPAST - BRITISH ARMED FORCES AND OVERSEAS BIRTHS AND BAPTISMS 1761-2005
These records are from the General Register Office and the National Archives in England. It is a collection of birth and baptism records of those born overseas and at sea. The collection holds birth records of children born to those working within the armed forces, merchant navy, and consular forces as well as civilian ship passengers. The records are transcriptions; some have attached images. They are searchable.
BMDREGISTERS - NON-CONFORMIST AND NON-PAROCHIAL BMDS SERVICE
This is a pay-to-view service for some of the records held by the National Archives in England. The record series include RG 32-36 and BT series. The non-parochial records include overseas birth, marriage and death registrations for British citizens and those on board ships. These date from 1627 to 1969. The index may be searched online.
ANCESTRY- UK, REGISTERS OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS AT SEA 1844-1890
These registers are from the National Archives in England. The record series include BT 153, BT 156-160, CO 386 and CUST 67. The original images may be viewed online. The records are searchable and may be browsed.
https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/60998/
BIRTHS DEATHS MARRIAGES VICTORIA - MARINE BIRTH REGISTRATION 1853-Present
Marine birth registration began in 1853 in Victoria. This is for births occurring on board international and coastal ships bound for Victoria. Marine birth certificates can be obtained from the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website. Historical birth certificates can be downloaded from the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website; these are for births occurring more than a hundred years ago and where the person in question is deceased. There is an index on the Births Deaths Marriages Victoria website; this is for marine births from 1853 to 1920.
https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
Birth notices may be found in the family notice sections of newspapers. See Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.
For medical records of women giving birth in hospitals see Hospital Records.
A stillbirth is where a baby is born dead. Stillbirths did not have to be registered in Victoria until 1953. Records relating to stillbirths can be obtained using the Public Record Office Victoria website. These records are closed under Section 9 and as they relate to children, they will not be released for 99 years after the creation of the records. An application under Freedom of Information may be made.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - STILLBIRTH REGISTER 1967-1997 (VPRS 11769)
This is not online. It should be noted that these records are closed under Section 9 and as they relate to children, they will not be released for 99 years after the creation of the records. An application under Freedom of Information can be made.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - NAME INDEX STILLBIRTH REGISTER c1953-1984 (VPRS 11768)
This is not online. It should be noted that these records are closed under Section 9 and as they relate to children, they will not be released for 99 years after the creation of the records. An application under Freedom of Information can be made.
Since 1986 stillbirths have been registered as for any other birth. For these records see Birth Registration Records.
For stillbirth notices found in the family notice section of newspapers see Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.
For burial records of stillborn children see Cemetery and Crematoria Records.
For medical records of women giving birth in hospitals see Hospital Records.
Historically if the parents of a child are not married then the father of the child usually does not appear on the baptism record or birth certificate. Sometimes the reputed father may be included in the case of baptism records. See Churches, Synagogues and Religious Records. The marriage or death certificates of the person in question may be helpful in elucidating the father of the person. See Marriage Registration Records under Marriage Records or Death Registration Records under Death Records.
The mother of the child may have tried to get maintenance for the child from the father. This occurred in the local Court of Petty Sessions. See Court Records. This may have been reported in the newspapers. See Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.
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