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Family history

The Library has an incredible array of family history resources to help you find out more about the lives of your ancestors. Most of the sources are Australian; however, information from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland is also available, as is a growing collection of sources for Jewish genealogy.

Genealogy, or the compiling of a family tree, is the starting point for broader family history research. It reveals details of related individuals extending backwards in time.

Family history research may lead to more specialised sources in other areas of the Library's collection, including Australian manuscripts, where you'll find ships' diaries describing the voyage out to Victoria; our maps collection, where you can look for plans of Melbourne's city and suburbs; or our Pictures Collection, where there may be images of the Victorian towns where your family once lived.

For more information on researching your family history, visit the Library's Helen Macpherson Smith Trust Family History Reading Room.

Location at the Library

Find Family History and Genealogy via our onsite map.