Basics on Australian musters and censuses
Overview
From the first European settlement of Australia, there have been more or less regular musters and censuses of the population. The purpose of such exercises has varied over time. In the early days the purpose was grounded in:-
- keeping track of a largely convict population,
- helping the management of a system of assigned convict labour, with a view to ensuring the feeding of the colony's population, and
- replicating in some degree the administrative and civilising processes of Great Britain.
Since Federation in 1901 the responsibility for censuses has rested with the Commonwealth, as indicated below. Throughout the 20th century, all such censuses were destroyed after data extraction and no Australian census information of interest to family historians will therefore become available from them in the manner it does in the UK, USA etc.
Thankfully, the situation is different for the early part of the colonial period. It should be noted that the infant colony of New South Wales initially stretched to the whole of Eastern Australia and New Zealand. Separate colonies and administrations were established as follows -
- Hobart Town, River Derwent became Van Diemen's Land (later Tasmania) in 1825;
- New Zealand separated in 1840
- Port Phillip became Victoria in 1851
- Moreton Bay became Queensland in 1859
However, for the purpose of listing the colonial census and muster information available, we have treated each district/colony as separate from the start.
New South Wales
Because of the need to keep track of the convicts, who were usually assigned to work gangs or as servants to farmers and other settlers, from 1795 the convict population was regularly "mustered" annually, physically counted and various other details updated. The accuracy of these various musters was acknowledged as variable, at the time. The soldiers, officials, free settlers and their families were generally recorded at the same time, but no military are generally recorded in the surviving records.
Since 1841, no census survives. A number from the last century were lost in a major fire, and none from the 20th century was retained, apparently for reasons of protection of privacy, and a fear that failure to do so would put the accuracy of the census in doubt.
Apart from what is below, from 1810 to 1821 there are nominal lists of people who remained convicts and resident in the colony when Governor Macquarie took charge on 1 January 1810, updated for those who arrived up to September 1820, and for deaths, leaving the colony, etc. These alphabetic lists were apparently working lists updated from the annual musters and other records, few of which have survived in this period. They are therefore sometimes useful, but are not prepared as at a particular time, as for other items below.
The National Archives (TNA, UK) references are quoted where possible. Also references at State Records NSW (SR), the Mitchell Library, Sydney (ML), and the name of any recent publication that has reproduced the muster or census. A number of these remain in print and are available from our bookshop.
Sydney and Norfolk Island Victualling List - 1788
A list survives of persons victualled from HM's Stores between 26 February 1788 (establishment of the colony) and 17 November 1788, including births, deaths and discharges. TNA ref: T1/688.
New South Wales and Norfolk Island - 1791-1794
In November 1791 a return was sent to England giving the numbers of militia, civil establishment, settlers, convicts and other people either fully or partly on rations from the Government's stores. No personal detail. Similar returns were made from 1792-1794.
Norfolk Island Victualling Lists 1792-1796, 1803-1812
Similar records to those for 1802 below are extant. ML ref: A1958; SR ref: 4/1168A, 4/1168B, 4/1169
Settlers' Muster Book - 1800
The title of this is somewhat misleading, as it is in fact nine lists prepared by/for Governor King covering the period 1800-1802. A General Muster was performed in July/August 1800 and repeated in 1801 and 1802. These musters have not survived, but information extracted from them gives us seven of the nine lists referred to above. The other two lists are a preparatory muster of all the convicts assigned (as servants) to the officers. ML ref: A4413 (transcript - original held by NSW Parliamentary Library)
Published in Musters and Lists, New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1800-1802, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1988, ISBN 0 949032 06 9.
King's Lists 1801
Ten lists were recorded between September 1800, when King became Governor of NSW, and December 1801. A General Muster was held in July 1801. The first five of King's Lists record land, crops and stock, apparently copied or extracted from this muster. Two lists record convicts with Absolute or Conditional Pardons. Three others list births, deaths and colonial trials between September 1800 and December 1801, while the tenth is an 1802 victualling list for Norfolk Island. TNA ref: CO201/21
Published in Musters and Lists, New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1800-1802, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1988, ISBN 0 949032 06 9.
Norfolk Island Victualling Book 1802
Records of food and clothing rations issued on Norfolk Island during 1802. Details shown - Name, Category (convict, settler etc), Occupation or Rank, Date On/Off Victualling. All children included. TNA ref: CO201/29.
Published in Musters and Lists, New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1800-1802, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1988, ISBN 0 949032 06 9.
Norfolk Island Muster - February 1805
Probably derived in much the same way as the NSW 1806 Muster, but could have been derived from Victualling Books. Covers all inhabitants. Detail shown - Name, Occupation and Category (soldier, settler, free, convict, etc), and whether On/Off Stores (i.e. victualled by Government or not). SR ref: 4/1167A.
Published in Musters of New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1805-1806, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1989, ISBN 0 949032 09 3.
Also in The Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemen's Land, Reg Wright, Library of Australian History, Sydney, 1986, ISBN 0 908120 62 1
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - August 1806
Prisoners and free people, mustered by district and whether or not holding land.
Detail shown - Name, Ship arrived on, Condition (Free, Prisoner etc), How employed (or with whom, for females), and Remarks (not many of these, plus much detail of land and crops under cultivation, bushels of grain of various sorts on hand, animals, free men employed, whether or not victualled by Government, and remarks (generally whether renting, granted or purchased land). TNA ref: HO10/37.
Published in Musters of New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1805-1806, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1989, ISBN 0 949032 09 3.
Marsden's Female Muster - 1806
Similar to that recorded in the extant female section of the 1806 General Muster, but with some discrepancies, and details of children added. The latter were probably from the original muster records but not transcribed to the alphabetised copy that survives. ML ref: MSS 18.
Published in Musters of New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1805-1806, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1989, ISBN 0 949032 09 3.
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - March 1810
This has not survived, except for Norfolk Island. SR ref: 4/1169
General Muster of Convicts and ex-Convicts in NSW - 1811; Return of ex-Convict Settlers at Hobart Town, River Derwent, VDL - 1811; General Musters at Port Dalrymple, VDL, and Norfolk Island - 1811
The surviving volumes give no details of the subject's life or family in 1811, apart from whether mustered in NSW, Hobart Town, Norfolk Island or Port Dalrymple. The remaining data is all arrival or pre-arrival data - Name, Sex, Ship of Arrival, Trial Date and Place, Sentence, and Arrival Status (convict etc). The original musters, however, appear to have collected information on residence, present status, age group of children and ration status, as well as details of land and livestock, as collations of these statistics survive.
TNA ref: HO10/5 and 10/42; SR ref: 4/1224 and 4/1233.
Published as General Musters of NSW, Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land, 1811, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1987, ISBN 0 949032 05 0.
Population Book and Stock Book - Norfolk Island - 6 August 1812
Annual return of all inhabitants, land, stock etc. SR ref: 4/1170
General Muster of Inhabitants of NSW - 1814
Details shown - Name, Where Mustered, Ship of Arrival, Current Status (convict etc), On/Off Stores (self and children), Remarks (one or more of occupation, employer, spouse, marital status or nationality etc). Children under 15 were not listed in their own right. The original muster also collected details of land and livestock, but these have not survived, except in collated form. SR ref: 4/1225.
Published as General Muster of New South Wales, 1814, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1987, ISBN 0 949032 03 4.
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - September to November 1818
The Governor personally supervised this. Only the Land & Stock section survives. Detail shown - Name, Acreage for various crops etc, Cleared Acreage, Total Acreage, Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, hogs), Bushels of Grain on Hand. SR ref: 4/1226
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - September to November 1819
Detail shown - Name, Ship of Arrival, Name of Ship's Master, Sentence, Free/Convict, On/Off Stores (self and children), Remarks (employment etc), plus land/stock details as for 1818. SR ref: 4/1227, 4/1228
General Muster - September 1820
In the hope of improving accuracy, the magistrates were asked to supervise and receive the returns for their respective districts. The hope was in vain and the muster found to be so inaccurate that it could not be forwarded to England. The magistrates were asked to hold fresh musters and revise their returns. The muster has not survived other than in abstracted form, but a number of the magistrates' population books and land/stock books have. Detail shown in the books - Name, Year of Birth, Class (free, convict etc), Ship & Year of Arrival, Name of Ship's Master, Sentence, Children, Remarks (occupation, employer, spouse etc). SR ref: 4/1221.1, 4/1221.2, 4/1232.1, 4/1249.1
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - September to October 1821
The Governor took charge of the muster again. The general muster has not survived, but a rough draft copy of land/stock section has, showing details as for 1818, with addition of whether land held by grant/lease/purchase, and whether the proprietor or tenant is resident on the land. SR ref: 4/1230, 4/1231
General Muster, plus Land and Stock Muster, September 1822
Details shown - Name, Age (children only), Arrival Status (convict, etc), Current Status, Ship of Arrival, Sentence, Colonial Sentence (i.e. if subject to further sentence in NSW), Occupation, Employer etc, Where. Plus, if a landholder, Where, How Land Held (lease etc), Resident or not (on his land), Acreage for various crops etc, Cleared Acres, Total Acres, Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, hogs), Bushels of Grain on Hand.
In addition, a number of magistrates' population books have survived, giving detail similar to set out in respect of 1820. Some land/stock books have also survived, giving Name of Original Land Grantee/Purchaser, Whether held by Grant/Lease/Purchase, Whether Proprietor/Tenant Resident on Land, Acres of various Crops etc, Bushels of Grain on Hand, Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, hogs), Brand used on Livestock.
District Constables were asked to check the accuracy of the magistrates' work, and some of their notebooks have also survived.
TNA ref: HO10/36; SR refs: Muster - 4/1231, 4/1232.3; Books - 4/1221.3-1221.6; Notebooks - 4/1220.1, 4/1218, 4/1219.
Published as General Muster and Land and Stock Muster of New South Wales, 1822, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1988, ISBN 0 949032 08 5.
General Muster, plus Land and Stock Muster - 1823
Mustering was organised by initial letter of name. It has not survived, but some of the magistrate's books and constables' notebooks have, providing detail as for 1820/2. SR ref: Books - 4/1221.7, 4/1223.3, 4/1223.4 Notebooks - 4/1218, 4/1220.2
General Muster, plus Land and Stock Muster - 1824
Mustering was organised by initial letter of name. It has not survived, but some of the magistrate's books have, providing detail as for 1820/2. SR ref: 4/1222.1, 4/1222.2, 4/1222.5, 4/1222.6, 4.1222.7, 4/1223
General Muster, plus Land and Stock Muster - 1825
The general muster survives, and list all inhabitants (excluding the military) for the years 1823-1825. Some magistrates' population books have also survived, providing detail as for 1820/2. Detail shown - Name, Age, Class (convict, etc), Ship/Year of Arrival, Sentence, Employment (landholder, occupation etc and place). Some magistrates' population books have also survived, providing detail as for 1820/2. TNA ref: HO10/19-20; SR ref: 4/1222.8 - 4/1222.10, 4/1249.2
Published as General Muster and Land and Stock Muster of New South Wales, 1822, Society of Australian Genealogists, Sydney, December 1999.
Census of New South Wales & Norfolk Island - 1828
Forms were issued on 18 September 1828 to each Magistrate Bench. District Constables, accompanied by a clerk, then visited each house and farm to complete the forms. First completed forms were submitted 8 November 1828, with some straggling in during the early months of 1829.
Some household and institutional returns survive. Alphabetic compilations from the returns have however survived. Details shown - Name, Age, Free/Bond, Ship of Arrival, Year of Arrival, Sentence, Religion, Occupation, Employer or Remarks, Residence, Acres Cleared/Cultivated/Total, Cattle, Sheep, Other Livestock. TNA ref: HO10/21-28; SR ref: 4/1238.1, 1238.2, 1239.1, 1239.2, 1240 and 1241
Published as Census of New South Wales, November 1828, Library of Australian History, Sydney, 1980, ISBN 0 908120 31 1. Also available on CD-ROM.
General Muster of Convicts in New South Wales and Norfolk Island - 1837
The original title indicates a date of 31 December 1837. However, unlike earlier musters, it is not the product of mustering people at various places over a month or so. It is a wholly clerical reconstruction, based on the 1836 census (which does not survive), updated for new arrivals through 1837. Ages appear to be those of 1836. Some other updating has taken place, however, most thoroughly for initial letters A-G, and particularly to update the names of assigned masters through 1837, with some updating for 1838 or even 1839. Entries with initial letters K, X and Z have not survived. The volumes were forwarded to London in December 1839.
Details shown - Name, Age, Ship of Arrival, Year Arrived, Where Tried, Master's Name (to whom convict assigned), District, Remarks (generally current convict status - ticket of leave, etc). TNA ref: HO10/32-35.
Published as General Return of Convicts in New South Wales, 1837, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1987, ISBN 0 949032 04 2.
Census of New South Wales - 1841
A household census was taken on 2 March 1841, from which a small proportion of household returns survive. Apart from the names of both the head of the household and the proprietor, only statistical (i.e. aggregated) information about the household. Nonetheless, if you know the likely family structure, it is possible to relate some information to known individuals. Details shown - Householder Name, Place, Proprietor Name, Dwelling Construction, Number of Persons (total and free), together with statistical breakdown by Age, Civil Condition (convict, free etc), Religion and Occupation, all subdivided by Sex and Marital Status. SR ref: X946 - X951, 4/1243, 4/1244.
An online name index to this material is available.
Muster of Norfolk Island - August 1844
Return of convicts only. Original in Tasmanian Archives.
Censuses of New South Wales - 1846 onwards
Censuses were held on 2 March 1846, 1 March 1851, 1 March 1856, 7 April 1861, 2 April 1871 and 3 April 1881 but have not survived, except in abstracted form. A census was taken on 5 April 1891, and the collectors' books survive, but they provide the name of the head of household and no other detail at individual level.
Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania)
River Derwent, VDL - Victualling List 17 October 1803 - 31 December 1804
This list covers the period of transfer from Port Phillip (now Melbourne) to River Derwent (now Hobart). Detail shown - Name and Quality (convict etc) TNA ref: CO201/43.
Published in Land Musters, Stock Returns and Lists: Van Diemen's Land 1803-1822, Irene Schaffer (ed), St David's Park Publishing, Hobart, 1991, ISBN 0 7246 2177 6 (SAG ref: D7/30/1803).
Land & Stock Muster - Hobart Town, VDL - 17 October 1806
Detail shown - Name, Acreage (various crops) and Livestock (horses, cattle, oxen, sheep, goats, hogs). ML ref: BT2.
Published in Land Musters, Stock Returns and Lists: Van Diemen's Land 1803-1822, Irene Schaffer (ed), St David's Park Publishing, Hobart, 1991, ISBN 0 7246 2177 6 (SAG ref: D7/30/1803).
Land & Stock Muster - Port Dalrymple, VDL - 24 April 1807
Detail shown - Name, Acreage (various crops), Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats) ML ref: BT2.
Published in Land Musters, Stock Returns and Lists: Van Diemen's Land 1803-1822, Irene Schaffer (ed), St David's Park Publishing, Hobart, 1991, ISBN 0 7246 2177 6 (SAG ref: D7/30/1803).
Land & Stock Muster - Hobart Town, VDL - 14 July 1807
Detail shown - as for 1806, & On/Off Stores (self, wife, children, servants). TNA ref: CO201/44.
Published in Land Musters, Stock Returns and Lists: Van Diemen's Land 1803-1822, Irene Schaffer (ed), St David's Park Publishing, Hobart, 1991, ISBN 0 7246 2177 6 (SAG ref: D7/30/1803).
General Muster - River Derwent, VDL - 10 May 1809
Detail shown - Name, Quality (convict, etc), Acreage (various crops), On/Off Stores (self, wife, children), Situation (place, etc). TNA ref: CO201/52.
Published in Land Musters, Stock Returns and Lists: Van Diemen's Land 1803-1822, Irene Schaffer (ed), St David's Park Publishing, Hobart, 1991, ISBN 0 7246 2177 6 (SAG ref: D7/30/1803).
General Muster of Convicts and ex-Convicts in NSW - 1811;
Return of ex-Convict Settlers at Hobart Town, River Derwent, VDL - 1811;
General Musters at Port Dalrymple, VDL, and Norfolk Island - 1811
The surviving volumes give no details of the subject's life or family in 1811, apart from whether mustered in NSW, Hobart Town, Norfolk Island or Port Dalrymple. The remaining data is all arrival or pre-arrival data - Name, Sex, Ship of Arrival, Trial Date and Place, Sentence, and Arrival Status (convict etc). The original musters, however, appear to have collected information on residence, present status, age group of children and ration status, as well as details of land and livestock, as collations of these statistics survive. TNA ref: HO10/5 and 10/42; SR ref: 4/1224 and 4/1233.
Published as General Musters of NSW, Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land, 1811, Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, Sydney, 1987, ISBN 0 949032 05 0 (SAG ref: B7/30/1811).
Muster of Free Persons - Hobart Town, VDL - September to October 1818
Detail shown - Name, Ship of Arrival, Name of Ship's Master, Where & When Convicted, Sentence, On/Off Stores (self, children). SR ref: 4/1235.2.
Published in The Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemen's Land, Reg Wright, Library of Australian History, Sydney, 1986, ISBN 0 908120 62 1 (SAG ref: A3/1/11).
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - Hobart Town etc, VDL - October 1819
Muster of Free Persons, Land & Stock Muster - Port Dalrymple - October 1819
Detail shown - Name, Ship of Arrival, Description (convict, etc), Where/When Tried, Sentence, Grant/Lease, By Whom Granted/Leased/Located, Acreage (various crops plus total), Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep), Grain On Hand, On/Off Stores (self, wife, children, government servants), Free Men Employed, Number in Family, Remarks. SR ref: 4/1235.2, 4/1235.3, 4/1235.4, 4/1235.6, X740.
Published in Land Musters, Stock Returns and Lists: Van Diemen's Land 1803-1822, Irene Schaffer (ed), St David's Park Publishing, Hobart, 1991, ISBN 0 7246 2177 6 (SAG ref: D7/30/1803).
Muster of Convicts - Hobart Town, VDL - October 1820
Detail shown - Name, Ship of Arrival, Master of Ship, When and Where Tried, Sentence, On/Off Stores, Employment. SR ref: 4/1235.7
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - Port Dalrymple, VDL - November, 1820
General Muster (including children, excluding military) details shown - Name, Ship of Arrival, Master of Ship, When and Where Tried, Sentence, On/Off Stores, Remarks, Details of any Ticket of Leave, Pardon. Land & Stock details, as for Hobart, 1819. SR ref: 4/1235.8, 4/1235.9
Convict Muster - Hobart Town, VDL - October to November 1821 General Muster - Port Dalrymple, VDL - October 1821
Detail shown - Name, Ship of Arrival, Master of Ship, When and Where Tried, Sentence, On/Off Stores, Employment. SR ref: 4/1235.10
General Muster, Land & Stock Muster - Port Dalrymple, VDL - November, 1820. Muster of Free Persons - Hobart Town, VDL - 1822
Detail shown - Name, Ship of Arrival or Colony Whence Came, Arrival Year, Sentence, Where/When Tried, Children. TNA ref: HO10/18
Land & Stock Muster - Port Dalrymple, VDL - October to November, 1822
Detail shown - as for Hobart, 1819. SR ref: 4/1235.12
Convict Muster - Van Diemen's Land - October to November 1823
Detail shown - not known. TNA ref: HO10/45
Household Censuses of Van Diemen's Land - 1837-1857
Some census returns have survived for the years 1837, 1838, 1842, 1843, 1848, 1851 and 1857 and there is online name index available. Like the 1841 NSW Census described above information provided is aggregated, with only the names recorded being those of the householder and proprietor. Other information recorded varied from year to year and the records for many years are incomplete.
Censuses
Australia federated in 1901. Commonwealth censuses were conducted in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933, 1947, 1954, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996. Each was destroyed after statistical extractions had been made. However, the census taken in 2001 for the first time provided for census returns to be retained, if those completing the returns requested it. More than 50% of the population took this option and the same option was again provided at the 2006 census. The retained returns will not be available to public inspection for 100 years.