Research Guides: Historical statistics: 1788-1996: NSW statistics

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NSW statistics

Getting started

From the earliest years of the first settlement, the colonial government began collecting and publishing statistical information. This began with the first musters of people and continues today with the publications and website of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Use this guide to find historical statistics for New South Wales, the Commonwealth government and other states from 1788 to 1996.

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You will need to be a Library member to use most eresources.
You can sign up online, or in person when you visit the Library.

Search our catalogue:

by author: New South Wales. Statistician's Office to find statistics produced from 1880s to 1900s.
by subject: New South Wales--statistics--periodicals and Statisitics--New South Wales--periodicals to find statistical journals published by the NSW Government printer, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Sydney and more.

NSW Statistics

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers [eresource]
Find statistical reports and returns relating to New South Wales that were tabled in the House of Commons from 1788. You will find committee reports, statistical tables and inquiry reports relating to the Aboriginal and convict populations, colonial trade, agriculture and finance.
Colonial Microfiche Series 1804 - 1901 [catalogue record | microfiche]
Find reproductions of statistical publications from the New South Wales colonial government. The series covers 1804–1901 and includes maps.
See Catalogue of Australian Statistical Publications for the index of this series.
Findmypast.com.au [eresource]
Find statistical tables from the New South Wales colonial government gazettes, almanacs, parliamentary papers, directories and journals.
Click the Search button to load the search page with more options. Click the All record sets. Click the Wheredropdown list and select Australia & New Zealand. Enter Census in the search box to find the NSW 1828, 1841, 1891 and 1901 census.
Ancestry Library Edition
Go to Returns of the Colony, 1822 - 1857.
Search the returns to find statistical information on areas such as the economy, law, religion and education. These returns were official reports or statements published in NSW.
Also available in the Library on microfilm as 'Returns of the Colony' or 'Blue Books'. This publication was continued under the name of ‘Statistical register of New South Wales’ until 1888.
Australian Historical Population Statistics, 1788 to present [external website]
View population trends such as migration, distribution and divorce in Australia from 1788. The data has been gathered into spreadsheets.
Please note this resource was published between 2001-2008, with regular updates..
Historical and Colonial Census Data Archive 1833 - 1901 [external website]
View the colonial census records of New South Wales for 1833 to 1901. You will find the early census records only record the number of inhabitants and their religion whereas later census records document more detail such as education levels and occupations.
Statistical register of New South Wales 1857 - 1888 [catalogue record]
Find statistics on various topics such as population, trade, agriculture, mining, social conditions and construction for the period 1857 to 1888.
Between 1822 and 1857 this publication was called ‘Returns of the Colony’ or 'Blue Books' and was published by the Office of the Colonial Secretary. From 1889 until 1955 the publication was called ‘New South Wales statistical register’.
New South Wales statistical register 1889 - 1995 [catalogue record]
Find statistics on various topics such as population and vital statistics, trade and commerce, finance (private and public), manufactories, industrial wages, education, science and art, primary production (such as agriculture, grazing and dairy farming and mining), social conditions, shipping, transport and communication, local government (area, population and finance) and land settlement for the period 1889 to 1955.
Between 1857 and 1888 this publication was called ‘Statistical register of New South Wales’. After 1955, the publication was split into a number of publications each covering different areas, for example ‘New South Wales statistical register. Mining’.
Monthly Statistical Bulletin 1901 - 1931 [catalogue record]
Find a summary of New South Wales statistics published from 1901 to 1931. Includes statistical information about various areas such as migration, public and private finance, social services and agricultural production.
From 1920 the summary was published quarterly.
Official statistical publications on microfiche, 1901 - 1990 [catalogue record | microfiche]
Use the Historical Publication Index (1907-1993) on the ABS website or the Catalogue of Official Statistical Publications 1901-1984 to find the name of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publication for your topic. This comprehensive collection includes publications about New South Wales from the formation of Australia as a nation.
Use this resource to view publications that are not available on the ABS website.
New South Wales Year Book, 1904 - 2004 [external website]
Download year books in PDF format to find tables, maps, graphs and photographs with extensive historical statistics about education, trade, agriculture, population and other aspects of life in New South Wales. There were some years when a year book wasn’t published.
In 1887 this publication was called the ‘Wealth and Progress of NSW’. It was then known as the 'Official Year Book of New South Wales’ from 1904/1905 and subsequently as the ‘New South Wales Year Book’ in 1981.

Using the Library

Using the Library's collections
The Library has a rich and unique set of collections that you're welcome to explore. Check out this handy guide on how to access them.

Woman interviewing a woman at her front door for a statistical survey (1955)
Call number: Australian Photographic Agency - 00440

Did you know?

In 1891, there were 54 librarians, 12 pugilists and 8 phrenologists living in NSW on census day.

Census of New South Wales, 1891
How many fortune tellers do you think there were in NSW in 1891? Check out this page to find out!

Changing attitudes

The language used in some of the publications reflects the ideas and attitudes of the writer or the society at the time it was written. Some of the language may now be considered inappropriate or offensive.

Accident statistics, 1968
Digital order number: d2_40827

Cause of accidents?

Residents in New South Wales drank 13 million gallons of beer in 1891.

A statistical account of the seven colonies of Australia [PDF 17.45MB]
Browse this analysis of the 1891 census to find out what else was happening at the time