Births, deaths and marriages

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors are kindly advised that this website includes images, sounds and names of people who have passed.

All users should be aware that some topics or historical content may be culturally sensitive, offensive or distressing, and that some images may contain nudity or are of people not yet identified. Certain words, terms or descriptions may reflect the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written, but are now considered inappropriate in today's context.

Key to library resources

Access anywhere with a library card In the Library (or anywhere with a Library card for NSW residents)
Available to access in the library Only in the Library
Publicly available online Publicly available

Deaths and burials

Researching deaths and burials

Begin researching your ancestor's death and burial by finding their death certificate, then using other resources such as church registers, newspapers and other genealogical resources to fill in the gaps.

Make sure you view (or buy a copy) the original records as they usually have more details than in the index.

Use this information to work back through the generations.

About the resources

Your ancestor's record might not include all the details that we've listed. The information documented can vary from record to record, especially earlier records as they tend not to contain as much information as later records.

Find your ancestor's death certificate

Deaths from the past 30 years

You can apply for a copy of a death certificate for the past 30 years from the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. You will need to be eligible to apply. Refer to the website to see if you meet the criteria.

You can buy certificates for deaths that occurred over 30 years ago through the Registry's website.

Family history transcription agent

You can pay family history transcription agents for full and partial transcriptions or verification of details. Unlike a certificate, the transcription cannot be used for legal purposes.

Family history at the library