Births, deaths and marriages

Researching your family history

Births, Deaths and Marriages and State Records SA both hold a large collection of records that may help you research your family history.

Births, Deaths and Marriages

Births, Deaths and Marriages do not provide an online search facility but they do provide certificates which may help you research your family history. Anyone has access to:

  • birth certificates more than 100 years old
  • death certificates more than 30 years old
  • marriage certificates more than 75 years old.

You’ll need to provide basic information about the family history search, such as names and dates of birth. We will then conduct a search and provide a certificate if a record is found. Occasionally we can't find a record to match a family history search, if this happens, a 'no record' certificate is issued.

See information about birth, death and marriage certificates to find out how to apply for a certificate, who can apply for a certificate, and the fee for a certificate.

Some records are also available from Genealogy SA.

More detail has been recorded on certificates over the years. Use the tables below to see if a certificate includes the information you need.

Information included on birth certificates

DetailYear of appearance
Date of birth1842
Place of birth1908
Name1842
Sex1842 to 1907, then since 1980
Mother’s name1842
Mother’s age1908 to 1992
Mother’s date of birth1993
Mother’s residence1908
Mother’s birthplace1908
Mother’s occupation1993
Father’s name1842
Father’s age1908 to 1992
Father’s date of birth1992
Father’s residence1908
Father’s birthplace1908
Father’s occupation1842
Year of parent’s marriage1908 to 1979
Number of previous issue, living and deceased1908
Informant1842
Date and place of parent’s marriage1980
Name and date of birth of previous issue, living and deceased1993

Information included on death certificates

DetailYear of appearance
Date of death1842
Name1842
Sex1842
Age1842
Place of death1908
Profession1842
Usual residence1842
Cause of death1842
Place of death1842
Informant1842
Birthplace1908
Length of residence1908
Age at marriage1908
Number of issue, living and deceased1908
Place of burial1948
Marital status1968
Name of spouse1968
Date of birth1990
Parent’s names1993
Name, date of birth of issue, living and deceased1993

Information included on marriage certificates

DetailYear of appearance
Date and place of marriage1842
Bride and groom's names1842
Bride and groom’s ages1842
Bride and groom's rank (occupation)1842
Signatures and descriptions1842
Name of clergyman1842
Condition (marital status)1868
Trade1857
Residence1857
Father's names1857
Bride and groom's place of birth1908
Bride and groom's country of birth1908
Mother's names1964

State Records

State Records is the official custodian for archival records created by state and local government agencies in South Australia. The records include those relating to schools, hospitals, jails, asylums, immigration and emigration, railways, local government, inquests, deceased estates and employment within government.

The State Records website provides services and advice covering public access to the archive, including Aboriginal access enquiries, and assistance with privacy and freedom of information.

Contact

Email: staterecords@sa.gov.au

Phone: 8343 6800

In person:
Members of the public may access archived records in State Records' research centres, which hold many indexes and search tools to assist with the identification of records. Trained and experienced reference officers are available to help you.

Records of a confidential or sensitive nature may be subject to access restrictions. Please contact State Records for advice on accessing restricted records.

State Records of South Australia
115 Cavan Road 
Gepps Cross

Post:
State Records of South Australia
GPO Box 464 
Adelaide SA 5001


Was this page useful?

Take a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.


Page last updated 8 October 2018

Provided by:
Department of Human Services
URL:
https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research
Last Updated:
08/10/18
Printed on:
15/11/18
Copyright statement:
SA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. © Copyright 2018
{"cc_re__cc_re__cc_by_4_0": ["tps://www.sa.gov.au/disclaimer\">Disclaimer</a></li>\r\n            <li><a href=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/privacy\">Privacy</a></li>\r\n            <li><a href=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/accessibility\">Accessibility</a></li>\r\n            <li><a href=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/site-map\">Sitemap</a></li>\r\n            <li><a href=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/about-us\">About us</a></li>\r\n            <li><a href=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/contact-us\">Contact us</a></li>\r\n        </ul>\r\n        <p>SA.GOV.AU is licensed under a <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence</a>.\r\n    \t\t\t&copy; <a class=\"copyright_footer\" href=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/copyright\">Copyright 2018</a> </p>\r\n    </div>\r\n    <div class=\"right\">\r\n        <img src=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0010/251020/gov-sa-logo.png?v=0.1.1\" alt=\"Government of South Australia\"/ class=\"gosa\">\r\n        <a href=\"https://southaustralia.com/\"><img src=\"https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0012/251013/sa-logo.png\" alt=\"South Australia\"/></a>\r\n    </div"], "copyright__copyright__copyright": ["", "", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018", "t:\nState Records of South Australia\nGPO Box 464\u00a0\nAdelaide SA 5001\n\n\nWas this page useful?\n\nTake a moment to tell us why. If you need a response send an enquiry instead.\n\n\nPage last updated 8 October 2018\n\nProvided by:\nDepartment of Human Services\nURL:\nhttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births,-deaths-and-marriages/family-research\nLast Updated:\n08/10/18\nPrinted on:\n15/11/18\nCopyright statement:\nSA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence. \u00a9 Copyright 2018"]}