LibGuides: Family History Starter Guide: Suggested reading

South Australian History Sources
This is the best book for finding out where resources for South Australian research are held. It will tell you if an item is held in the State Library of South Australia, South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society or State Records of South Australia.
Migrant ships for South Australia 1836-1866
This book gives an alphabetical list of the migrant ships that arrived in South Australia and gives information about the ship e.g. the type of ship, the owner, the tonnage, the date it left England and the arrival date. The first few chapters describe pre-departure preparations and life on board ship to Australia.
Free passage to paradise?
This book lists the people who applied to come to South Australia between 1836 and 1840 as emigrant labourers. By using their embarkation numbers the author has worked out which ships the emigrants arrived on.
Ancestors in archives
A guide for family historians to South Australia's government archives.
Biographical index of South Australians 1836-1885
This index was published in 1988 by the South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society (Genealogy SA). It is a great way to get started with basic facts about a family, however as compilers did not know the individual families, is it advisable to verify all information.
From Aaron Creek to Zion Hill : the place names of South Australia
This is a comprehensive list of South Australian place names and how they came about.

Books for beginners

Discover your roots : 52 brilliant ideas for exploring your family and local history
ISBN: 1904902677
This easily readable publication provides information on the locations of reliable records, describes how to find and interpret newspapers, outlines strategies for dating photographs and instructs the reader in heraldry. The examples given relate to UK research.
Easy family history: the stress-free guide to starting your research
This pocket size book was published by the National Archives in England. It gives clear descriptions of the essential resources for family history such as birth, death and marriage records, probate records, newspapers, parish registers and the internet.
Smart family history: fast track your family research
This resource is arranged in sections corresponding to stages of human life. It begins with records relating to early childhood, follows with the records generated from youth through adulthood, then finishes with records associated with death.
Starting your family history
This simple to understand book introduces genealogy and the basic resources and knowledge required to successfully conduct family history research. An excellent starting point.
Who do you think you are? : discovering the heroes and villains in your family
ISBN: 0007220898
A comprehensive and easy to use guide to available resources. Examples taken from the television series, 'Who Do You Think You Are?', illustrate how the resources can be used.

You may wish to subscribe to the following magazines:

The Indiaman Magazine
Information about the British in India and South Asia from 1600 to the 20th century.
Who do you think you are?
This is a magazine based around the English television series.

Who do you think you are? : encyclopedia of genealogy : the definitive reference guide to tracing your family history
ISBN: 9780007261994
This book guides researchers through the steps needed to conduct family history and provides information about resources held in repositories. It also includes case studies of resources used to make episodes of the television series, 'Who Do You Think You Are?'

Below is a periodically updated list of selected new Family History resources.

You may also wish to subscribe to our RSS feed for a complete list of family history related resources added to the Library catalogue in the last 30 days. It can be sorted alphabetically or by date acquired by the Library.

The family and local history handbook 13
ISBN: 095523994X
This annually published book contains a number of short articles of interest to family and local historians. One useful section lists updated contact details for many repositories that might assist family history researchers.
Family photographs and how to date them
This resource contains a large number of photographs demonstrating clothing fashions during different periods and outlines how these can help to date family photographs. The book is arranged in decades from 1850 to 1940.
How to trace your Irish ancestors: an essential guide to researching and documenting the family histories of Ireland's people
This book highlights the most important documentary evidence available to family historians, including explaining what information is available locally and online.
Tracing your Jewish ancestors: a guide for family historians
This easily readable publication focuses on finding information relating to Jewish ancestors in the United Kingdom. It also contains contact details for Jewish repositories in other countries and a chapter on online resources.
Researching ancestors in the East India Company armies
ISBN: 0954711610
This book assists family historians with military ancestors who lived and served in the Honourable East India Company armies in India and its associated territories.

Magazines available for use at the State Library.

Australian family tree connections
An independent monthly magazine for Australian and New Zealand family historians.
Descent: the journal of Australian genealogists
Includes reference articles, family histories, photographs, extracts from historical records and enquiries submitted by researchers.
Family Tree Magazine
Britain's oldest and best selling family history publication.
Genealogists' Magazine
British journal of the Society of Genealogists.
Inside History
With a focus on Australia and New Zealand, this magazine features tips for the family historian, personal stories. historical aspects and resource guidance.
The South Australian genealogist
The quarterly journal of the South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society Inc..
Western ancestor
The journal of the Western Australian Genealogical Society.

Please note that most of these family history eResources are only available onsite at the State Library.