- Spelling of names was not as consistent as it is today, so be sure to check alternatives—e.g. Thompson and Thomson.
- Names may have been incorrectly indexed as the handwriting is sometimes difficult to read or the ink has faded.
- The capital letters L, T, F and S are often confused as lower-case letters n, m, u and w. This means that Taylor may indexed as Laylor or Brum may be indexed as Bruin.
- The use of double ‘s’ (ss) often looks like fs, so Ross will be indexed as Ross but may appear in the record as Rofs.
- Names may have been written in the record phonetically as the clerks wrote the names as they heard them. Think about how it could be spelt as it was heard.
- Some given names are abbreviated as they appear in the original record
- Some records are restricted for several years.
- Some records have not survived.
- A blank cell indicates that there is no information recorded in the original.
Convicts and early settlers
We hold records of early settlers pre and post separation from the colony of New South Wales in 1859, as well as convict records from Moreton Bay, St Helena and Toowoomba.
Finding records about convicts and early settlers
Research guides
- Pre-separation resource guide—specific tips on how to research information about early settlers.
Search the indexes
If you know the name and location of the person you are looking for, you can view our records on convicts and early settlers by searching the indexes below.
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Convicts, prisoners and early settlers
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Book of Trials 1835-1842
This index covers the Accused; the offence/s; witnesses and persons of interest. All First Nations persons are identified in the Notes column as Aboriginal; there are a few unnamed persons identified by gender (man/woman). Compiled from S5646
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Brisbane Gaol Prisoners 1850-1901
Brisbane Gaol Prisoners 1850-1901
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Chronological register of convicts 1824-1839
Crown prisoners at Moreton Bay penal settlement
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Monthly and half yearly returns for Moreton Bay 1829-1837
Records from Moreton Bay penal settlement of baptisms and burials, manifests of cargo and passengers shipped, and returns of prisoners and their employment.
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Photographic Records of Prisoners 1875-1936
Portraits and descriptions of male and female Queensland criminals created by Queensland Prisons Department.
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Prisoners, Toowoomba Gaol, 1864-1906
Names of prisoners tried at Toowoomba and other regional courts in southeast Queensland and names of prisoners admitted to and discharged from HM Gaol (later Prison) Toowoomba
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St Helena prisoners 1863-1936
Names of all prisoners who were held at St Helena Penal Establishment
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Book of Trials 1835-1842
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Search the catalogue
ArchivesSearch provides access to our collection of records, including documents, letters, land orders, maps, plans and images. For help searching, read the ArchivesSearch help guide.
Contact us
Contact us if you need further help.