Penal transportation records: Ireland to Australia, 1788–1868
The National Archives holds a wide range of records related to the transportation of convicts from Ireland to Australia between 1788 and 1868. They sometimes include information about convicts’ family members who were transported as free settlers. These records are available in the Australian penal transportation records database.
The collection of convict petitions dates back to 1791. However, transportation registers compiled before 1836 were destroyed in 1922. Therefore, if you are researching someone convicted before 1836 who was not the subject of a petition, they will not appear in the database due to incomplete records.
Convict petitions and transportation registers
- The collection of convict petitions dates back to 1791
- Transportation registers compiled before 1836 were destroyed in 1922
Types of records
- Transportation Registers (1836–1857)
- Prisoners’ Petitions and Cases (1788–1836)
- State Prisoners’ Petitions (1798–1799)
- Convict Reference Files (1836–1856, 1865–1868)
- Free Settlers’ Papers (1828–1852)
- Male Convict Register (1842–1847)
- Register of Convicts on Convict Ships (1851–1853)
Searching the database
The database index can be searched by surname, place of trial, crime, or date. If researching someone convicted before 1836 who was not the subject of a petition, they will not appear in the database due to incomplete records.
Understanding the transportation system
Transportation as a punishment developed in the 16th and 17th centuries to remove destabilising groups from society. By the 18th century, transportation to North America became a popular alternative to the death penalty for certain crimes. After the American War of Independence, New South Wales became the primary destination for transported convicts.
Other destinations for Irish convicts
The National Archives mainly documents transportation to Australia, Tasmania, and the West Indies. Some records, like the State Prisoners’ Petitions, include information on those transported to North America or who joined foreign armies in Europe after the 1798 Rebellion.
Timeline of transportation from Ireland to Australia
The transportation of convicts from Ireland to Australia began when the first shipload of convicts left Ireland for New South Wales in April 1791. Transportation ceased in 1853 due to opposition from colonists, except for those involved in the Fenian Rising of 1867.
Researching convict ancestors
Registers of local prisons, convict depots, and convict prisons contain varying levels of detail about convicts. Research must be conducted personally or by a professional researcher. The transportation register often records the ship’s name.
Children as young as 12 were sometimes transported. Children of female convicts often accompanied their mothers as free settlers.
