Collections on display
Visit us during August and enjoy our collection display in the level 3 reading room.
The display includes essential resources for family history research, with notes about each items' usefulness.
You can also sit back and enjoy a lovely digitial display of images from our collection.
Ask our librarians and library technicians at the level 3 information desk for guidance witrh your family history research.
The German pioneers who arrived in the Susanne Goddefroy in 1864, Brisbane Courier, 31 Jan 1914, pg12
Featured blogs
Peer into pioneer registers
Pioneer registers are useful sources for research about settlers in particular districts.
From Across the Seas: Tracing Australian South Sea Islanders
Uncovering the stories of a minority group, Australian South Sea Islanders.
The different house in the street: a lesson for today?
Learn about the different resources you can use to discover the history of a house through an enquiry received at State Library of Queensland.
Tips for tracing your elusive German emigrant
Tips and resources for tracing your elusive German ancestor.
Write your family’s migration story (part 1)
Some ideas to get you started with writing your family’s migration story
Write your family’s migration story (part 2)
More ideas to help you along with writing your family’s migration story
Having trouble finding immigrant arrivals in the 1860s?
Read about early Queensland immigration records, ship passengers lists, newspapers and more.
Unlocking access to FamilySearch Affiliate records
State Library of Queensland, now a licenced FamilySearch affiliate library
Share your stories with us!
State Library would like to hear your stories of discovery and share them as an inspiration for others during Family History Month 2022.
Cribb and Foote family photograph
Getting started
Our family history pages are a great place to start for family history research.
- Find out the steps involved in tracing your family tree.
- Consult our useful websites for family historians and discover more places to search online.
- Research guides will help to lead you on new and interesting paths.
- Search our free indexes to see if your ancestor appears.
- Become a member to access historical newspaper databases from home.
Family history resources
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family History
Learn more about your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander family history with our step-by-step guide. Find out where records about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are kept and how to access them.
Family history blog posts
Discover interesting websites, learn some new research skill and read some fascinating family history tales.
Databases for family history research
Databases are an excellent way to find information on your ancestors, enabling you to gather material from multiple sources. Our family history databases include historical newspapers, and biographical sources.
Family history webcasts and videos
Family history webcasts cover major family history topics, including birth, death and marriage records, newspapers, immigration and shipping, house histories, World War 1 records, and the roles of the major family history societies and repositories.
Ask us
Need help researching your family history? Library staff can assist wherever you are across the state.
Research the history of your house
Every house has a history. Discover and explore resources for tracing the history of a house and the land it's built on.