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South Australian Passenger Lists

Shipping arrivals and immigration

Passenger lists for more than 1,150 ship arrivals in South Australia including those prior to colonisation. At present this searchable database contains shipping and emigrants from Germany up to 1850, the UK up to October 1849, and other ports up to 1847. In addition, there are a couple of passenger lists for later voyages from the UK and Germany in 1912 and 13.

Immigrants on voyages with no surviving official passenger lists, those accommodated in steerage, and cabin passengers are usually included. Known crew disembarkations are also included. Other persons known to have been present in SA, having arrived overland or by unknown ship, have been added. The sources of the information on each family are given.

If the ship or passenger list you require is not in this database you may wish to search the SA shipping and immigration directory for another source or check the full list of ship names in this database.

Search South Australian 1803-50 for

surname (required) given name (optional)

Using the shipping passenger list database

From the drop-down list, select the type of search you require. Passenger arrivals allows you to search all of the passenger lists for a particular person or family. Passenger lists allows you to search for the full passenger list of a particular ship's voyage. Shipping arrivals gives the arrival date, port & date of departure, captain, tonnage, rig and date built for a particular ship, voyage, or all the ship arrivals for a particular day (yyyy-mm-dd), month (yyyy-mm), year (yyyy) or decade (yyy).

Shipping and passenger list sources

[1]  E A D Opie, South Australian Records prior to 1841, Adelaide, 1917
[2]  Register of Emigrant Labourers Applying for a Free Passage to South Australia 1836-1841, PRO CO 386/149-151
[3]  R Parsons, Migrant Ships for South Australia 1836-1866, Gould Books, SA, 1999
[4]  South Australian Births Registrations 1842 to 1906, SA Genealogy & Heraldry Soc, 1997
[5]  Cemetery and other memorial inscriptions, [5b] burial registers, including our South Australian Cemeteries database.
[6]  Newspaper passenger lists, obituaries, death notices, etc
[7]  Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885, SA Genealogy & Heraldry Soc, 1986
[8]  South Australians 1836-1885, SAGHS, 1990
[9]  R T Sexton, Shipping Arrivals and Departures South Australia 1627-1850, Gould Books, SA, 1990
[10] South Australian Deaths Registrations 1842 to 1915, SAGHS, 2000
[11] H J Finnis, Before the 'Buffalo', Pioneers Association of SA, 1964
[12] Family and local histories, [12i] internet, [12b] family bible, [12d] diary & family papers, [12o] family oral
[13] Miscellaneous Passenger Lists, South Australian Archives, GRG 56/68/52 (formerly A1174)
[14] SA Literary Association minutes (correspondence), SA Archives, A31
[15] Schedule of Labourers Wage Advances, SA Archives, GRG 48 (formerly A680)
[16] Early German Origins, SA Archives, RN 11
[17] A Lodewyckx, Die Deutschen in Australien, Stuttgart, 1932
[18] Celebration of the Jubilee Year of South Australia (1886) & other composite photographs, Old Colonists Association, 1887
[19] Miscellaneous Passenger Lists, SA Archives, GRG 35/202/2 (formerly A608)
[20] South Australian Marriages Registrations 1842 to 1916, SAGHS, 2001
[21] Manifests of Vessels Arriving from Overseas 1838-42, SA Archives, GRG 41/8 (formerly A743)
[22] Adelaide Hospital Admission Register, SA Archives, GRG 78/49
[23] 1841 South Australia Census Returns, SA Archives, GRG 24/13
[24] South Australian Government Gazette (weekly publication)
[25] Australian Dictionary of Biography, Melbourne
[26] Barry Leadbeater, South Australia Marriages 1836 to 1852, Adelaide, 2005
[27] Royal South Australian Almanack for 1839, Adelaide
[28] Royal South Australian Almanack for 1840, Adelaide
[29] Return of sick and destitute emigrants receiving relief 1840, SA Archives, GRG 24/1
[30] Official passenger lists mainly of immigrants arriving in South Australia under UK assisted passage 1845-86, SA Archives, GRG 35/48A (formerly A313)
[31] Official lists of passengers arriving in South Australia from overseas 1888-1940, SA Archives, GRG 41/34 (formerly A764)
[32] L J Ewens, The Little Ships of the Pioneer Years 1836-1845, Pioneers Association of SA, 1952
[33] Register of cases of destitution, SA Archives, GRG 28/4
[34] Wilhelm Iwan, Because of their beliefs, David Schubert (Ed), Adelaide, 1995
[35] David Schubert, Kavel's People, Lutheran Publishing, Adelaide, 1985
[36] Maureen M Leadbeater, Nauralizations in South Australia 1839 to 1891, Adelaide, 2008
[37] Dictionary of Australian Artists Online, Australia, 2007
[38] Index to Departures 1817-67, Archives Office of Tasmania

Notes

1. The sources of passenger lists for this early period are extremely inconsistent - the variations which could not be resolved are included (separated by slashes), those in brackets considered less likely. A name in brackets with a question mark is a suggested possibility only, which needs further investigation by the user prior to acceptance or rejection. Please advise us of any errors or omissions, quoting the sources of your information.
2. Only a few of the original passenger lists survive, so it has been necessary to use other sources. Even these original lists are only as accurate as the literacy of the recorder and passengers supplying their details allowed. The ships' manifests are even less accurate because they are transcriptions of the original lists onto the cargo manifests. Similarly, the newspaper listings are transcriptions, firstly by the reporter, finally by the compositor. The applications for a free passage (primary sources) suffer from the same problems as the original passenger lists. Then there is the difficulty of reading the old handwriting, which sometimes introduces further errors. Sources [1], [6] and [7] are quite unreliable, but have not been excluded because at times they are the only sources of the information. In addition, [7] and [8] often provide given names and maiden names not found elsewhere. For more information, see the article on the accuracy of family history sources.
3. Where feasible, all accompanying offspring including adults are given in each family, unless married. These are listed separately with their own families.

Acknowledgments

Grateful thanks to those who entered and checked the early local shipping data. Thank you to the generous volunteer who has provided numerous additions and amendments over the years from various sources, especially arrival information from obituaries & biographies, and Tasmanian departures for SA. And thanks to all other contributors of new and revised data.

Ships arriving with passengers at Port Adelaide or elsewhere in SA

Click on any highlighted ship below to display its passenger list. Note that many of these ships returned to South Australia multiple times with passengers. Also note that in several cases there was more than one ship with the same name.
  1. Abberton; Abeona; Abercrombie; Aboukir; Adelaide; Africaine 1836, 1837, 1838; Agenoria; Agnes & Elizabeth; Alcmena; Alexandrina; Alfred; Alice Brooks; Alma; Alpha; Amelia; Angelina; Anna; Anna Maria; Anna Robertson; Antares; Antilla; Apolline; Appleton; Arab; Ariadne; Ariel; Asia; Athenian; Auguste & Meline; Augustus; Australia;
  2. Baboo; Bandicoot; Bardaster; HMS Beagle; Benares; Bencoolen; Bengalee 1838; Benjamin Elkin; Berenice; Bintang (Bing Tang Ting); Birman; Black Joke; Blanche; Bleng; Bolton; Bountiful; Branken Moor; Brazil Packet; Brechin Castle; Brightman; Britannia; British Sovereign; Britomart; Buckinghamshire 1839; HMS Buffalo 1836; Bussorah Merchant;
  3. Cacique; Calcutta; Caleb Angas; Caledonia; Calphurnia; Camoena; Candahar; Canton 1838, 1846; Caroline; Catharina; Catherine Jamieson 1838; Cecilia; Ceres; Challenger; Champion; Charles; Charles Kerr; Charlotte; Cheapside; Cheerful; Childe Harold; China; Christiana; Christina; City of Adelaide; City of London; Cleveland; Clydeside; Comet; Commodore; Competitor; Constance; Coquette; Coromandel 1837, 1849; Corsair; Countess of Durham; Courier; Cressy; Cromwell; Culdee; Cygnet 1836;
  4. D'Auvergne; Daniel Wheeler; Daphne; Dart; Dauntless; David; David Malcolm; Davidsons; David Witton 1838; Dawsons; Deborah; Defiance; Delhi; Derwent; Devon; Diadem; Dockenhuden; Domain; Dorothy; Dorset; Duchess of Clarence; Duchess of Northumberland; Duke of Bedford; Duke of Richmond; Duke of Roxburghe 1838; Duke of Sussex; Duke of York 1836; Dumfries; Duncan; Dusty Miller;
  5. Eagle; Eamont; Eden 1838; Edina; Elgin; Eliza; Elizabeth; Elizabeth Buckham; Elizabeth Jane; Elizabeth Lloyd; Elizabeth Thompson; Elphinstone; Emerald Isle; Emily; Emma 1836; Emma Eugenia; Emma Sherratt; Emmy; Empress; Emu; Enmore; Enterprise; Essex; Ettrick; Eudora; Exporter;
  6. Fairfield; Fairlie; Falco; Fama; Fanny; Flibberty; Florentia; Forfarshire; Fortfield; Fortitude; Foster Fyans; Fox; Frances; Francis Spaight; Freak; Frederick Huth;
  7. Ganges; Garland Grove; Gellert; Gem; George Washington; Georgiana; Ghika; G H Wappus; Gipsy; Glenalvon 1838; Glenarm; Glenswilly; Godeffroy; Goshawk 1838; Governor Gawler; Gratitude; Grecian; Guiana; Gunga;
  8. Hamilton; Harpley; Hartley 1837; Harvest Home; Hawk; Heerjeebhoy Rustomjee Patel; Helen Thompson; Heloise; Henry; Henry Freeling; Henry Fulcher; Henry Hoyle; Henry Porcher 1838; Hermann von Beckerath; Hero; Hetty; Himalaya; Hind; Hindoo; Hooghly; Hope; Hydaspes;
  9. Imaum of Muscat; Inconstant; Indarra; India; Indian; Indus; Industry; Iona; Isabella 1837; Isabella Hercus; Isabella Watson; Ituna;
  10. James Holmes; James Turcan; Jane & Emma; Jane Frances; Jane Geary; Java; Jean Henri; Jenny Jones; John; John Bartlett; John Cooper; John Dunscombe; John Heyes; John Mitchell; John Munn; John Panter; John Pirie 1836; John Renwick 1837; John Woodhall; Joseph Albino; Joseph Cripps; Julia; Julia Percy; Juno; Justina/Justitia; Justine;
  11. Kallibokka; Kate; Katherine Stewart Forbes 1837; King Henry; Kingston;
  12. L'Heroine; La Belle Alliance; Lady Bruce; Lady Bute; Lady Clarke; Lady Emma 1837; Lady Fitzherbert; Lady Lilford; Lady Mary Pelham 1836; Lady MacNaghten (Lady McNaughton); Lady of the Lake; Lady Wellington; Lalla Rookh; Leontine; Lightning; Lively; Livonia; Lloyds 1838; London; Lord Glenelg; Lord Goderich 1838; Lord Hobart; Lord Sidmouth; Louisa; Louisa Baillie; Louise; Lowestoft; Lulworth (Lullworth); Lynher; Lysander;
  13. Madawaska; Macedon; Madras; Malcolm; Margaret; Maria; Mariner; Marion; Martha; Martin Luther; Mary; Mary Ann; Mary Clarke; Mary Dugdale; Mary Mallaby; Mary Ridgway; Mary White; Marys; Mazeppa; Medway; Melrose; Mercury; Mercy; Merope; Midge; Minerva; Moffatt; Morley; Munford;
  14. Naiad; Navarino 1837; Nelson; Nereus; New Holland;
  15. Oak; Ocean (Wolga); Ocean Queen; Onyx; Opossum; Orator; Orbona; Orissa; Orleana;
  16. Pakenham; Palmyra; Parkfield; Parland; Parsee; Pauline; Paul Jones; Pedlar; Pero; Perseverance; Pestonjee Bomanjee 1838; Peter Proctor; Phantom; Phoebe; Piscator; Planter; Platina; Poictiers; Porter; Posthumous; Premier; President Smidt; Pribislaw (Pribislav); Prince Albert; Prince George (1) 1838-11, (2) 1838-12; Prince of Denmark; Prince Regent; Princess Louise; Princess Royal; Providence; Psyche;
  17. [none]
  18. Rachel; Rajah; Rajasthan 1838, 1840; Rambler; Ramillies; Rapid 1836, 1838; Raven; Rebecca Jane; Recovery; Regia; Resolution; Resource; Richard & William; Richardsons; River Chief; Roman Emperor; Roon (diary of mid 1912 voyage); Rosanna (Rose Anna); Rosetta; Royal Admiral 1838, 1840; Royal Archer; Royal George; Royal Mail; Royal Sovereign; Royal William;
  19. St Helena; Sally Ann; Samuel Baker; Samuel Boddington; San Francisco; Sans Pareille; Sanspareil; Santipore; Sarah; Sarah & Elizabeth 1837; Sarepta; Schah 1837; Scotia; Scout; Senator; Seppings; Shamrock; Siam; Sibella; Singapore; Sir Charles Forbes; Sir Charles McCarthy; Sir Edward Parry; Siren; Sister; Sisters; Skerne; Skjold (Skiold); Socrates; Solway 1837; Somersetshire; Sophia; Sophie; South Australian 1837; Sovereign; Spartan; Stebonheath; Steinwaerder (Steinwarder); Strathisla; Success; Sultana; Superb; Surry (Surrey) 1838; Susannah; Symmetry;
  20. Taglioni; Tamar; Tam O'Shanter 1836; Teazer (Teaser); Telegraph; Templar; Tenasserim; Terror; Theresa; Thirteen; Thistle; Thomas Harrison; Thomas Lowry; Thomson; Tigress; Timbo; Titania; Tomatin; Trafalgar; Truelove; Truganini; Trusty 1838; Tyrone;
  21. Undaunted; Union;
  22. Vanguard; Velocity; Venus; HMS Victor; Victoria; Ville de Bordeaux; Vixen; Vulcan;
  23. Wanderer; Warlock; Warratah (Waratah); Warrior; Waterwitch (Water Witch); Waterloo; Wave; Welcome; Westminster; Wilhelmina Maria; William; William Barrass; William Fulcher; William Hutt 1837; William Hyde; William Mitchell; William Money; William Nichol; William Parker; William Watson; William Wilson; William Wise; Will Watch; Winchester 1838; Wuzeer;
  24. [none]
  25. Yare;
  26. Zealous; Zebra 1838.
Revised 11 October 2008