Names are a real challenge in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family history research. This is due to a number of reasons such as:

• Your ancestor may have been known by several names during their lifetime, including traditional Indigenous names, kinship names, European names, nicknames, and aliases. This can be reflected on different official documents.
• Your ancestors name may have changed with marriage, partnerships, adoption or fostering
• Your ancestors name was spelt differently or misspelt on different documents.
• Your ancestor may only have a first name and no surname
• Old records sometimes include terms like ‘native’ or ‘Aboriginal’ or ‘Aborigine’ alongside the names of Aboriginal people. However be aware that the word ‘native’ was also used on official certificates, such as death certificates, to indicate that a non-Indigenous person was born in Australia rather than having immigrated from England or Europe.
• Women often used the surname of their male partner or husband, and were known by many different surnames over their lifetime
• Children often used the surname of a step-father

It is important to try different names and spelling variations when searching for your ancestors in online databases and collections. This will ensure you cover as much ground as possible within your research.

All information on this page has been sourced from the AIATSIS website