The following is a list of abbreviations used in this study - particularly in the New South Welsh and Tasmanian birth, death and marriage records as well as in the New South Welsh convict records.

• arr. = date of arrival in Australia
• b. = born
• bapt. = baptised
• bench = district magistrate's bench
• bur. = buried
• cause = cause (of death)
• cel. = celebrant
• compl. = complexion
• co. = county
• c.f. = certificate of freedom number
• c.p. = conditional pardon number
• date = date of event
• dated = date of signature of document
• died = date and/or place of death
• disp. = to whom assigned upon arrival in the Colony
• dist. = district
• dtrs. = daughters
• educ. = education: R = reads; W = writes
• eyes = colour of eyes
• fiche = see page, fiche, file, shelf
• file = see page, fiche, file, shelf
• hair = hair colour
• ht. = height
• inf. = informant
• m. = married
• mar.st. = marital status
• natv.pl. = native place (not necessarily place of birth)
• nee = nee (maiden name)
• no. = number (of registration)
• offspr. = offspring
• off. = offence
• p. = parish
• page, fiche, file, shelf = convict indents index references
• par. = parents
• place = place of event
• prev.conv. = previous convictions
• pris.no. = prisoner number
• recomm. = recommendation signed
• reg. = registration number
• rel. = religion
• rem. = remarks
• sent. = sentence
• sgd.= signed by
• shelf = see page, fiche, file, shelf
• ship = transportation ship's name
• st.= status
• to remain in the district of = to remain in the district of (a usual condition of a ticket of leave)
• trade = trade of subject
• tried = trial (place and/or date)
• t.o.l. = ticket of leave number
• vol. = volume
• wits. = witnesses