Australia, Government Honour Records, 1900-2023

Source Information

Ancestry.com. Australia, Government Honour Records, 1900-2023 [database on-line]. Ancestry.com: Lehi, UT, USA, 2024.
Original data: Australian Honours Search Facility. Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/search Accessed: July 2023.

About Australia, Government Honour Records, 1900-2023

This collection is a comprehensive list of those formally honoured by the Australian government between 1900 and 2023. Types of awards given include:

  • The Order of Australia
  • Meritorious Awards
  • Military Awards
  • Distinguished and Conspicuous Awards
  • Operational and Service Awards
  • COVID-19 Honour Roll
  • Australian Bravery Decorations

    • Using the collection

    The collection may include the following information:

  • Name
  • State
  • Suburb
  • Postal code
  • Type of award
  • Date award granted
  • Reason for award
  • Media notes pertaining to the award
  • Award identification number

    • Most award recipients are listed by their full names, but this isn't always the case. Some awards are given to groups and may not list the names of individual members. If you can't find a record, consider searching for their military unit, squadron, or other organized groups they may have been affiliated with.

    Knowing when your family member received their award can aid your search. The Australian government publishes its honours four times per year. Any award may be given on the King's Birthday and Australia Day, while medals specifically for bravery are given in March and August. Prior to 2023, awards were given on the Queen's birthday. Both the former rulers' birthdays and the current monarch's birthday celebrations are held in June, regardless of their actual dates of birth.

    Awards aren't given posthumously; however, exceptions may be made if the recipient was alive at the time they were nominated.

    Most of the recipients in this collection are Australian citizens; however, non-Australians are eligible for honorary awards from the Order of Australia.

    Collection in context

    Many of the records in this collection predate Australia's honour system. The Order of Australia, an Australian-specific medal, was created in 1975 and a novel award system was developed to administer it. Before 1975, Australia used the Imperial Awards system to recognise its most distinguished citizens. Modern-day nominations are accepted via the Australian government's online portal. Anyone may be nominated, provided they have demonstrated service to their community.

    Bibliography

    Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. "Australian Honours System." Last Modified 23 August, 2023. https://www.pmc.gov.au/honours-and-symbols/australian-honours-system.

    Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. "Medal of the Order of Australia." Last Modified 4 May, 2023. https://www.pmc.gov.au/honours-and-symbols/list-australian-honours/medal-order-australia.

    The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. "Australian Honours and Awards." Last Modified 19 July, 2023. https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awards.

    The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. "Australian Honours List." Last Modified 1 September, 2023. https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awards/australian-honours-lists.

    The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. "Nominate Someone for the Order of Australia." Last Modified 14 December, 2022. https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awardsorder-australia/nominate-someone-order-australia.