Research and data services

Our data can provide powerful insights for research, helping the planning and development of initiatives for health, education, business and community services in Victoria.

The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM) processes thousands of 'life events' each year. These include births, deaths, marriages, registered relationships, adoptions and changes of name.

Our data keeps a detailed record of Victorian population and societal trends. You can tell a lot about Victoria from these statistics!

We're happy to consider requests for detailed data and statistics for research purposes. See Apply for registry data.

This page provides a snapshot of some of our annual data, including:

We will release more data in coming months.

Births, deaths and marriages registered (by calendar year)

Births, deaths and marriages registered by calendar year in Victoria
Registrable event20232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010
Births72,93276,19876,41074,62079,59779,72683,49384,40474,84675,37875,15378,74872,49171,688
Marriages29,82633,23318,74016,62328,91729,99926,31726,29025,48729,73929,27929,90127,50328,525
Deaths45,34547,99642,50741,14341,38739,64040,77040,01539,95538,94836,51236,23836,73335,764

Events are counted in the month and year we register them. This may be different to when the event occurred.

Higher numbers in 2016 and 2017 reflect work to clear a backlog. Improved practices from 2018 reduced the time between event and registration. From 2018 onward, figures more closely reflect actual events during the period.

Provision of statistics is a point in time measure - the status of registered events may change. As a result there may be some variation between the sum of each month when compared with the yearly total.

Births figures exclude stillbirths and incomplete registrations.

Marriages rose in 2018, following legislation allowing same-sex marriage in Australia.

Download the data of registered births, deaths and marriages by calendar year.

Events registered (by financial year)

Life events registered by financial year in Victoria
Registrable event2023-242022-232021-222020-212019-202018-192017-182016-172015-162014-152013-142012-132011-122010-112009-10
Births77,80377,37776,32971,62079,62677,39080,11881,21083,98973,53076,35777,70175,18873,03972,254
Changes of name13,31710,3659,4138,07712,7779,41111,89712,26011,41910,32011,27711,24012,48512,93914,432
Marriages31,46031,33125,13717,75625,59828,71228,69827,17627,13128,70929,25729,37828,95628,38427,983
Deaths45,19346,88146,32840,94742,11439,48240,62040,26941,32837,67137,08636,20136,14737,45934,781
Registered relationships6,2384,4665,6475,2816,0794,2163,9303,4211,3911,1641,077877496360238
Revoked relationships8967476684596672882781631088653321231
Adoptions7353363450414953567310955778980
Stillbirths391384411336470366474506415398477458445381445
Total175,371171,604163,969144,510167,381159,906166,064165,058165,837151,951155,693155,942153,802152,654150,214

Events are counted in the month and year we register them. This may be different to when the event occurred.

BDM identified an issue with the original registrations data published for 2022-2023. We have now addressed this.

Marriage registrations decreased in 2020-21. This was a result of restrictions on weddings due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Higher numbers in 2016 and 2017 reflect work to clear a backlog.

Registered relationships have increased since 2016 due to a change of legislation.

BDM provides data on stillbirths to the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (CCOPMM). CCOPMM advises the government on strategies to improve obstetric and paediatric care.

Download the data of registered births, deaths and marriages by financial year.

Certificates issued (by financial year)

Certificates issued by financial year in Victoria
Certificates issued2023-242022-232021-222020-212019-202018-192017-182016-172015-162014-152013-142012-132011-122010-112009-10
Legal certificates311,878305,062272,889230,894291,174297,326293,423287,120277,179245,999245,284266,280273,082328,294327,081
Commemorative certificates29,25529,79832,49331,14529,33228,69831,76930,22433,75935,63635,57338,29138,55238,60143,082
Historical certificates1,4231,4221,6921,9661,81711,19816,37315,18715,36713,93813,88416,04315,88917,77919,981
Historical images55,96762,19672,53075,11361,37654,52555,21057,62955,54066,30466,30276,40496,309105,407108,604
Total398,523398,478379,604339,118383,699391,747396,775390,160381,845361,877361,043397,018423,832490,081498,748

Download the data of certificates issued by financial year.

In 2020, BDM reduced the price of downloadable historical certificates. This had the effect of:

  • Increasing sales of downloadable historical certificates
  • Decreasing sales of historical paper certificates.

Updated