He is Australia 's most notorious and well recognised criminal , but Ned Kelly may never have even existed if it were n't for his father stealing two pigs more than 170 years ago . Public records published on Findmypast.com on Friday trace Ned Kelly 's path from before his father John Kelly became a criminal in Ireland to years later when he would eventually do the same in Australia . Prison transfer records show John Kelly , also known as Red , was arrested for stealing two pigs back in 1841 and sent to Australia as a convict . Public records published on Findmypast.com on Friday trace Ned Kelly 's path from before his father John Kelly became a criminal in Ireland to years later when he would eventually do the same in Australia . It was just a few years before The Great Famine in Ireland , which wiped out approximately 25 percent of the population due to mass starvation , according to Vicki Dawson from Findmypast . 'The area was hit quite hard by the famine between 1845 and 1852 . He was transported a few years before it hit , so he may not have even survived if he had n't stolen the pigs , ' Ms Dawson said . 'If he had n't come here , Ned Kelly may not have been born . ' The move would become etched in Australia 's history with his son Ned set to become the nation 's most iconic criminal . 'His father was given his certificate of freedom and moved to Melbourne where he met Ned 's mother , ' Ms Dawson said . Ned Kelly 's history an one of Australia 's most notorious and well recognised criminal has been documented on Findmypast with prison records ( pictured ) and mugshots . Kelly 's notorious criminal history is well known and Findmypast has a range of different records to back it up . Ned Kelly 's first mug shot ( pictured ) has been published alongside transportation , land and criminal records tracking his Irish ancestry back to his great grandparents . He eloped with Ellen Quinn and they settled in the Victorian ranges north of Melbourne where he stole horses to supplement his income . The couple had seven children , including Ned , before he was arrested and jailed again . He died before finishing his sentence in 1866 . Ned Kelly 's notorious criminal history is well known and Findmypast has a range of different records to back it up , according to Ms Dawson . They have published his first mugshot , prison register and his father 's records online in time for St Patrick 's Day next week . Prison transfer records show John Kelly , also known as Red , was arrested for stealing two pigs back in 1841 and sent to Australia as a convict . Kelly and his gang , known for their armour protection , were shot in 1880 at Glenrowan , Victoria . 'There 's descriptions on scars , eye colour - it 's very detailed . Then you can look through transportation records and you can look back at his grandfather 's evaluation records , ' she said . 'With Ned Kelly we trace him right back to his great grandparents . Land records , census , criminal records - there 's a huge amount of records to use to trace back Irish ancestry . Findmypast has 90 million Irish and migration records available online - the largest of any kind in the world , according to Ms Dawson . While the records can uncover details on some of the country 's most recognised Australians with Irish blood , anyone with Irish ancestry can easily search for historical records to uncover how their relatives lived , she said . .
New documents tracing Ned Kelly 's history published on Findmypast . They trace back to his father 's prison transfer records from 1841 in Ireland . Ned Kelly 's first mugshot , prison register and his father 's Irish records were published online on Friday in time for St Patrick 's Day . Findmypast has two Irish and migration records available online .