Probate & Wills
The information found in Wills and Probate Inventories and Accounts can sometimes provide important information about houses and their fixtures and fittings and how people lived.
The information in inventories varies greatly in the amount of detail provided, but sometimes they contain room-by-room descriptions of houses and their contents.
Applying for the legal right to deal with someone’s estate (property, money and possessions) when they die is called ‘applying for probate’ If the person left a will, a ‘grant of probate will be issued ’.If the person did not leave a will, there will only be a ‘letters of administration’.
Since January 1858 English and Welsh wills and administrations (admons) have been held at the Principal Registry in London and these are to be found at the Principal Registry (now part of the Family Division of the High Court of Justice).Read their guide on Probate.
The information in inventories varies greatly in the amount of detail provided, but sometimes they contain room-by-room descriptions of houses and their contents.
Applying for the legal right to deal with someone’s estate (property, money and possessions) when they die is called ‘applying for probate’ If the person left a will, a ‘grant of probate will be issued ’.If the person did not leave a will, there will only be a ‘letters of administration’.
Since January 1858 English and Welsh wills and administrations (admons) have been held at the Principal Registry in London and these are to be found at the Principal Registry (now part of the Family Division of the High Court of Justice).Read their guide on Probate.
It is worth noting that the Probate records are not necessarily found in the year the person died as they are stored under the year the grant was issued. This could be sometime after the death
Not all probate records contain a will. Check the type of grant of representation when you search.The grant types that contain a will include:
You can search for the will of a soldier who died while serving in the British armed forces between 1850 and 1986
Not all probate records contain a will. Check the type of grant of representation when you search.The grant types that contain a will include:
- ‘Probate’ or ‘Grant and Will’
- ‘Admon with Will’ or ‘Grant and Will’
- ‘Administration (Admon) or Grant’ does not contain a will.
You can search for the will of a soldier who died while serving in the British armed forces between 1850 and 1986
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A really good article explaining all about wills and probate can be found at the National Archives Web site.
A useful article about Welsh wills can be found at National Library of Wales. Information about Irish wills and indexes can be found at the National Archives and Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Read about Scottish wills at the Scotlands People site. Prior to 1858,it takes a lot more hunting down to find a will or admon because the probate was granted by a number of ecclesiastical courts. If you can find the court you should find the will. Remember that as you go back wills become more difficult to read and understand as they are handwritten and sometimes in Latin.. |
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Where can I find out more?
Guide to Probate Records - The society of Genealogists
English Probate Records - A help list section from Family Search
English Probate Records - A help list section from Family Search