UK, Extracted Probate Records, 1269-1975

This database is a collection of historical probate records from the United Kingdom. The records in this collection can range in date from the late 13th century to the late 20th century. The records include wills and other miscellaneous types of probate records. All of the data was converted as it was originally presented in various published registers and books. For this reason, you will find interesting phonetic spellings and large descriptive tables of contents.

What should I know about this collection to access the data?

Some of the records may be in Latin or even a Welsh or Scottish dialect depending on location. The spelling is archaic, and is transcribed as it was written. There are many spelling inconsistencies and non-standard grammar. Phonetic spelling is often used. Try using variant spellings if a search yields no results.

The individual files in this database may not include all existing probate records. Use caution in assuming that any database is a complete set of records--even for the places and time periods listed. Due to the legibility of the original sources, there may be gaps in the records, including partial sentences, cut-off words, and other omissions.

Due to the nature of the records and because the records were originally compiled by a third party, it is difficult to absolutely verify the completeness and validity of the data. The information in this collection is as correct as it was when Ancestry.com received it, and has merely been reproduced in an electronic format.

What records are included in this database?

Scotland:

• Ayr, Lanark, & Stirling: - The commissariot record of Glasgow Register of testamenis, 1547-1800


• Argyle, Caithness, Sutherland, Argyll, Invarness, & Hebrides: xxx - The commissariot records, Register of Testaments of Argyle, 1674-1800; Caithness, 1661-1665


• Berwick: Lauder - Commissariot Record, Register of Testaments, 1561-1800


• Dumfries & Kirkcudbright: - The commissariot record of Dumfries, Register of testaments, 1624-1800


• Inverness: -Commissariot Record of Inverness, 1630-1801


• Kincardineshire, Perth, & Forfar: - Commissariot Record of Dunkeld, Register of Testaments, 1682-1800, and the Commissariot Record of Kirkendbright, Executry Papers, 1663-1801


• Kincardineshire, Fife, Kinross, Perth, & Forfar: - Commissariot of St. Andrew's, Register of Testaments, 1549-1800


• Lanarkshire, Stirling, & Clackmannan: Commissariot Record of Lanark, Register of Testaments, 1595-1800 and Commissariot Record of Stirling, 1607-1800


• Lanarkshire, Aberdeenshire, Banff, Ayr, & Stirling: - Commissariot Record of Hamilton and Campsie, Register of Testaments, 1564-1800


• Midlothian: Edinburgh - Commissariot of Argyll, Register of Inventories, 1693-1702


• Midlothian: Edinburgh - The Commissariot Record of Edinburgh, 1600-1700


• Midlothian: Edinburgh - The Commissariot Record of Edinburgh, 1701-1800


• Nairn, Moray, Inverness, & Banff: - Commissariot Record of Moray, Register of Testaments, 1684-1801


• Orkney: - Testaments, Inventories, 1573-1615


• West Lothian, & Midlothian; Gloucestershire: Edinburgh; Bristol- Commissariot Record of Edinburgh, Register of Testaments, 1514-1600; Bristol Wills, 1572-1792

Wales:

• Glamorgan: Llantrithyd - Wills and Administrations Granted, Court of Archdeacon of Berks, 1508-1652

England:

• Berkshire: - Wills proved and Administrations Granted in the Court of the Archdeacon of Berks, 1508-1652


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1681-1700


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1701-1720


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1741-1760


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1761-1780 (A-M)


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1761-1780 (N-Z)


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1781-1790


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1791-1800


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1801-1810 (A-L)


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1801-1810 (M-Z)


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1811-1820 (A-L)


• Cheshire: - Wills and Inventories, 1811-1820 (M-Z)


• Cheshire: - Wills and Administrations, 1826-1830


• Cheshire: Chester - Wills and Administrations, 1834-1837


• Cheshire & Lancashire: - Wills and Administrations, 1821-1825


• Cheshire & Lancashire: - Wills and Administrations, 1831-1833


• Cheshire: Stockport - Probate Records, 1578-1619


• Cheshire: Chester - Calendar of Wills, Diocesan Registry of Chester, 1701-1800


• Lancashire & Cheshire: - Wills, 1301-1752


• Lancashire & Cheshire: - Calendar of parsons commemorated in Monumental inscriptions, Abstracts of Wills, and Administrations


• Lancashire & Cheshire: - Miscellanies and an Index of Infra Wills


• Lancashire & Cheshire: - Miscellanies containing: 1. A list of the Freeholders in Cheshire, 1578; 2. The ordination Register of Chester, 1542-1558; 3. List of the Wills, Inventories, etc., 1621-1700 (preserved at the Diocesan Registry, Chester)


• Devon & Cornwall: - Wills and Administrations proved in the Bishop of Exeter, 1559-1799


• Devon, Cornwall & Gloucester: - Wills and Administrations proved in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Exeter, 1532 to 1800


• Cornwall & Devon: - Calendar of Wills Administrations and Accounts relating to the counties of Cornwall and Devon in the Connotorial Archidiaconal Court of Cornwall, 1569-1699


• Cornwall & Devon: -Calendar of Wills Administrations and Accounts relating to the counties of Cornwall and Devon in the Consistorial Archidiaconal Court of Cornwall, 1700-1799


• Dorset: - Wills and Administrations


• Dorset, Somerset: - Wills and Administrations, 1312-1799


• Essex, Hertfordshire: Chelmsford - Wills, 1400-1619


• Essex, Hertfordshire: Chelmsford - Wills, 1620-1720


• Gloucestershire: - Calendar of Wills, Court of Bishop of Gloucester, 1541-1650


• Gloucestershire: - Wills Proved in the Court of Bishop of Gloucester, 1660-1800


• Leicestershire & Rutland: - Index to the Wills and Administrations proved and granted in the Archdeaconry Court of Leicester 1660-1750, and in the peculiars of St. Margaret, Leicester, and Rotblen and the Rutland Peculiars of Caldecott, Retton and Tirover


• Lincolnshire & Huntingdonshire: - Calendar of Lincolnshire Wills, 1601-1652, Calendars of Huntingdonshire Wills, 1479-1652


• Lincolnshire: - Calendar of Wills, 1320-1600


• England: London - Inquisitiones Post Mortem for the City of London, Wills and Administrations, 1561-1577


• Norfolk: Norwich - 1. Index to Wills, Consistory Court of Norwich, 1370-1550 2. Wills among the Norwich Enrolled Deeds, 1286-1508


• Norfolk: Nowich - Index to Wills, Consistory Court of Norwich, 1550-1603


• Norfolk: Norwich - Index of Wills, Consistory Court of Norwich, 1751-1818


• Northamptonshire, Rutland: - Calendar of Wills, 1510-1652


• Northamptonshire: - Administrations, Archdeaconry of Northampton, 1667-1710


• Shropshire: Lichfield - Wills and Administrations, 1516-1652


• Somerset: - Calendar of Wills, 1537-1799, and Administration in the Court of the Archdeacon of Taunton


• Suffolk: Suffolk - Wills of the Archdeaconry of Suffolk, 1620-1624


• Suffolk: Sudbury - Wills of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 1630-1635


• Suffolk: - Wills of the Archdeaconry of Suffolk, 1625-1626


• Surrey: - Wills


• Sussex: - Wills and Administrations preserved in the District Probate Court of Lewes


• Sussex: Chichester - Calendar of Wills in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Chichester, 1482-1800


• Sussex: - Calendar of Administrations in the Consistory court of the Bishop of Chichester 1555-1800, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculiar court of the Archbishop of Canterbury 1520-1670, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculiar


• England: Canterbury - Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1581-1619


• England: Canterbury - Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1649-1660


• England: Canterbury - Wills Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1383-1629


• England: Canterbury - Wills Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1653-1660


• England: Canterbury - Wills Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1671-1675


• England: Canterbury - Wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1686-1700


• England: Canterbury - Wills and Administrations in the Probate Registry at Canterbury, 1396-1558 and 1640-1650


• England: Canterbury - Wills and Administrations in the probate registry at Canterbury, 1558-1577 and Administrations 1539-1545


• England: Calendar of Administrations in the Consistory court of the Bishop of Chichester 1555-1800, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculiar court of the Archbishop of Canterbury 1520-1670, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculiar Court of the Dean of Chichester 1577-1800

Please note that Somerset Wills were destroyed by bombing in World War II and are not held either at the Dorset County Museum or at the Dorset History Centre.