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Illinois Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

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Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1988
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Illinois,
United States
Illinois flag.png
Flag of Illinois
US Locator Illinois.png
Location of Illinois
Record Description
Record Type Probate
Collection years 1819-1988
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
County courthouses, Illinois


What is in This Collection?

The collection consists of images to probate records, which includes wills, and other documents for the years 1819 to 1988, but the content and time period will vary by county. Probate records were created to track the distribution of estates of deceased individuals who lived in Illinois.

General Information About Probate Records

County officials began keeping probate records from the time the county was formed. Probates are generally recorded in the county were the person resided. These records cover approximately 40 percent of adult males who left wills, but this may be less than 25 percent in some areas. Less than 10 percent of women had wills or estate inventories. Wills are more likely to be found in rural communities than in larger cities and industrial areas. A higher percentage of individuals died without a will, but they may have had their estates probated and distributed through the courts. Wills and other estate documents are found in the estate files.

Probate records are used to legally dispose of a person’s estate after his or her death. The probate process transfers the legal responsibility for payment of taxes, care and custody of dependent family members, liquidation of debts, and transfer of property title. The transfer is to an executor or executrix if the deceased had made a will, to an administrator or administratrix if the deceased had not made a will, or to a guardian or conservator if the deceased had heirs under the age of twenty-one or if heirs were incompetent due to disease or disability.

Probate records fall into two general categories: wills and estate papers. Most records mention the names of heirs and frequently specify how those heirs are related. Names of children may be given, as well as married names of daughters. Probate records may not give an exact death date, but a death most often occurred within a few months of the date of probate. The exact contents of probate records vary greatly depending on the prevailing law and the personality of the record keeper.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

Index and Image Visibility

Whenever possible FamilySearch makes images and indexes available for all users. However, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change. Because of this there may be limitations on where and how images and indexes are available or who can see them. Please be aware some collections consist only of partial information indexed from the records and do not contain any images. For additional information about image restrictions see Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections.

To Browse This Collection

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1988.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

Probate records include petitions, inventories, accounts, decrees and other court documents. Information in the entries may include:

  • Name of testator or deceased
  • Names of heirs such as spouse, children, and other relatives or friends
  • Name of executor, administrator, or guardian
  • Names of witnesses
  • Residence of testator
  • Document and recording dates

Collection Content

Sample Images

  • 1843 Will

    1843 Will

  • 1885 Appointment

    1885 Appointment

  • 1885 Naturalization

    1885 Naturalization

Coverage Table

The coverage table shows the places and time periods covered in the records for this collection. Most of the records in the collection are from the time periods listed in the table; however, the collection may have a few records from before or after the time period. This table is current as of October 2011.

Name of County Recorded Year Range Will Registers Probate Records Bonds and Letters
Alexander 1829-1902 1850-1902 1829-1867 1860-1886
Brown 1817-1936 1869-1890 1849-1923 1849-1936
Calhoun 1829-1916 1870-1916 1829-1874 1859-1904
Champaign 1851-1921 1851-1921 N/A N/A
Coles 1866-1946 1866-1925 1900-1923 N/A
De Witt 1862-1923 1862-1923 N/A 1850-1901
DeKalb 1837-1921 1862-1921 1837-1924 N/A
Effingham 1838-1920 1838-1920 1838-1893 1871-1894
Fayette 1821-1917 1859-1917 1847-1881 N/A
Franklin 1835-1919 1848-1970 1875-1884 N/A
Gallatin 1813-1931 1814-1931 1815-1884 1859-1901
Greene 1836-1917 1845-1915 1836-1923 N/A
Hamilton 1823-1933 1838-1883 1823-1933 N/A
Hancock 1827-1938 1833-1918 1898-1923 1849-1922
Henderson 1843-1939 1841-1850 1850-1928 1846-1939
Henry 1861-1926 N/A 1894-1901 N/A
Jasper 1856-1921 N/A 1856-1921 N/A
Jersey 1839-1940 1852-1931 1872-1933 1839-940
Jo Daviess 1829-1921 1829-1921 1921 N/A
Johnson 1874-1965 1870-1926 1874-1865 N/A
Kankakee 1855-1924 1859-1924 1855-1921 N/A
La Salle 1844-1945 1847-1922 1844-1923 1883-1913
Livingston 1837-1905 1867-1901 1837-1849 1872-1905
Logan 1855-1963 1855-1922 1860-1920 1857-1963
Macoupin 1835-1939 1835-1925 1835-1926 1849-1939
Madison 1819-1929 1912-1922 1821-1911 1819-1929
Mason 1866-1934 1836-1934 N/A 1866-1898
Massac 1871-1883 N/A 1871-1883 N/A
McHenry 1840-1985 1886-1919 1840-1985 1924-1947
Menard 1839-1937 1860-1884 1839-1891 1868-1937
Montgomery 1849-1926 1849-1921 1850-1926 N/A
Morgan 1824-1925 1824-1825 1866-1894 N/A
Ogle 1838-1942 1838-1934 1841-1942 1857-1932
Piatt 1843-1918 1850-1918 1843-1885 N/A
Pope 1819-1888 N/A 1819-1888 N/A
Randolph 1809-1884 N/A N/A N/A
Rock Island 1837-1962 1837-1923 1857 1859-1962
Schuyler 1827-1926 1870-1926 1827-1926 1844-1862
Shelby 1827-1922 1870-1918 1827-1922 1859-1905
Tazewell 1827-1926 1830-1924 1827-1923 1862-1926
White 1820-1914 1893-1914 1820-1843 1860-1898
Whiteside 1839-1931 1845-1922 1858-1874 1839-1931
Williamson 1853-1919 1853-1919 N/A N/A
Woodford 1845-1963 1869-1925 1845-1916 1866-1963

N/A = Not available at this time.

How Do I Search This Collection?

Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:

  • The name of your ancestor
  • The approximate date of death
  • The approximate date of probate
  • The names of family members who may be named in the probate

Search the Index

Search by name on the Collection Details Page.
  1. Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know
  2. Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images

View images in this collection by visiting the Collection Browse Page:
  1. Select County
  2. Select Record Type, Volume, and Year Range to view the images
Tip
 More images are available in the FamilySearch Catalog Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1970. Some catalog records link to multiple references. In this case, click on a reference to find a camera icon to see images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?

Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?

When you have located your ancestor’s probate record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

  • Add any new information to your records
  • Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives
  • Use the document (such as the will) or the recording dates to approximate a death date
  • Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period
  • Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
  • Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have also died in the same county. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
  • Probate records often have information about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents. Be aware that the spouse named may not be the parent of the children listed

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

  • When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
  • Check for variant spellings of the surnames
  • Search records in nearby towns or counties

Research Helps

The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Illinois.

Other FamilySearch Collections

These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.


FamilySearch Historical Records


FamilySearch Digital Library

Known Issues

Click here for a list of known issues with this collection.

Citing this Collection

Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Collection Citation:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection.
Record Citation:
When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information.
Image Citation:
When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen.
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