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New York, Kings County Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

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New York, Kings County Estate Files, 1866-1923
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Kings County, New York,
United States
Flag of New York
Flag of New York
Locator map of Kings (New York)
Location of Kings County, New York
Locator map of New York
Location of New York
Record Description
Record Type Estate
Collection years 1866-1923
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
Kings County Surrogate's Court


What is in This Collection?

This collection consists of records digitally obtained from the Kings County Surrogate's Court clerk for the years 1866 to 1923. Probate records were court documents and may have involved loose papers and/or bound volumes. These records were generally known as an estate file or probate packet. These files included all documents related to estate settlement, including settlement papers, inventories, receipts, and other records pertaining to the estates, including accounts, administrations, appraisals, minutes, bonds, petitions, guardianships, inventories and settlements. The wills for this collection are described separately.

Kings County was created in 1683 as one of the original counties. The county has kept probate records since the time it was created. The records were kept by the Surrogate Court. Probate records are generally recorded in the county where the person resided. Estates were probated for approximately 25 percent of the heads of households in the United States before 1900, whether or not the individual left a will. The percentage of heads of households listed in this collection of estate files will probably be higher than 25 percent because a much larger percentage of the New York population is represented in the estate files than in the will books. Wills are more likely to be found in rural communities than in larger cities and industrial areas.

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 to heirs from the deceased 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.

The death date, residence, and other facts that were current at the time of the probate proceeding are quite reliable, though there is still a chance of misinformation. The records may omit the names of deceased family members and those who have previously received an inheritance, or the spouse mentioned may not be the parent of the children mentioned.

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

Index and Image Visibility

FamilySearch provides images and indexes subject to contractual limitations and changes. Access to images and indexes may vary. Some collections may only have partial indexes without images. See Restrictions for Viewing Images for details.

To Browse This Collection

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for New York, Kings County Estate Files, 1866-1923.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

  • Name of testator or deceased
  • Names of heirs such as spouse, children, and other relatives or friends
  • Names of witnesses
  • Residence of testator
  • Lists of belongings, property, and so forth
  • Document and recording dates
  • Date of death

Collection Content

Sample Images

  • 1864 Application for Probate

    1864 Application for Probate

  • 1830 Summons

    1830 Summons

  • 1830 Petition

    1830 Petition

  • 1830 Testimony

    1830 Testimony

How Do I Search This Collection?

Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:

  • The name of the deceased
  • The place of residence
  • The approximate death or probate date

Search the Index

Search by name on the Collection Details Page.
  1. Enter the information in the fields in the Search Collection section or click More Options to see additional fields
  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 Surname Letter
  3. Select Individual's Name, Year of Probate to view the 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 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
  • If available, check the image for additional information
  • Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

  • Try searching by surname only
  • The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
  • Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps

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

Other FamilySearch Collections

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

FamilySearch Catalog

FamilySearch Historical Records

FamilySearch Digital Library

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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