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''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858. Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry. The Post-1857 Probate Records section below contains links to additional information about the records of this court. | ''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858. Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry. The Post-1857 Probate Records section below contains links to additional information about the records of this court. | ||
To look for a probate record before 1858:<br> | To look for a probate record before 1858:<br> | ||
#Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived. <br> | #Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived. <br> | ||
#Go to [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Staffordshire_Probate_Records#Court_Jurisdictions Court Jurisdictions] section below.<br> | #Go to [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Staffordshire_Probate_Records#Court_Jurisdictions Court Jurisdictions] section below.<br> | ||
#Click a letter or span of letters for your place name. This opens a jurisdictions table.<br> | #Click a letter or span of letters for your place name. This opens a jurisdictions table.<br> | ||
#Follow the instructions on the jurisdictions table page.<br> | #Follow the instructions on the jurisdictions table page.<br> | ||
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Records and indexes for each court are also available in the collection of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Search the [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp Family History Library Catalog] for the title of the court or the court as an author. <br> | Records and indexes for each court are also available in the collection of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Search the [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp Family History Library Catalog] for the title of the court or the court as an author. <br> | ||
== Probate Records<br> == | |||
REGISTERED WILLS 1516-1771 | |||
ORIGINAL WILLS & ADMINISTRATIONS 1527-1857 | |||
INVENTORIES 1527-1857 | |||
ACT BOOKS 1532-1638 | |||
== Probate Indexes == | == Probate Indexes == | ||
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See the above online indexes available at Google.books which is copy of a printed will index for Staffordshire. | See the above online indexes available at Google.books which is copy of a printed will index for Staffordshire. | ||
The Smethwick Local history Society has published the ''Probate inventories of Smethwick residents, 1647-1747 : in the Lichfield Joint Record Office.''<br> | The Smethwick Local history Society has published the ''Probate inventories of Smethwick residents, 1647-1747 : in the Lichfield Joint Record Office.''<br> | ||
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== Staffordshire Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions <br> == | == Staffordshire Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions <br> == | ||
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Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. The system consists of 11 district registry offices and 18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and the principal registry office located in London. The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service. To learn more, go to the [http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm HMCS website]. | Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. The system consists of 11 district registry offices and 18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and the principal registry office located in London. The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service. To learn more, go to the [http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm HMCS website]. | ||
A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills. The [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=208102&disp=Calendar+of+the+grants+of+probate+and+le%20%20&columns=*,0,0 indexes] for 1858-1957 and the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=authordetails&authorno=301365&name=Great+Britain.+Principal+Probate+Registry&columns=*,0,0 records] for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br> | A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills. The [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=208102&disp=Calendar+of+the+grants+of+probate+and+le%20%20&columns=*,0,0 indexes] for 1858-1957 and the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=authordetails&authorno=301365&name=Great+Britain.+Principal+Probate+Registry&columns=*,0,0 records] for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br> | ||
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