Staffordshire Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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{{Staffordshire-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb
For an explanation of probate records in England, click [[England Probate Records|here.]] For an explanation  of probate records in England, click [[England Probate Records|here.]]  
| link1=[[England Genealogy|England]]
 
| link2=[[Staffordshire, England Genealogy|Staffordshire]]
== Staffordshire Probate Courts  ==
| link3=
 
| link4=
[[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Stafford]]  
| link5=[[Staffordshire_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]
 
}}
For a general explanation of probate records in England, click [[England Probate Records|here]].


== Getting Started  ==
== Getting Started  ==


''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. Probate records include [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]] and [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]]. This article is about probate records in Staffordshire. See [[England Probate Records]] for a general description of probate records in England.
Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his/her heirs. 


=== 1858 to the Present  ===
In order to find a probate record for your ancestor, you must answer two questions:


Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
#When did your ancestor die?
#Where did your ancestor live or own property?


==== Online Records ====
A key date is 1858, when probate authority was taken from the ecclesiatical courts of the Church of England and given to the civil government. 


* '''1858-1957''' [https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2451051 England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957] at FamilySearch - [[England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*If your ancestor died before 1858, his/her probate would have been proven by an ecclesiatical court and it is important to know where he/she lived, as that will determine which courts had jurisdiction. 
* '''1858-1995''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1904 England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995] at Ancestry($); index
*If you know where your ancestor lived before 1858, you should go to the '''Court Jurisdictions''' section below to determine what courts had jurisdiction over your ancestor's place of residence. 
* '''1858-2019''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/england-and-wales-government-probate-death-index-1858-2019 England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019] at Findmypast($); index
*Beginning in 1858, probate authority was vested in the '''Principal Probate Registry''' system.  For more information, scroll to the '''Post-1857 Probate Records''' section at the bottom of the page.
 
Once you have answered the two questions and determined the courts, look for indexes.&nbsp; Indexes will be found on the individual court pages (when you click on a court name) or in the '''Probate Indexes''' section below.<br>
 
<br>
 
== Staffordshire Probate Courts  ==


=== Before 1858 ===
The following probate courts&nbsp;had some jurisdiction over the county of Staffordshire prior to 1858:


Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Staffordshire, follow these steps:
*[[Episcopal Consistory Court of Lichfield]]
*[[Court of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield]]
*[[Peculiar Courts of Lichfield]]
*[[Peculiar Court of the Den of Lichfield]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Alrewas and Weeford]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Bishops Tachbrook]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Burton on Trent]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Colwich]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Eccleshall]]
*[[Peculiar Court of the Manor of Gnosall]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Hansacre and Armitage]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Hartington]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Bishops Itchington]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Longdon]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Merevale]]
*[[Peculiar Court of High Offley anad Flixton]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Peak Forest]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Penkridge]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Prees or Pipe Manor]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Sawley]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Tettenhall]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Whittington and Baswich]]
*[[Peculiar Court of Wolverhampton]]


==== Step 1. Search Indexes  ====
<br>


Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Staffordshire.  
In addition, the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] had jurisdiction over the whole of England. Wealthier individuals, people who owned property in more than one county or lower court's jurisdiction, and Naval personnel often had their estates proven through the Archbishop's court.  


Start with:
=== Appeals Courts  ===


*'''1518-1858''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62295/ Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, England, Indexes of Wills and Probate, 1518-1858] at Ancestry — index ($)
Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:  
*'''1521-1860''' {{RecordSearch|3491898|England, Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate, 1521-1860}} at FamilySearch — [[England, Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; indexes & images; ''Also at [http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/staffordshire-dioceses-of-lichfield-and-coventry-wills-and-probate-1521-1860 Findmypast], ($)'' <br>


Also check:
*[[Court of Arches]]
*[[High Court of Delegates]]


*An index for 1630-1780 for Staffordshire covering 23000 plus probate documents can be found at [https://www.staffsnameindexes.org.uk/default.aspx?Index=C Will and administrations]
== Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts in Staffordshire<br> ==
*A general will index for the Diocese of Lichfield, a scanned edition of P.W. Phillimore's publication by the British Record Society in 1892,[http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=4zYEAAAAIAAJ ''Calendars of wills administrations in the consistory court of the bishop of Lichfield'']''  ''This single index consolidates most Staffordshire wills of the various probate court jurisdictions from 1514-1652 for the Diocese of Lichfield and to 1790 for Staffordshire smaller peculiar courts.
*The Manor of Sedgley has online indexes listed under the Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Sedgley below.
*[http://www.wolverhamptonhistory.org.uk/resources/indexes Index of Wills at Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies (downloadable PDF file)]


==== Printed Indexes  ====
Probate records for the&nbsp;first nine&nbsp;courts listed above are located at the Staffordshire Record Office.


Lichfield wills and administrations, 1516-1652&nbsp;: also "peculiars" at Lichfield, Birmingham and Derby, 1529-1652; 1675-1790; 1753-1790, found in Index Library(see above for online copy of book) volume 7.&nbsp; FS Library British book 942 B4b vol. 7.
Records and indexes for each court are also available in the collection of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.&nbsp; 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&nbsp;an author.&nbsp; <br>


Wills in the Consistory Court of Lichfield&nbsp;: 1650-1700 editor Cliff Webb found in&nbsp;Index Library vol. 125. FS Library British book 942 B4b vol. 125.
== Staffordshire Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions <br> ==


The Smethwick Local history Society has published the&nbsp;''Probate inventories of Smethwick residents, 1647-1747&nbsp;: in the Lichfield Joint Record Office.''<br>
Here&nbsp;are links to&nbsp;an alphabetical&nbsp;list of Staffordshire parishes containing a prioritized list of courts with jurisdiction over each.&nbsp; To see which courts to search for probates of persons living in or owning property in particular parish, click on the letter the parish name begins with.  


==== Probate Calendars  ====
{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="432" border="1"
|-
| &nbsp;[[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions|A]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions, 'B' Parishes|B]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions, 'C' Parishes|C]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes D-F|D-F]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'G' Parishes|G]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes H-K|H-K]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'L' Parishes|L]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes M-N|M-N]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes O-R|O-R]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'S' Parishes|S]]&nbsp; &nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes T-V|T-V]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes W-Z|W-Z]]&nbsp;
|}


Registered wills and original wills, administrations and inventories, 1494-1860, and, act books, 1532-1638 for Diocese of Lichfield Episcopal Consistory Court. {{FSC|309060|title-id|disp=}} These are calendars.&nbsp; They cover most of the county of Stafford. <br>  
<br>


<br>Did you find a reference to a probate record?
== Probate Indexes  ==


*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
Before&nbsp;looking for a will, you should search an index.  
*If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.


==== Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died ====
=== Online Indexes ===


Determine ''when'' your ancestor died.&nbsp;If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.&nbsp;
A general will index for Essex County is available [http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/default.asp online].&nbsp; This single index consolidates just about all Essex county wills of the various probate court jurisdictions into one database.  


Determine ''where'' your ancestor died. It is easier to find a probate record if you know&nbsp;the parish where your ancestor lived or died. To learn the parish for the place where your ancestor died, look&nbsp;the place&nbsp;up in a gazetteer (topographical dictionary). Here is a link to the 1872 ''Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'' online:&nbsp;&nbsp; [https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/ Vision of Britain]  
[http://linux02.lib.cam.ac.uk/earlscolne/probate/index.htm http://linux02.lib.cam.ac.uk/earlscolne/probate/index.htm]  


The gazetteer will either tell you:
This online website is a listing of a few&nbsp;transcribed wills.&nbsp;


*A place is a parish, or if not--
=== Printed Indexes  ===
*What parish it is in


&nbsp;  
If the indexes on the Internet do not produce possible wills for your ancestors,&nbsp;look in the '''published indexes '''listed here.


Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.  
The Essex County Record Office compiled and published a complete surname index covering wills and administrations from&nbsp;the '''''first&nbsp;eight'' '''Essex County probate court jurisdictions listed above (through the Liberty of Sokens).&nbsp; The index is available in three volumns at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City:


==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish  ====
*Emmison, F. G., ed.&nbsp; ''[Index to] Wills at Chelmsford''.&nbsp; London: s.n., 1961,&nbsp;by the British Record Society.&nbsp; (FHL book [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=247479&disp=Wills+at+Chelmsford+%28Essex+and+East+He%20%20&columns=*,0,0 942 B4b] vols. 78, 79 &amp; 84; also on microfilms 0962739 and 0962740, and on microfiche 6073796, 6073797, and 6073802.)


Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, learn which courts had jurisdiction over it by clicking on a link below for the letter the parish begins with.&nbsp; Once&nbsp;you find the parish you want in the list, you can click on the court listed to go to a page that will help you find the records for that court.  
Other printed indexes&nbsp;are found listed on the court pages.&nbsp; '''Click on the court name links above.'''


&nbsp;
<br>


{| width="306" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" style="width: 306px; height: 25px"
== Post-1857 Probate Records  ==
|-
| [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with A|A]] &nbsp;
| [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with B|B]] &nbsp;
| [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with C through G|C-G]]
| [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with H through L|H-L]]
| [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with M through S|M-S]]
| [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with T through Z|T-Z]]
|}


<br>
Beginning in 1858, the government took over the&nbsp;settlement of estates and all&nbsp;wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system.&nbsp; The system consists of 11 district registry offices and&nbsp;18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and&nbsp;the principal registry&nbsp;office located in London.&nbsp; The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service.&nbsp; To learn more, go to the [http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm HMCS website].


==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record  ====
A&nbsp;country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills.&nbsp; 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%2E+Principal+Probate+Registry%2C+null&columns=*,0,0 records] for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br>


Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:
<br>
== Court Jurisdictions by Parish  ==


*{{FSC|England, Staffordshire - Probate records|subject|subject-id=1971113801|disp=Staffordshire England Probate Records}}(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - some images may only be available at a [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.]<br>
Before 1858, every town and parish in Staffordshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts.&nbsp; When looking for the will of an ancestor, you should search the courts in the order given.&nbsp;For&nbsp;an authoritative treatise on&nbsp;each Staffordshire probate court and the parishes&nbsp;comprising them in pre-1858, see Anthony J. Camp's publication,&nbsp;Wills and Their Whereabouts; also available at&nbsp;the Family History Library, FHL&nbsp;book call [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=413992&disp=Wills+and+their+whereabouts%20%20&columns=*,0,0 #942 S2wa].&nbsp;Search indexes first.&nbsp; For indexes, click on the court name links above [soon to be constructed]. When looking for the will of an ancester, you should search the courts in the order given.&nbsp; Search indexes first.&nbsp; For indexes, click on the court name links above.  
*Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection.


== Staffordshire Probate Courts  ==
Here is a list of Staffordshire parishes beginning with the letter A and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them.&nbsp; For other parishes, click on a letter link:&nbsp; [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with B through G|B-G]], [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with H through L|H-L]], [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with M through S|M-S]], [[Staffordshire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with T through Z|T-Z]].


The following probate courts&nbsp;had some jurisdiction over the county of Staffordshire prior to 1858; note that most of Staffordshire was covered by&nbsp;its largest court jurisdiction, called--the [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)|Court of the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry&nbsp;(Episcopal Consistory)]], but&nbsp;the county also had numerous concurrent smaller&nbsp;jurisdictions called "peculiars"&nbsp;(see the "Staffordshire Court Jurisdictions By Parish" section&nbsp;above to determine the correct court jurisdiction for the parish in which you may be searching for a will):
<br>


*[[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)|Court of the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry (Episcopal Consistory)]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="95%" align="center" border="1"
*[[Court of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield]]  
|-
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Dean of Lichfield]]  
! style="background: #ffdead" width="15%" | PARISH
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Alrewas and Weeford]]  
! style="background: #ffdead" width="40%" | PRIMARY COURT
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Burton on Trent]]  
! style="background: #ffdead" width="40%" | SECONDARY COURTS - IN SEARCH ORDER
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Colwich]]  
|-
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Eccleshall]]  
| Abbots Bromley
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Gnosall]]  
| [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Hansacre and Armitage]]  
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of High Offley and Flixton]]  
|-
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Longdon]]  
| Adbaston
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Pattingham]]  
| [[Peculiar of the Dean of Lichfield]]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Penkridge]]  
| 2 - [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Prebend of Prees or Pipe Minor]]  
|-
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Sedgely]]  
| Acton Trussel
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Tettenhall]]  
| [[Peculiar Court of Whittington and Baswich]]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Tyrley]]  
| 2 - [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Whittington and Baswich]]  
|-
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Wolverhampton]]  
| Aldridge
*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
| [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Alrewas
| [[Peculiar Court of Alrewas and Weeford]]  
| 2 - [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
|-
| Alstonefield
| [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Alton
| [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Armitage
| [[Peculiar Court of Hansacrea and Armitage]]  
| 2 - [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
|-
| Ashford
| [[Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield]]  
| 2 - [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
|-
| Ashley
| [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Aston
| [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Audley
| [[Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|}


<br>  
<br>


== Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts in Staffordshire<br> ==
=== Post-1857 Probate Records ===


Records and indexes for each court are also available in the collection of the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City.&nbsp; Search the [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FamilySearch Catalog/frameset_fhlc.asp FamilySearch Catalog] for the title of the court or the court as&nbsp;an author.&nbsp;
Beginning in 1858, the government took over the&nbsp;settlement of estates and all&nbsp;wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system.&nbsp; The system consists of 11 district registry offices and&nbsp;18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and&nbsp;the principal registry&nbsp;office located in London.&nbsp; The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service.&nbsp; To learn more, go to the [http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm HMCS website].  


<br>  
A&nbsp;country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills.&nbsp; 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 records for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br>


[[Category:Staffordshire Probate Records]]
<br>

Revision as of 16:06, 15 May 2009

For an explanation of probate records in England, click here. For an explanation  of probate records in England, click here.

Staffordshire Probate Courts[edit | edit source]

England Gotoarrow.png Stafford

For a general explanation of probate records in England, click here.

Getting Started[edit | edit source]

Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his/her heirs. 

In order to find a probate record for your ancestor, you must answer two questions:

  1. When did your ancestor die?
  2. Where did your ancestor live or own property?

A key date is 1858, when probate authority was taken from the ecclesiatical courts of the Church of England and given to the civil government. 

  • If your ancestor died before 1858, his/her probate would have been proven by an ecclesiatical court and it is important to know where he/she lived, as that will determine which courts had jurisdiction. 
  • If you know where your ancestor lived before 1858, you should go to the Court Jurisdictions section below to determine what courts had jurisdiction over your ancestor's place of residence. 
  • Beginning in 1858, probate authority was vested in the Principal Probate Registry system.  For more information, scroll to the Post-1857 Probate Records section at the bottom of the page.

Once you have answered the two questions and determined the courts, look for indexes.  Indexes will be found on the individual court pages (when you click on a court name) or in the Probate Indexes section below.


Staffordshire Probate Courts[edit | edit source]

The following probate courts had some jurisdiction over the county of Staffordshire prior to 1858:


In addition, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury had jurisdiction over the whole of England. Wealthier individuals, people who owned property in more than one county or lower court's jurisdiction, and Naval personnel often had their estates proven through the Archbishop's court.

Appeals Courts[edit | edit source]

Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:

Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts in Staffordshire
[edit | edit source]

Probate records for the first nine courts listed above are located at the Staffordshire Record Office.

Records and indexes for each court are also available in the collection of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  Search the Family History Library Catalog for the title of the court or the court as an author. 

Staffordshire Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions
[edit | edit source]

Here are links to an alphabetical list of Staffordshire parishes containing a prioritized list of courts with jurisdiction over each.  To see which courts to search for probates of persons living in or owning property in particular parish, click on the letter the parish name begins with.

 A    B    C   D-F   G    H-K    L    M-N    O-R    S     T-V    W-Z 


Probate Indexes[edit | edit source]

Before looking for a will, you should search an index.

Online Indexes[edit | edit source]

A general will index for Essex County is available online.  This single index consolidates just about all Essex county wills of the various probate court jurisdictions into one database.

http://linux02.lib.cam.ac.uk/earlscolne/probate/index.htm

This online website is a listing of a few transcribed wills. 

Printed Indexes[edit | edit source]

If the indexes on the Internet do not produce possible wills for your ancestors, look in the published indexes listed here.

The Essex County Record Office compiled and published a complete surname index covering wills and administrations from the first eight Essex County probate court jurisdictions listed above (through the Liberty of Sokens).  The index is available in three volumns at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City:

  • Emmison, F. G., ed.  [Index to] Wills at Chelmsford.  London: s.n., 1961, by the British Record Society.  (FHL book 942 B4b vols. 78, 79 & 84; also on microfilms 0962739 and 0962740, and on microfiche 6073796, 6073797, and 6073802.)

Other printed indexes are found listed on the court pages.  Click on the court name links above.


Post-1857 Probate Records[edit | edit source]

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 HMCS website.

A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills.  The indexes for 1858-1957 and the records for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.


Court Jurisdictions by Parish[edit | edit source]

Before 1858, every town and parish in Staffordshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts.  When looking for the will of an ancestor, you should search the courts in the order given. For an authoritative treatise on each Staffordshire probate court and the parishes comprising them in pre-1858, see Anthony J. Camp's publication, Wills and Their Whereabouts; also available at the Family History Library, FHL book call #942 S2wa. Search indexes first.  For indexes, click on the court name links above [soon to be constructed]. When looking for the will of an ancester, you should search the courts in the order given.  Search indexes first.  For indexes, click on the court name links above.

Here is a list of Staffordshire parishes beginning with the letter A and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them.  For other parishes, click on a letter link:  B-G, H-L, M-S, T-Z.


PARISH PRIMARY COURT SECONDARY COURTS - IN SEARCH ORDER
Abbots Bromley Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory) 2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Adbaston Peculiar of the Dean of Lichfield 2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Acton Trussel Peculiar Court of Whittington and Baswich 2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Aldridge Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory) 2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Alrewas Peculiar Court of Alrewas and Weeford 2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Alstonefield Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory) 2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Alton Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory) 2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Armitage Peculiar Court of Hansacrea and Armitage 2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Ashford Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield 2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Ashley Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory) 2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Aston Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory) 2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Audley Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory) 2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


Post-1857 Probate Records[edit | edit source]

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 HMCS website.

A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills.  The indexes for 1858-1957 and the records for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.


Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)

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