Cambridgeshire Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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''[[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Cambridgeshire]]''
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| link5=[[Cambridgeshire_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]
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== 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 Cambridgeshire. See [[England Probate Records]] for a general description of probate records in England.  
The following article is about probate records in the county of Cambridgeshire. For general information about English probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]].  


=== 1858 to the Present  ===
<br>


Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
== Description  ==


==== Online Records ====
''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The term ''probate'' refers to a collection of documents, including [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]], [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]] (also called admons), [[I genealogical glossary terms|inventories]], and [[A genealogical glossary terms|act books]]. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858. This article explains about probates and how to get started to search for a will.


*'''1858-1957''' {{RecordSearch|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
Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry. The '''Probates After 1857'''&nbsp;section below has a link to an article about probates after 1857.  
*'''1858-1995''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1904/ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995] at Ancestry
*'''1858-2019''' [https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-records/england-and-wales-government-probate-death-index-1858-2019 England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019] at Findmypast


=== Before 1858  ===
<br>


Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Cambridgeshire, follow these steps:
== Getting Started  ==


==== Step 1. Search Indexes  ====
''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 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 Probates After 1857 section below contains links to additional information about the records of this court.  


Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Cambridgeshire. Search this index first:  
To look for a probate record before 1858:<br>


*Archdeaconry of Ely Probate Records 1513-1857. Online at: [https://archive.org/details/indexofprobatere0000thur Internet Archive], [https://www.findmypast.com/articles/england-and-wales-published-wills-and-probate-indexes-1300-1858-volumes-available/cambridgeshire/archdeaconry-of-ely-probate-records-1513-1857--introduction-to-original-volume Findmypast] ($).
#Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived.  
*Consistory Court of Ely Probate Records 1449-1858. Online at: [https://www.findmypast.com/articles/england-and-wales-published-wills-and-probate-indexes-1300-1858-volumes-available/cambridgeshire/consistory-court-of-ely-probate-records-1449-1858-introduction-to-original-volume Findmypast] ($).
#Go to [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Cambridgeshire_Probate_Records#Court_Jurisdictions Court Jurisdictions] section below.  
*[https://www.chfhs.org.uk/search-the-database Cambridgeshire Wills Surname Index pre-1858.]  Established by the Cambridgeshire Family History Society, this index is small but is growing. Contributions are welcome. (use drop down menu to find wills)
#Click a letter or span of letters for your place name. This opens a jurisdictions table.  
#Follow the instructions on the jurisdictions table page.<br>


See other indexes on the court pages.  Click on a court name link in the Cambridgeshire Probate Courts section above.<br>
== Cambridgeshire Probate Courts ==


Did you find a reference to a probate record?
Here is a list of the ecclesiastical courts that had some pre-1858 probate jurisdiction over the parishes of Cambridgeshire. &nbsp;Click on a court name for more information.&nbsp; Also see the Indexes section below.&nbsp;


*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Ely]] (Diocese of Ely)
*If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk]] (Diocese of Norwich)
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury]] (Diocese of Norwich)
*[[Court of the Bishop of Ely]] (Episcopal Consistory)
*[[Court of the Bishop of Norwich]] (Episcopal Consistory)
*[[Courts of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) and Archdeaconry of Rochester]]
*[[Court of the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Isleham and Freckenham]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of King's College]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar Parish of Thorney]]


==== Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died  ====
In addition, the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] had jurisdiction over the whole of England and specifically in the following cases.<br>


Determine ''when'' your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date. 
*Wealthy individuals<br>
*People who owned property in more than one county<br>
*Military and naval personnel<br>
*People who lived or owned property outside England<br>


Determine ''where'' your ancestor died. It is easier to find a probate record if you know whether the place where your ancestor lived or died is a [[P genealogical glossary terms|parish]]. To learn whether it is a parish, look it up in a gazetteer. Here is a link to the 1872 ''Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'' online:
=== Appeals Courts  ===


*[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/ Vision of Britain]
Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:  


The gazetteer will either tell you:
*[[Court of Arches]]
*[[High Court of Delegates]]


*A place is a parish, or
The [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] also served as an appeals court.  
*What parish it is a part of, or
*What place it is near.


If the latter, look that place up in the gazetteer and see if it is a parish.
== Court Jurisdictions by Parish<br>  ==


Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.  
Before 1858, probate of the estates of deceased persons was handled by eccelesiastical courts of the Church of England.&nbsp; Every parish was under the jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts.  


==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish  ====
<br>


Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, learn which courts had jurisdiction over it then search indexes for those courts. Every town and parish in Cambridgeshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Click on a link below for the letter the parish begins with:
== Probate Indexes Online  ==


<br>
Before looking for a will, you should search an index. One to search is:


{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" border="0" style="width: 369px; height: 30px" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
*[http://www.cfhs.org.uk/camwisdex.html Cambridgeshire Wills Surname Index pre-1858].&nbsp; Established by the Cambridgeshire Family History Society, this index is small but is growing.&nbsp; Contributions are welcome.
|-
 
|   
See other indexes on the court pages.&nbsp; Click on a court name link in the Cambridgeshire Probate Courts section above.
| [[Cambridgeshire_Probate_Jurisdictions,_Parishes_A-B|A-B]]
| [[Cambridgeshire_Probate_Jurisdictions,_Parishes_C|C]] 
| [[Cambridgeshire_Probate_Jurisdictions,_Parishes_D-G|D-G]]
| [[Cambridgeshire_Probate_Jurisdictions,_Parishes_H-L|H-L]]
| [[Cambridgeshire_Probate_Jurisdictions,_Parishes_M-R|M-R]] 
| [[Cambridgeshire_Probate_Jurisdictions,_Parishes_S-Z|S-Z]]
|}


<br>
<br>


==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record  ====
== Estate Duty Records<br> ==


Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:
Starting in 1796, a tax or death duty was payable on estates over a certain value. Estate duty abstracts may add considerable information not found elsewhere. Estate duty indexes may help locate a will. For more information, go to [[Estate Duty Records]].<br>


*{{FSC|England, Cambridgeshire - Probate records|subject|subject-id=1913732118|disp=Cambridgeshire 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>
<br>
*Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection.
 
== Cambridgeshire Probate Courts  ==


Here is a list of the ecclesiastical courts that had some pre-1858 probate jurisdiction over the parishes of Cambridgeshire.  Click on a court name for more information.  Also see the Indexes section below. 
== &nbsp;Probates After 1857  ==
 
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Ely]] (Diocese of Ely)
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk]] (Diocese of Norwich)
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury]] (Diocese of Norwich)
*[[Court of the Bishop of Ely (Episcopal Consistory)|Court of the Bishop of Ely]] (Episcopal Consistory)
*[[Court of the Bishop of Norwich]] (Episcopal Consistory)
*[[Courts of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) and Archdeaconry of Rochester]]
*[[Court of the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Isleham and Freckenham]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of King's College]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar Parish of Thorney]]
*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] &gt;


{{Place|Cambridgeshire|Probate}}
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. For more information, go to [[Principal Probate Registry]].<br>
{{England Probate Records}}


[[Category:Cambridgeshire Probate Records]]
[[Category:Cambridgeshire]]

Revision as of 10:22, 23 December 2009

England Gotoarrow.png Cambridgeshire

The following article is about probate records in the county of Cambridgeshire. For general information about English probate records, click here.


Description[edit | edit source]

Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The term probate refers to a collection of documents, including wills, administrations (also called admons), inventories, and act books. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858. This article explains about probates and how to get started to search for a will.

Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry. The Probates After 1857 section below has a link to an article about probates after 1857.


Getting Started[edit | edit source]

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 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 Probates After 1857 section below contains links to additional information about the records of this court.

To look for a probate record before 1858:

  1. Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived.
  2. Go to Court Jurisdictions section below.
  3. Click a letter or span of letters for your place name. This opens a jurisdictions table.
  4. Follow the instructions on the jurisdictions table page.

Cambridgeshire Probate Courts[edit | edit source]

Here is a list of the ecclesiastical courts that had some pre-1858 probate jurisdiction over the parishes of Cambridgeshire.  Click on a court name for more information.  Also see the Indexes section below. 

In addition, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury had jurisdiction over the whole of England and specifically in the following cases.

  • Wealthy individuals
  • People who owned property in more than one county
  • Military and naval personnel
  • People who lived or owned property outside England

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:

The Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury also served as an appeals court.

Court Jurisdictions by Parish
[edit | edit source]

Before 1858, probate of the estates of deceased persons was handled by eccelesiastical courts of the Church of England.  Every parish was under the jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts.


Probate Indexes Online[edit | edit source]

Before looking for a will, you should search an index. One to search is:

See other indexes on the court pages.  Click on a court name link in the Cambridgeshire Probate Courts section above.


Estate Duty Records
[edit | edit source]

Starting in 1796, a tax or death duty was payable on estates over a certain value. Estate duty abstracts may add considerable information not found elsewhere. Estate duty indexes may help locate a will. For more information, go to Estate Duty Records.


 Probates After 1857[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. For more information, go to Principal Probate Registry.

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