Sussex Probate Records: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:42, 20 May 2010

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. This article is about probate records in Sussex. For a general description of England probate records, click here.

1858 to the Present[edit | edit source]

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

Before 1858[edit | edit source]

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

Step 1. Search Indexes[edit | edit source]

Here are some online indexes to probate records that include invididuals who lived in Sussex. Search these indexes first:

http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml -- compiled by the Sussex Family History Group which has transcribed the names of 12,300 individuals found in Sussex wills, including testators, executors, beneficiaries or witnesses. The information recorded includes name, date and place.
The Sussex Record Society has published four volumes of indexes to Sussex wills, and these can be viewed on their website. They are arranged by parish then by surname.
Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858).

Did you find a reference to a probate record?

If yes, go to Step 4 below.
If no, go to Step 2 below.

Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died[edit | edit source]

Determine when your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.

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 parish. To learn whether it is a parish, look it up in a gazetteer. Here are links to gazetteers online.

Vision of Britain

Once you have identified the parish, go to Step 3.

Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish [edit | edit source]

Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, you need to learn which courts had jurisdiction over it. Every town and parish in Sussex 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.

A

B

C

D-F

G

H-K

L-M

N-P

Q-R

S

T-Z

Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record[edit | edit source]

Sussex Probate Courts[edit | edit source]

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.

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.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Sussex-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb
+''[[England]]&nbsp;[[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Sussex]]''
-| link1=[[England Genealogy|England]]
-| link2=[[Sussex, England Genealogy|Sussex]]
-| link3=
-| link4=
-| link5=[[Sussex_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]
-}}
-==Online Resources==
-*
 == 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 Sussex. 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 or her heirs. This article is about probate records in Sussex. For a general description of England probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]].
 === 1858 to the Present  ===
 Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
-==== Online Records ====
-*'''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
-*'''1858-1995''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1904/ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995] at Ancestry ($); index
-*'''1858-2018''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/england-and-wales-government-probate-death-index-1858-2019 England and Wales Government Probate Death Index, 1858-2018] at Findmypast ($) index
 === Before 1858  ===
@@ Line 30: / Line 15: @@
 ==== Step 1. Search Indexes  ====
-Wills from various parishes in Sussex have been indexed and made available online for free. See [http://www.sussex-opc.org/ Sussex Online Parish Clerks] to find these indexes.
+Here are some online indexes to probate records that include invididuals who lived in Sussex.&nbsp;Search these indexes first:
-*'''1482-1858''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62214/ West Sussex, England, Wills and Probate, 1482-1858] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
+*[http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml]&nbsp;-- compiled by the Sussex Family History Group which has transcribed the names of 12,300 individuals found in Sussex wills, including testators, executors, beneficiaries or witnesses.&nbsp;The information recorded includes name, date&nbsp;and place.
-*'''1518-1858''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62213/ East Sussex, England, Wills and Probate, 1518-1858] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
+*The [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/home2.asp?an=&ap= Sussex Record Society] has&nbsp;published four volumes of indexes to Sussex wills, and these&nbsp;can be viewed on&nbsp;their [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/bwills1.asp?an=&ap= website]. They are arranged by parish then by surname.&nbsp;
+*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wills.asp?WT.hp=Wills Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)].
-*https://sfhg.uk/resources/indexes/wills/names-from-wills<nowiki/>-- compiled by the Sussex Family History Group which has transcribed the names of 12,300 individuals found in Sussex wills, including testators, executors, beneficiaries or witnesses. The information recorded includes name, date and place.
+Did you find a reference to a probate record?
-*The [https://www.sussexrecordsociety.org/ Sussex Record Society] has published four volumes of indexes to Sussex wills, and these can be viewed on their [https://www.sussexrecordsociety.org/?s=Wills+index Website]. They are arranged by parish then by surname.
-*[https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12122 Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)].
-Did you find a reference to a probate record?
+*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
-*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
 *If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.
 ==== Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died  ====
-Determine ''when'' your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.
+Determine ''when'' your ancestor died.&nbsp;If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.&nbsp;
-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:
+Determine ''where'' your ancestor died.&nbsp;It is easier to find a probate record if&nbsp;you know&nbsp;whether the place where your ancestor lived or died is a [[P genealogical glossary terms|parish]]. To learn whether it is a parish,&nbsp;look it up in&nbsp;a gazetteer. Here are links to gazetteers online.
-*[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/index.jsp Vision of Britain]
+*[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/index.jsp Vision of Britain]
-The gazetteer will either tell you:
+Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.
-*A place is a parish, or
+==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish&nbsp;  ====
-*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.
+Once you have identified the parish&nbsp;where your ancestor lived or died, you need to&nbsp;learn which courts had jurisdiction over it.&nbsp;Every town and parish in Sussex&nbsp;fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary&nbsp;courts.&nbsp;Click on a link below for the letter the&nbsp;parish begins with.
-Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.
-==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish  ====
-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 Sussex 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.
 {| style="width: 660px; height: 25px" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="660" border="1"
 |-
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'A'|A]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'A'|A]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'B'|B]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'B'|B]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'C'|C]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'C'|C]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'D-F'|D-F]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'D-F'|D-F]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'G'|G]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'G'|G]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'H-K'|H-K]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'H-K'|H-K]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'L-M'|L-M]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'L-M'|L-M]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'N-P'|N-P]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'N-P'|N-P]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'Q-R'|Q-R]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'Q-R'|Q-R]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'S'|S]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'S'|S]]&nbsp;&nbsp;
-|  [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'T-Z'|T-Z]]
+| &nbsp;[[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'T-Z'|T-Z]]&nbsp; &nbsp;
 |}
 <br>
-==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record  ====
+==== Step 4.&nbsp;Obtain a copy of the probate record ====
+== Sussex Probate Courts  ==
-Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:
-*{{FSC|England, Sussex - Probate records|subject|subject-id=51161404|disp=Sussex 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>
-*Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection. Sussex has two record offices, the [https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/localandfamilyhistory/esro/ East Sussex Record Office] and the [https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/leisure-recreation-and-community/history-and-heritage/west-sussex-record-office/ West Sussex Record Office]. If you are unable to visit a record office, they both provide a research service for a fee.
-== Sussex Probate Courts  ==
+=== Appeals Courts  ===
+Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:
+*[[Court of Arches]]
+*[[High Court of Delegates]]
+The [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] also served as an appeals court.
+<br>
+== Estate Duty Records<br> ==
-Here is a list of all of the pre-1858 ecclesiastical courts that had probate jurisdiction over Sussex. For more information, click on a court name.
+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><br>
-*[[Court of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) of Chichester for the Archdeaconry of Chichester]]
+<br>
-*[[Court of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) of Chichester for the Archdeaconry of Lewes]]
-*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Dean of Chichester]]
-*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Exempt Deaneries of Pagham and Tarring]]
-*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Exempt Deanery of South Malling]]
-*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
 {{Place|Sussex}}
-[[Category:Sussex Probate Records|
+[[Category:Sussex]]
-Probate]]