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Guide to locating probate records for ancestry, family history, and genealogy research.
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==What Probate Records Are==
 
*Probate is the legal process distributing real estate (property) and personal estate (possessions) to a person's heirs.  
__TOC__
*Testate is the term used when a will existed. Intestate means there was no will, and the court administers and distributes the estate.  
==What are probate records?==
*Other documents may be found in the full probate packet.  
*Probate is the '''legal process distributing real estate (property) and personal estate (possessions) to a person's heirs'''.  
*Probate records are available for only about 10% of families, usually landowners and the wealthy. Most farmers, merchants, and artisans did not own their own farms or shops and did not leave wills.
*'''Testate''' is the term used when a will existed. '''Intestate''' means there was no will, and the court '''administers''' and distributes the estate.  
*Other documents may be found in the '''full probate packet'''.  
*Probate records are '''available for only about 10% of families''', usually landowners and the wealthy. Most farmers, merchants, and artisans did not own their own farms or shops and did not leave wills.
*Probate records often pre-date other birth and death records.  
*Probate records often pre-date other birth and death records.  
*Wills are found in the town or county where the person lived when the will was made or where they died.
*Wills are '''found in the town or county''' where the person lived when the will was made or where they died.
*Probate records may include the deceased's date of death; names, relationships, residences of heirs and guardians; and names of witnesses.
Relatively few probate records have been microfilmed, so they may need to be used in local and regional German archives. They are often not indexed and require relatively good reading skills.
*Most wills were left by males with property; however, wills often list the names of the deceased's family and friends, so that many more people are listed in probate records than actually left them.


==Information in Probate Records==
==What can you find in probate records?==
Information recorded may include:
Information recorded may include:
*the death date
*the death date
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*names of executors
*names of executors


==How to Find Probate Records==
==How do you find Probate Records?==
===United States===
===United States===
*Probate records are kept on the county level for most of the United States and any online records will be found in the corresponding county Wiki pages.
*Probate records are kept on the county level for most of the United States and any online records will be found in the corresponding county Wiki pages.
*For general information about probate records, see [[United States Probate Records|United States Probate Records]]
*For general information about probate records, see [[United States Probate Records|United States Probate Records]]
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/textprototype/ United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search] at FamilySearch - try this index to probate records for the United States.
*Select a State then go to the clickable map to select the county your ancestor died in.
*''Select a State then go to the clickable map to select the county your ancestor died in.''


{| style="vertical-align:top;"
{|
|-
|-
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
<ul class="column-spacing-halfscreen" style="padding-right:5px; width: 600px;">
   <li>[[Alabama Probate Records|Alabama]]</li>
   <li>[[Alabama Probate Records|Alabama]]</li>  
   <li>[[Alaska Probate Records|Alaska]]</li>
   <li>[[Alaska Probate Records|Alaska]]</li>  
   <li>[[Arizona Probate Records|Arizona]]</li>
   <li>[[Arizona Probate Records|Arizona]]</li>  
   <li>[[Arkansas Probate Records|Arkansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Arkansas Probate Records|Arkansas]]</li>  
   <li>[[California Probate Records|California]]</li>
   <li>[[California Probate Records|California]]</li>  
   <li>[[Colorado Probate Records|Colorado]]</li>
   <li>[[Colorado Probate Records|Colorado]]</li>  
   <li>[[Connecticut Probate Records|Connecticut]]</li>
   <li>[[Connecticut Probate Records|Connecticut]]</li>  
   <li>[[Delaware Probate Records|Delaware]]</li>
   <li>[[Delaware Probate Records|Delaware]]</li>
   <li>[[Florida Probate Records|Florida]]</li>
  <li>[[District of Columbia Probate Records|District of Columbia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Georgia Probate Records|Georgia]]</li>
   <li>[[Florida Probate Records|Florida]]</li>  
   <li>[[Hawaii Probate Records|Hawaii]]</li>
   <li>[[Georgia Probate Records|Georgia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Idaho Probate Records|Idaho]]</li>
   <li>[[Hawaii Probate Records|Hawaii]]</li>  
   <li>[[Illinois Probate Records|Illinois]]</li>
   <li>[[Idaho Probate Records|Idaho]]</li>  
   <li>[[Indiana Probate Records|Indiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Illinois Probate Records|Illinois]]</li>  
   <li>[[Iowa Probate Records|Iowa]]</li>
   <li>[[Indiana Probate Records|Indiana]]</li>  
   <li>[[Iowa Probate Records|Iowa]]</li>  
   <li>[[Kansas Probate Records|Kansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Kansas Probate Records|Kansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Kentucky Probate Records|Kentucky]]</li>
   <li>[[Kentucky Probate Records|Kentucky]]</li>  
   <li>[[Louisiana Probate Records|Louisiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Louisiana Probate Records|Louisiana]]</li>  
   <li>[[Maine Probate Records|Maine]]</li>
   <li>[[Maine Probate Records|Maine]]</li>  
   <li>[[Maryland Probate Records|Maryland]]</li>
   <li>[[Maryland Probate Records|Maryland]]</li>  
   <li>[[Massachusetts Probate Records|Massachusetts]]</li>
   <li>[[Massachusetts Probate Records|Massachusetts]]</li>  
   <li>[[Michigan Probate Records|Michigan]]</li>
   <li>[[Michigan Probate Records|Michigan]]</li>  
   <li>[[Minnesota Probate Records|Minnesota]]</li>
   <li>[[Minnesota Probate Records|Minnesota]]</li>  
   <li>[[Mississippi Probate Records|Mississippi]]</li>
   <li>[[Mississippi Probate Records|Mississippi]]</li>  
   <li>[[Missouri Probate Records|Missouri]]</li>
   <li>[[Missouri Probate Records|Missouri]]</li>  
   <li>[[Montana Probate Records|Montana]]</li>
   <li>[[Montana Probate Records|Montana]]</li>  
   <li>[[Nebraska Probate Records|Nebraska]]</li>
   <li>[[Nebraska Probate Records|Nebraska]]</li>  
   <li>[[Nevada Probate Records|Nevada]]</li>
   <li>[[Nevada Probate Records|Nevada]]</li>  
   <li>[[New Hampshire Probate Records|New Hampshire]]</li>
   <li>[[New Hampshire Probate Records|New Hampshire]]</li>  
   <li>[[New Jersey Probate Records|New Jersey]]</li>
   <li>[[New Jersey Probate Records|New Jersey]]</li>  
   <li>[[New Mexico Probate Records|New Mexico]]</li>
   <li>[[New Mexico Probate Records|New Mexico]]</li>  
   <li>[[New York Probate Records|New York]]</li>
   <li>[[New York Probate Records|New York]]</li>  
   <li>[[North Carolina Probate Records|North Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[North Carolina Probate Records|North Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[North Dakota Probate Records|North Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[North Dakota Probate Records|North Dakota]]</li>  
   <li>[[Ohio Probate Records|Ohio]]</li>
   <li>[[Ohio Probate Records|Ohio]]</li>  
   <li>[[Oklahoma Probate Records|Oklahoma]]</li>
   <li>[[Oklahoma Probate Records|Oklahoma]]</li>  
   <li>[[Oregon Probate Records|Oregon]]</li>
   <li>[[Oregon Probate Records|Oregon]]</li>  
   <li>[[Pennsylvania Probate Records|Pennsylvania]]</li>
   <li>[[Pennsylvania Probate Records|Pennsylvania]]</li>  
   <li>[[Rhode Island Probate Records|Rhode Island]]</li>
   <li>[[Rhode Island Probate Records|Rhode Island]]</li>  
   <li>[[South Carolina Probate Records|South Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[South Carolina Probate Records|South Carolina]]</li>  
   <li>[[South Dakota Probate Records|South Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[South Dakota Probate Records|South Dakota]]</li>  
   <li>[[Tennessee Probate Records|Tennessee]]</li>
   <li>[[Tennessee Probate Records|Tennessee]]</li>  
   <li>[[Texas Probate Records|Texas]]</li>
   <li>[[Texas Probate Records|Texas]]</li>  
   <li>[[Utah Probate Records|Utah]]</li>
   <li>[[Utah Probate Records|Utah]]</li>  
   <li>[[Vermont Probate Records|Vermont]]</li>
   <li>[[Vermont Probate Records|Vermont]]</li>  
   <li>[[Virginia Probate Records|Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[Virginia Probate Records|Virginia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Washington Probate Records|Washington]]</li>
   <li>[[Washington Probate Records|Washington]]</li>  
   <li>[[West Virginia Probate Records|West Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[West Virginia Probate Records|West Virginia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Wisconsin Probate Records|Wisconsin]]</li>
   <li>[[Wisconsin Probate Records|Wisconsin]]</li>  
   <li>[[Wyoming Probate Records|Wyoming]]</li>
   <li>[[Wyoming Probate Records|Wyoming]]</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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===Canada Probate Records===
===Canada Probate Records===
*Probate records are kept on the county or district level for most of Canada and any online records.
*Probate records are kept on the county level for most of the United States and any online records will be found in the corresponding county Wiki pages.
*For general information about probate records, see [[Canada Probate Records|Canada Probate Records]]
*For general information about probate records, see [[United States Probate Records|United States Probate Records]]
*''Select a province then go to the clickable map to select the county or district your ancestor died in.''
*Select a State then go to the clickable map to select the county your ancestor died in.
{| style="vertical-align:top;"
{|  
|-
|-
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right:5px;">
   <li>[[Alberta Probate Records|Alberta]]</li>  
   <li>[[Alberta Probate Records|Alberta]]</li>  
   <li>[[British Columbia Probate Records|British Columbia]]</li>  
   <li>[[British Columbia Probate Records|British Columbia]]</li>  
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|}
|}


==Research Strategies==


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[[Category:United States Probate Records]]
[[Category:Probate Records]]

Revision as of 10:21, 5 April 2023

Guide to locating probate records for ancestry, family history, and genealogy research.


What are probate records?[edit | edit source]

  • Probate is the legal process distributing real estate (property) and personal estate (possessions) to a person's heirs.
  • Testate is the term used when a will existed. Intestate means there was no will, and the court administers and distributes the estate.
  • Other documents may be found in the full probate packet.
  • Probate records are available for only about 10% of families, usually landowners and the wealthy. Most farmers, merchants, and artisans did not own their own farms or shops and did not leave wills.
  • Probate records often pre-date other birth and death records.
  • Wills are found in the town or county where the person lived when the will was made or where they died.

Relatively few probate records have been microfilmed, so they may need to be used in local and regional German archives. They are often not indexed and require relatively good reading skills.

What can you find in probate records?[edit | edit source]

Information recorded may include:

  • the death date
  • names of heirs
  • family members
  • guardians
  • relationships
  • residences
  • inventories of the estate (including trade and household goods)
  • names of witnesses
  • names of executors

How do you find Probate Records?[edit | edit source]

United States[edit | edit source]

  • Probate records are kept on the county level for most of the United States and any online records will be found in the corresponding county Wiki pages.
  • For general information about probate records, see United States Probate Records
  • Select a State then go to the clickable map to select the county your ancestor died in.

Canada Probate Records[edit | edit source]

  • Probate records are kept on the county level for most of the United States and any online records will be found in the corresponding county Wiki pages.
  • For general information about probate records, see United States Probate Records
  • Select a State then go to the clickable map to select the county your ancestor died in.






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