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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.  
==Online Resources==
*Other documents may be found in the full probate packet.  
*'''''To access probate records for a specific county use the [[Probate Records#How do you find Probate Records?|links to country pages]] below.'''''
*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.
 
==What are probate records?==
*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.  
*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.
*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.
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|-
|-
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
   <li>[[Alabama Probate Records|Alabama]]</li>
   <li>[[Alabama, United States Genealogy|Alabama]]</li>
   <li>[[Alaska Probate Records|Alaska]]</li>
   <li>[[Alaska, United States Genealogy|Alaska]]</li>
   <li>[[Arizona Probate Records|Arizona]]</li>
   <li>[[Arizona, United States Genealogy|Arizona]]</li>
   <li>[[Arkansas Probate Records|Arkansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Arkansas, United States Genealogy|Arkansas]]</li>
   <li>[[California Probate Records|California]]</li>
   <li>[[California, United States Genealogy|California]]</li>
   <li>[[Colorado Probate Records|Colorado]]</li>
   <li>[[Colorado, United States Genealogy|Colorado]]</li>
   <li>[[Connecticut Probate Records|Connecticut]]</li>
   <li>[[Connecticut, United States Genealogy|Connecticut]]</li>
   <li>[[Delaware Probate Records|Delaware]]</li>
   <li>[[Delaware, United States Genealogy|Delaware]]</li>
   <li>[[Florida Probate Records|Florida]]</li>
   <li>[[Florida, United States Genealogy|Florida]]</li>
   <li>[[Georgia Probate Records|Georgia]]</li>
   <li>[[Georgia, United States Genealogy|Georgia]]</li>
   <li>[[Hawaii Probate Records|Hawaii]]</li>
   <li>[[Hawaii, United States Genealogy|Hawaii]]</li>
   <li>[[Idaho Probate Records|Idaho]]</li>
   <li>[[Idaho, United States Genealogy|Idaho]]</li>
   <li>[[Illinois Probate Records|Illinois]]</li>
   <li>[[Illinois, United States Genealogy|Illinois]]</li>
   <li>[[Indiana Probate Records|Indiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Indiana, United States Genealogy|Indiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Iowa Probate Records|Iowa]]</li>
   <li>[[Iowa, United States Genealogy|Iowa]]</li>
   <li>[[Kansas Probate Records|Kansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Kansas, United States Genealogy|Kansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Kentucky Probate Records|Kentucky]]</li>
   <li>[[Kentucky, United States Genealogy|Kentucky]]</li>
   <li>[[Louisiana Probate Records|Louisiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Louisiana, United States Genealogy|Louisiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Maine Probate Records|Maine]]</li>
   <li>[[Maine, United States Genealogy|Maine]]</li>
   <li>[[Maryland Probate Records|Maryland]]</li>
   <li>[[Maryland, United States Genealogy|Maryland]]</li>
   <li>[[Massachusetts Probate Records|Massachusetts]]</li>
   <li>[[Massachusetts, United States Genealogy|Massachusetts]]</li>
   <li>[[Michigan Probate Records|Michigan]]</li>
   <li>[[Michigan, United States Genealogy|Michigan]]</li>
   <li>[[Minnesota Probate Records|Minnesota]]</li>
   <li>[[Minnesota, United States Genealogy|Minnesota]]</li>
   <li>[[Mississippi Probate Records|Mississippi]]</li>
   <li>[[Mississippi, United States Genealogy|Mississippi]]</li>
   <li>[[Missouri Probate Records|Missouri]]</li>
   <li>[[Missouri, United States Genealogy|Missouri]]</li>
   <li>[[Montana Probate Records|Montana]]</li>
   <li>[[Montana, United States Genealogy|Montana]]</li>
   <li>[[Nebraska Probate Records|Nebraska]]</li>
   <li>[[Nebraska, United States Genealogy|Nebraska]]</li>
   <li>[[Nevada Probate Records|Nevada]]</li>
   <li>[[Nevada, United States Genealogy|Nevada]]</li>
   <li>[[New Hampshire Probate Records|New Hampshire]]</li>
   <li>[[New Hampshire, United States Genealogy|New Hampshire]]</li>
   <li>[[New Jersey Probate Records|New Jersey]]</li>
   <li>[[New Jersey, United States Genealogy|New Jersey]]</li>
   <li>[[New Mexico Probate Records|New Mexico]]</li>
   <li>[[New Mexico, United States Genealogy|New Mexico]]</li>
   <li>[[New York Probate Records|New York]]</li>
   <li>[[New York, United States Genealogy|New York]]</li>
   <li>[[North Carolina Probate Records|North Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[North Carolina, United States Genealogy|North Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[North Dakota Probate Records|North Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[North Dakota, United States Genealogy|North Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[Ohio Probate Records|Ohio]]</li>
   <li>[[Ohio, United States Genealogy|Ohio]]</li>
   <li>[[Oklahoma Probate Records|Oklahoma]]</li>
   <li>[[Oklahoma, United States Genealogy|Oklahoma]]</li>
   <li>[[Oregon Probate Records|Oregon]]</li>
   <li>[[Oregon, United States Genealogy|Oregon]]</li>
   <li>[[Pennsylvania Probate Records|Pennsylvania]]</li>
   <li>[[Pennsylvania, United States Genealogy|Pennsylvania]]</li>
   <li>[[Rhode Island Probate Records|Rhode Island]]</li>
   <li>[[Rhode Island, United States Genealogy|Rhode Island]]</li>
   <li>[[South Carolina Probate Records|South Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[South Carolina, United States Genealogy|South Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[South Dakota Probate Records|South Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[South Dakota, United States Genealogy|South Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[Tennessee Probate Records|Tennessee]]</li>
   <li>[[Tennessee, United States Genealogy|Tennessee]]</li>
   <li>[[Texas Probate Records|Texas]]</li>
   <li>[[Texas, United States Genealogy|Texas]]</li>
   <li>[[Utah Probate Records|Utah]]</li>
   <li>[[Utah, United States Genealogy|Utah]]</li>
   <li>[[Vermont Probate Records|Vermont]]</li>
   <li>[[Vermont, United States Genealogy|Vermont]]</li>
   <li>[[Virginia Probate Records|Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[Virginia, United States Genealogy|Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[Washington Probate Records|Washington]]</li>
   <li>[[Washington, United States Genealogy|Washington]]</li>
   <li>[[West Virginia Probate Records|West Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[West Virginia, United States Genealogy|West Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[Wisconsin Probate Records|Wisconsin]]</li>
   <li>[[Wisconsin, United States Genealogy|Wisconsin]]</li>
   <li>[[Wyoming Probate Records|Wyoming]]</li>
   <li>[[Wyoming, United States Genealogy|Wyoming]]</li>
</ul>
</ul>
|}
|}
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|}
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==Research Strategies==
===British Isles===
*Probate records are kept on the county for British Isles countries.
*''Select a country 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%">
<li>[[England Genealogy|England]]</li> 
<li>[[Ireland Genealogy|Ireland, The Republic of]]</li>
<li>[[Isle of Man Genealogy|Isle of Man]]</li>
<li>[[Northern Ireland Genealogy|Northern Ireland]]</li>
<li>[[Scotland Genealogy|Scotland]]</li>
<li>[[Wales Genealogy|Wales]]</li>
<li>[[Guernsey Genealogy|Guernsey]]</li>
<li>[[Jersey Genealogy|Jersey]]</li>
</ul>
|-
|}
 
===Europe===
{| style="vertical-align:top;"
|-
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
<li>[[Albania Genealogy|Albania]]</li>
<li>[[Andorra Genealogy|Andorra]]</li>
    <li>[[Armenia Genealogy|Armenia]]</li>
    <li>[[Austria Genealogy|Austria]]</li>
<li>[[Azerbaijan Genealogy|Azerbaijan]]
    <li>[[Belarus Genealogy|Belarus]]</li>
    <li>[[Belgium Genealogy|Belgium]]</li>
<li>[[Bosnia and Herzegovina Genealogy|Bosnia and Herzegovina]]</li>
<li>[[Bulgaria Genealogy|Bulgaria]]</li>
<li>[[Croatia Genealogy|Croatia]]</li>
<li>[[Cyprus Genealogy|Cyprus]]</li>
    <li>[[Czechia Genealogy|Czechia]]</li>
<li>[[Denmark Genealogy|Denmark]]</li>
<li>[[Estonia Genealogy|Estonia]]</li>
<li>[[Finland Genealogy|Finland]]</li>
<li>[[France Genealogy|France]]</li>
<li>[[Georgia (country) Genealogy|Georgia]]</li>
<li>[[Gibraltar Genealogy|Gibraltar]]</li>
<li>[[Germany Genealogy|Germany]]</li>
<li>[[Greece Genealogy|Greece]]</li>
<li>[[Hungary Genealogy|Hungary]]</li>
<li>[[Iceland Genealogy|Iceland]]</li>
<li>[[Italy Genealogy|Italy]]</li>
<li>[[Kosovo Genealogy|Kosovo]]</li>
<li>[[Latvia Genealogy|Latvia]]</li>
<li>[[Liechtenstein Genealogy|Liechtenstein]]</li>
<li>[[Lithuania Genealogy|Lithuania]]</li>
<li>[[Luxembourg Genealogy|Luxembourg]]</li>
<li>[[Malta Genealogy|Malta]]</li>
<li>[[Moldova Genealogy|Moldova]]</li>
<li>[[Monaco Genealogy|Monaco]]</li>
<li>[[Montenegro Genealogy|Montenegro]]</li>
<li>[[The Netherlands Genealogy|The Netherlands]]</li>
<li>[[North Macedonia Genealogy|North Macedonia]]</li>
<li>[[Norway Genealogy|Norway]]</li>
<li>[[Poland Genealogy|Poland]]</li>
<li>[[Portugal Genealogy|Portugal]]</li>
<li>[[Romania Genealogy|Romania]]</li>
<li>[[Russia Genealogy|Russia]]</li>
<li>[[San Marino Genealogy|San Marino]]</li>
<li>[[Serbia Genealogy|Serbia]]</li>
<li>[[Slovakia Genealogy|Slovakia]]</li>
<li>[[Slovenia Genealogy|Slovenia]]</li>
<li>[[Spain Genealogy|Spain]]</li>
<li>[[Sweden Genealogy|Sweden]]</li>
<li>[[Switzerland Genealogy|Switzerland]]</li>
<li>[[Ukraine Genealogy|Ukraine]]</li>
<li>[[Vatican City Genealogy|Vatican City]]</li>
</ul>
 
===Asia===
{| style="vertical-align:top;"
|-
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
<li>[[Afghanistan Genealogy|Afghanistan]]</li>
<li>[[Bangladesh  Genealogy|Bangladesh]]</li>
<li>[[Brunei  Genealogy|Brunei]]</li>
<li>[[Bhutan Genealogy|Bhutan]]</li>
<li>[[British Indian Ocean Territory Genealogy|British Indian Ocean Territory]]</li>
<li>[[Cambodia Genealogy|Cambodia]]</li>
<li>[[Chinese_Genealogy|China]]</li>
<li>[[East Timor Genealogy|East Timor (Timor-Leste)]]</li>
<li>[[Chinese_Genealogy|Hong Kong]]</li>
<li>[[India Genealogy|India]]</li>
<li>[[Indonesia Genealogy|Indonesia]]</li>
<li>[[Japan Genealogy|Japan]]</li>
<li>[[Kazakhstan Genealogy|Kazakhstan]]</li>
<li>[[Kyrgyzstan Genealogy|Kyrgyzstan]]</li>
<li>[[Laos Genealogy|Laos]]</li>
<li>[[Chinese_Genealogy|Macau]]</li>
<li>[[Malaysia Genealogy|Malaysia]]</li>
<li>[[Maldives Genealogy|Maldives]]</li>
<li>[[Mongolia Genealogy|Mongolia]]</li>
<li>[[Myanmar Genealogy|Myanmar (Burma)]]</li>
<li>[[Nepal Genealogy|Nepal]]</li>
<li>[[North Korea Genealogy|North Korea]]</li>
<li>[[Pakistan Genealogy|Pakistan]]</li>
<li>[[Philippines Genealogy|Philippines]]</li>
<li>[[Singapore Genealogy|Singapore]]</li>
<li>[[South Korea Genealogy|South Korea]]</li>
<li>[[Sri Lanka Genealogy|Sri Lanka]]</li>
<li>[[Chinese_Genealogy|Taiwan]]</li>
<li>[[Tajikistan Genealogy|Tajikistan]]</li>
<li>[[Thailand Genealogy|Thailand]]</li>
<li>[[Turkmenistan Genealogy|Turkmenistan]]</li>
<li>[[Uzbekistan Genealogy|Uzbekistan]]</li>
<li>[[Vietnam Genealogy|Vietnam]]</li>
</ul>
|}


===Africa===
{| style="vertical-align:top;"
|-
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
<li>[[Algeria Genealogy|Algeria]]</li>
<li>[[Angola Genealogy|Angola]]</li>
<li>[[Benin Genealogy|Benin]]</li>
<li>[[Botswana Genealogy|Botswana]]</li>
<li>[[Burkina Faso Genealogy|Burkina Faso]]</li>
<li>[[Burundi Genealogy|Burundi]]</li>
<li>[[Cameroon Genealogy|Cameroon]]</li>
<li>[[Cape Verde Genealogy|Cape Verde]]</li>
<li>[[Central African Republic Genealogy|Central African Republic]]</li>
<li>[[Chad Genealogy|Chad]]</li>
<li>[[Comoros Genealogy|Comoros]]</li>
<li>[[Democratic Republic of the Congo Genealogy|Congo, Democratic Republic of the]]</li>
<li>[[Republic of the Congo Genealogy|Congo, Republic of the]]</li>
<li>[[Djibouti Genealogy|Djibouti]]</li>
<li>[[Egypt Genealogy|Egypt]]</li>
<li>[[Equatorial Guinea Genealogy|Equatorial Guinea]]</li>
<li>[[Eritrea Genealogy|Eritrea]]</li>
<li>[[Kingdom of Eswatini Genealogy|Eswatini]]</li>
<li>[[Ethiopia Genealogy|Ethiopia]]</li>
<li>[[Gabon Genealogy|Gabon]]</li>
<li>[[The Gambia Genealogy|The Gambia]]</li>
<li>[[Ghana Genealogy|Ghana]]</li>
<li>[[Guinea Genealogy|Guinea]]</li>
<li>[[Guinea-Bissau Genealogy|Guinea-Bissau]]</li>
<li>[[Cote d'Ivoire Genealogy|Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)]]</li>
<li>[[Kenya Genealogy|Kenya]]</li>
<li>[[Lesotho Genealogy|Lesotho]]</li>
<li>[[Liberia Genealogy|Liberia]]</li>
<li>[[Libya Genealogy|Libya]]</li>
<li>[[Madagascar Genealogy|Madagascar]]</li>
<li>[[Malawi Genealogy|Malawi]]</li>
<li>[[Mali Genealogy|Mali]]</li>
<li>[[Mauritania Genealogy|Mauritania]]</li>
<li>[[Mauritius Genealogy|Mauritius]]</li>
<li>[[Mayotte, France Genealogy|Mayotte (France)]]</li>
<li>[[Morocco Genealogy|Morocco]]</li>
<li>[[Mozambique Genealogy|Mozambique]]</li>
<li>[[Namibia Genealogy|Namibia]]</li>
<li>[[Niger Genealogy|Niger]]</li>
<li>[[Nigeria Genealogy|Nigeria]]</li>
<li>[[Reunion Island, France Genealogy|Réunion (France)]]</li>
<li>[[Rwanda Genealogy|Rwanda]]</li>
<li>[[Saint Helena Genealogy|Saint Helena (UK)]]</li>
<li>[[Sao Tome and Principe Genealogy|Sao Tome and Principe]]</li>
<li>[[Senegal Genealogy|Senegal]]</li>
<li>[[Seychelles Genealogy|Seychelles]]</li>
<li>[[Sierra Leone Genealogy|Sierra Leone]]</li>
<li>[[Somalia Genealogy|Somalia]]</li>
<li>[[South Africa Genealogy|South Africa]]</li>
<li>[[South Sudan Genealogy|South Sudan]]</li>
<li>[[Sudan Genealogy|Sudan]]</li>
<li>[[Tanzania Genealogy|Tanzania]]</li>
<li>[[Togo Genealogy|Togo]]</li>
<li>[[Tunisia Genealogy|Tunisia]]</li>
<li>[[Uganda Genealogy|Uganda]]</li>
<li>[[Western Sahara Genealogy|Western Sahara]]</li>
<li>[[Zambia Genealogy|Zambia]]</li>
<li>[[Zimbabwe Genealogy|Zimbabwe]]</li>
</ul>
|}
===Oceania===
{| style="vertical-align:top;"
|-
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right="5px"; width: 70%">
<li>[[American Samoa Genealogy|American Samoa]]</li>
<li>[[Australia Genealogy|Australia]]</li>
<li>[[Cook Islands Genealogy|Cook Islands]]</li>
<li>[[Federated States of Micronesia Genealogy|Federated States of Micronesia]]</li>
<li>[[Fiji Genealogy|Fiji]]</li>
<li>[[French Polynesia Genealogy|French Polynesia]]</li>
<li>[[Guam Genealogy|Guam]]</li>
<li>[[Kiribati Genealogy|Kiribati]]</li>
<li>[[Marshall Islands Genealogy|Marshall Islands]]</li>
<li>[[Nauru Genealogy|Nauru]]</li>
<li>[[New Caledonia Genealogy|New Caledonia]]</li>
<li>[[New Zealand Genealogy|New Zealand]]</li>
<li>[[Niue Genealogy|Niue]]</li>
<li>[[Norfolk Island, Australia Genealogy|Norfolk Island]]</li>
<li>[[Northern Mariana Islands Genealogy|Northern Mariana Islands]]</li>
<li>[[Palau Genealogy|Palau]]</li>
<li>[[Papua New Guinea Genealogy|Papua New Guinea]]</li>
<li>[[Pitcairn Islands Genealogy|Pitcairn Islands]]</li>
<li>[[Samoa Genealogy|Samoa]]</li>
<li>[[Solomon Islands Genealogy|Solomon Islands]]</li>
<li>[[Tokelau Genealogy|Tokelau]]</li>
<li>[[Tonga Genealogy|Tonga]]</li>
<li>[[Tuvalu Genealogy|Tuvalu]]</li>
<li>[[Vanuatu Genealogy|Vanuatu]]</li>
<li>[[Wallis and Futuna Genealogy|Wallis and Futuna]]</li>
</ul>
|}
<br><br>
<br><br>


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

Revision as of 15:58, 9 August 2023

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


Online Resources[edit | edit source]

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.

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
  • 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.

Canada Probate Records[edit | edit source]

  • Probate records are kept on the county or district level for most of Canada and any online records.
  • For general information about probate records, see Canada Probate Records
  • Select a province then go to the clickable map to select the county or district your ancestor died in.

British Isles[edit | edit source]

  • Probate records are kept on the county for British Isles countries.
  • Select a country then go to the clickable map to select the county your ancestor died in.

Europe[edit | edit source]

Asia[edit | edit source]

Africa[edit | edit source]

Oceania[edit | edit source]



To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

Retrieved from "https://integration-ru.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Probate_Records&oldid=5434287"