Nordic Probate Records: Difference between revisions

The law determined who would receive what after the debts were paid, for example, the surviving spouse received half and the other half was divided between the surviving heirs. If a child had been married, had children, and then died, their portion of the estate would be divided between their children.  

Note: In all the Scandinavian countries, probates for the clergy were normally kept separately from those of the "common man." They might be listed at the parish or Herred/Härad level, but within the catalog entry it should be indicated that the probates are those of the clergy only.  

A probate proceeding should have taken place:  

*Before a surviving spouse could remarry.  

*If there were any minors (under age 25) involved.  

A probate did not have to take place if the parents were elderly, the children all over age 25, or everything had already been dispersed.  

*Name and residence of deceased  

*Date of probate registration and/or death date  

If the estate debts were greater than the assets, auctions were held to sell off items to raise money to pay the debts.  

*A probate action generally took place at the next quarterly court session held after the death, though sealing and inventorying of the estate normally took place within thirty days.  

It is possible that if a child had already received an inheritance, they might not be listed in the probate record. It is also possible, particularly in Swedish and Finnish probates, which are basically inventories, that only minor children may listed.

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