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[[England]] > [[Herefordshire|Herefordshire]]  
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| link5=[[Herefordshire_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]
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For an explanation of probate records in England, click [[England Probate Records|here]].
== Getting Started ==


== 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 Herefordshire. 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/her heirs. 
=== 1858 to the Present ===


In order to find a probate record for your ancestor, you must answer two questions:
Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.


#When did your ancestor die?
==== Online Records ====
#Where did your ancestor live or own property?


A key date is 1858, when probate authority was taken from the ecclesiatical courts of the Church of England and given to the civil government. 
*'''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
*'''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


*If your ancestor died before 1858, his/her probate would have been proven by an ecclesiatical court and it is important to know where he/she lived, as that will determine which courts had jurisdiction. 
=== Before 1858 ===
*If you know where your ancestor lived before 1858, you should go to the '''Court Jurisdictions''' section below to determine what courts had jurisdiction over your ancestor's place of residence. 
*Beginning in 1858, probate authority was vested in the '''Principal Probate Registry''' system.  For more information, scroll to the '''Post-1857 Probate Records''' section at the bottom of the page.


Once you have answered the two questions and determined the courts, look for indexes. Indexes will be found on the individual court pages (when you click on a court name) or in the '''Probate Indexes''' section below.<br><br>
Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Herefordshire, follow these steps:


== Herefordshire Probate Courts  ==
==== Step 1. Search Indexes ====


== Some Explanatory Notes on the Herefordshire Probate Courts  ==
Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Herefordshire. Search these indexes first:


== Court Jurisdictions  ==
*[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/ProbateRecords/index.html Abstracts of Herefordshire Probate Records] and [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/ProbateRecords/about.html Herefordshire Wills Collections]. These pages provide details of compilations of Herefordshire Probate Records (wills), either partial abstracts or indexes, online and in printed collections.
*[https://ldhs.org.uk/archives/ Longtown Historical Society's Archive project] includes probate records for several parishes in southwest Herefordshire that formed part of the Archdeacon of Brecon
*[https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12122 Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]


Before 1858, every town and parish in Herefordshire was under the probate jurisdiction of a primary ecclesiastical court and one or more secondary ecclesiastical courts.
Did you find a reference to a probate record?


Here is a list of Herefordshire places beginning with the letter A and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them.&nbsp; Search the courts in the order given.&nbsp; Search indexes first.&nbsp; For indexes, click on a court name or see the indexes listed below.&nbsp;&nbsp;
*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.  
*If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.


For other places, click on a letter link:&nbsp; [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes B|B]], [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes C-E|C-E]], [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes F-I|F-I]], [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes K-L|K-L]], [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes M-P|M-P]], [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes R-T|R-T]], [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes U-Z|U-Z]].  
==== Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died ====


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


{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center" width="95%"
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:
|-
 
! width="15%" style="background: rgb(255, 222, 173) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" | PARISH
*[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/ Vision of Britain]
! width="40%" style="background: rgb(255, 222, 173) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" | PRIMARY COURT
 
! width="40%" style="background: rgb(255, 222, 173) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" | SECONDARY COURTS - IN SEARCH ORDER
The gazetteer will either tell you:
|-
 
| Abbey Dore
*A place is a parish, or
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
*What parish it is a part of, or
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
*What place it is near.
|-
| Aconbury
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Allensmore
| [[Court of the Bishop (Consistory) of the Dean of Hereford]]  
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Almeley
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Amberley
| [[Court of the Bishop (Consistory) of the Dean of Hereford]]
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Ashperton
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Aston
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Aston Ingham
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Avenbury
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Aylton
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|-
| Aymestrey
| [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford]] (Episcopal Consistory)
| 2 - [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
|}


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


== Indexes to Probate Records  ==
Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.


== Probate Indexes Online  ==
==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish ====


Before looking for a will, you should search an index.&nbsp;<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 Sussex fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. For a list of Herefordshire parishes and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link:


[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/ProbateRecords/about.html http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/ProbateRecords/about.html]  
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="372" border="1"
|-
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes A|A]] 
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes B|B]] 
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes C-E|C-E]] 
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes F-I|F-I]] 
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes K-L|K-L]] 
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes M-P|M-P]] 
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes R-T|R-T]] 
|  [[Herefordshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes U-Z|U-Z]]
|}


Abstracts of Herefordshire Probate Records
If you do not know the parish in which your ancestor died or held property, search the [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory)]] first.


[http://homepages.which.net/~eleanor.harris/index4.htm http://homepages.which.net/~eleanor.harris/index4.htm]
==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record ====


Indexes to the earliest Wills have been created and some published, but, rather surprisingly, the period of time most useful to the ordinary family historian, 1700-1858, has never been indexed - until now! I have created an index to the 42,000 Wills and Administrations and this is a private index that is not available from any other source. It has not yet been published, and will probably not be published for some time<br>[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/ProbateRecords/about.html http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HEF/ProbateRecords/about.html]
Once you have found an index reference to a probate record and identified the court that probated it, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:  


Herefordshire Wills Collections<br>This page provides details of compilations of Herefordshire Probate Records (Wills), either partial abstracts or indexes, online and in printed collections. The following are listed in reverse order of their creation, or my discovery.<br>  
*{{FSC|496943|subject_id|disp=Herefordshire 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.


== Post-1857 Probate Records  ==
== Herefordshire Probate Courts ==


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.&nbsp; The system consists of 11 district registry offices and&nbsp;18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and&nbsp;the principal registry&nbsp;office located in London.&nbsp; The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service.&nbsp; To learn more, go to the [http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm HMCS website].  
Most of Herefordshire was under the jurisdiction of the [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory)]]. The majority of probate searches will be in the records of this court and its superior courts. However, the following courts also had some pre-1858 jurisdiction within the county. Click on a court name to learn about records and indexes.  


A&nbsp;country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills.&nbsp; The [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=208102&disp=Calendar+of+the+grants+of+probate+and+le%20%20&columns=*,0,0 indexes] for 1858-1957 and the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=authordetails&authorno=301365&name=Great+Britain%2E+Principal+Probate+Registry&columns=*,0,0 records] for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br>
*[[Court of the Bishop (Consistory) of the Dean of Hereford]]
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Breconshire]]
*[[Court of the Bishop of St. David's (Episcopal Consistory)]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Moreton Magna or Moreton on Lugg]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Upper Bullinghope or Upper Bullingham]]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Little Hereford & Ashford Carbonell]]
*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]


[[Category:England]]
[[Category:Herefordshire Probate Records|Probate Records]]

Latest revision as of 12:00, 14 March 2024

Herefordshire Wiki Topics
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Beginning Research
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Herefordshire Background
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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 wills and administrations. This article is about probate records in Herefordshire. See England Probate Records for a general description of probate records in England.

1858 to the Present

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

Online Records

Before 1858

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

Step 1. Search Indexes

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

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

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 is a link to the 1872 Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales online:

The gazetteer will either tell you:

  • A place is a parish, or
  • 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, 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. For a list of Herefordshire parishes and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link:

A B C-E F-I K-L M-P R-T U-Z

If you do not know the parish in which your ancestor died or held property, search the Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory) first.

Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record

Once you have found an index reference to a probate record and identified the court that probated it, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:

Herefordshire Probate Courts

Most of Herefordshire was under the jurisdiction of the Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory). The majority of probate searches will be in the records of this court and its superior courts. However, the following courts also had some pre-1858 jurisdiction within the county. Click on a court name to learn about records and indexes.

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