Norfolk Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 16:22, 24 October 2023

England

Norfolk

Probate Records

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All Saints, Bircham Newton, Norfolk

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 Norfolk. 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

1858-1957 England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Norfolk Wills & Probate at Findmypast — index & images ($)

Before 1858

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

Step 1. Search Indexes

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

All the indexes of pre-1858 probate records are included in the Norfolk Record Office's online catalogue, NROCAT. Click Browse and then select Archival descriptions. Narrow your results by Genre and then select either Probate (for all kinds of probate documents) or Wills (for wills specifically). Then click on Advanced search options and type the name in the first search field. Also, sometimes better results are achieved if only the surname is entered. Creative search terms is the key to finding results in this database. Make note of the probate court listed.
Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Probate Indexes available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City:

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. The on-line will index at NROCAT is very helpful in finding wills in Norfolk for pre-1858 wills. It is not always necessary to know where or when an ancestor died when using nrocat. Since spelling of names in early records was not consistent, entering only the surname of your ancestor will generate the most posibilities of identifying your ancestor. Searches using spelling variations of the surname will also be helpful in finding possible entries for your ancestor. If you cannot identify an entry for your ancestor in this on-line index, you will want to try to determine at least an approximate death date and place.

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:

Vision of Britain

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 Norfolk 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.

To see a list of Norfolk places and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link:

A

B

C-F

G-H

I-N

O-S

T-Z

Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record

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

Norfolk England Probate Records(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - some images may only be available at a FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.
Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection.

Norfolk Probate Courts

These courts had some pre-1858 jurisdiction over the county of Norfolk. Click on a court name for more information about the records available and how to find the probate of your ancestor in the court's records.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-''[[England]]&nbsp;[[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Norfolk]]''
+{{breadcrumb
+| link1=[[England Genealogy|England]]
+| link2=[[Norfolk, England Genealogy|Norfolk]]
+| link3=
+| link4=
+| link5=[[Norfolk_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]
+}}{{Norfolk-sidebar}}
-For an explanation of probate records in England, click [[England Probate Records|here]].
+{| style="float:right; margin-right:200px"
+|-
+| style="padding-right:0px" |
+|[[Image:All Saints, Bircham Newton, Norfolk .jpg|right|thumb|240x220px|<center>All Saints, Bircham Newton, Norfolk<center>]]
+|}
-== Getting Started  ==
+==Getting Started==
-Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his/her&nbsp;heirs.&nbsp;
+''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 Norfolk. See [[England Probate Records]] for a general description of probate records in England.
-In order to find a probate record for your ancestor, you must answer two questions:
+===1858 to the Present===
-#When did your ancestor die?
+Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
-#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&nbsp;the civil government.&nbsp;
+====Online Records====
-*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.&nbsp;
+*'''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
-*If you know where your ancestor lived before 1858, you should go to the '''Court Jurisdictions'''&nbsp;section below&nbsp;to determine what courts had jurisdiction over your ancestor's place of residence.&nbsp;
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/norfolk-wills-and-probate Norfolk Wills & Probate] at Findmypast — index & images ($)
-*Beginning in 1858, probate authority was&nbsp;vested in&nbsp;the '''Principal Probate Registry''' system.&nbsp; 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===
-== Norfolk Probate Courts  ==
+Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Norfolk, follow these steps:
-These courts had some pre-1858 jurisdiction over the county of Norfolk.&nbsp; Click on a court name for more information.&nbsp; See also the Indexes section below.
+====Step 1. Search Indexes====
-*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk]]
+Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Norfolk. Search these indexes first:
-*&nbsp;
-&nbsp;
+*All the indexes of pre-1858 probate records are included in the Norfolk Record Office's online catalogue, [http://nrocat.norfolk.gov.uk/DServe/DServe.exe?NS&dsqServer=NCC3CL01&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Index.tcl NROCAT]. Click '''Browse''' and then select '''Archival descriptions'''. Narrow your results by '''Genre''' and then select either '''Probate''' (for all kinds of probate documents) or '''Wills''' (for wills specifically). Then click on Advanced search options and type the name in the first search field. Also, sometimes better results are achieved if only the surname is entered. Creative search terms is the key to finding results in this database. ''Make note of the probate court listed''.
+*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
-In addition, the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] had jurisdiction over the whole of England. Wealthier individuals, people who owned property in more than one county or lower court's jurisdiction, and Naval personnel often had their estates proven through the Archbishop's court.
+Probate Indexes available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City:
-=== Appeals Courts  ===
+*{{FSC|198646|title-id|disp=Index to Norfolk (England) wills, 1838-1858}}
+*{{FSC|226098|title-id|disp=Norfolk peculiar jurisdictions, Index to probate records, 1416-1857}}
-Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:
+Did you find a reference to a probate record?
-*[[Court of Arches]]
+*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
-*[[High Court of Delegates]]
+*If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.
-The [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] also served as an appeals court.
+====Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died====
-== Some Explanatory Notes on the Norfolk Probate Courts  ==
+Determine ''when'' your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.  The on-line will index at [http://nrocat.norfolk.gov.uk/DServe/DServe.exe?NS&dsqServer=NCC3CL01&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Index.tcl NROCAT] is very helpful in finding wills in Norfolk for pre-1858 wills.  It is not always necessary to know where or when an ancestor died when using nrocat.  Since spelling of names in early records was not consistent, entering only the surname of your ancestor will generate the most posibilities of identifying your ancestor. Searches using spelling variations of the surname will also be helpful in finding possible entries for your ancestor.  If you cannot identify an entry for your ancestor in this on-line index, you will want to try to determine at least an approximate death date and place.
-== Court Jurisdictions  ==
+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:
-Before 1858, every town and parish in Norfolk was under the probate jurisdiction of a primary ecclesiastical court and one or more secondary ecclesiastical courts.
+*[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/index.jsp Vision of Britain]
-To see a list of Norfolk places and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link:
+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.
-[[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes beginning with A|A]], [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes B|B]], [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes C through F|C-F]], [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes G through H|G-H]], [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes I through N|I-N]], [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes O through S|O-S]], [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes T through Z|T-Z]] <br><br>
+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.
+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 Norfolk 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.
-*[http://www.norfolksources.norfolk.gov.uk/ http://www.norfolksources.norfolk.gov.uk/]&nbsp; (Probate records for 1800–1857)<br>
+To see a list of Norfolk places and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link:
-== Estate Duty Records<br> ==
+{| width="272" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+|-
+| [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes beginning with A|A]]
+| [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes B|B]]
+| [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes C through F|C-F]]
+| [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes G through H|G-H]]
+| [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes I through N|I-N]]
+| [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes O through S|O-S]]
+| [[Norfolk Probate Jurisdictions Parishes T through Z|T-Z]]
+|}
-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. Between 1813-1858 estate duty indexes may help locate a will. For more information, go to [[Estate Duty Records]].<br>
+<br>
-<br>
+====Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record====
-<br>
+Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:
-== Post-1857 Probate Records  ==
+*{{FSC|496130|subject_id|disp=Norfolk 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.
-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].
+==Norfolk Probate Courts==
-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.+Principal+Probate+Registry&columns=*,0,0 records] for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br>
+These courts had some pre-1858 jurisdiction over the county of Norfolk.  Click on a court name for more information about the records available and how to find the probate of your ancestor in the court's records. <br>
-{{Place|Norfolk}}
+*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk]]
+*[[Court of Norwich (Episcopal Consistory)|Court of the Bishop of Norwich (Episcopal Consistory)]]
+*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of Norwich]]
+*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Dean & Chapter of Norwich]]
+*[[Court of the Peculiar of Castle Rising]]
+*[[Court of the Peculiar of Great Cressingham]]
+*[[Court of the City of Norwich]]
+*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
-[[Category:Norfolk|Probate Records]] [[Category:Probate_records_in_England]]
+[[Category:Norfolk Probate Records]]