Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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*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.
*Depending on the country, probate records can be found online as digital images. For the United States, an experimental index of many county probate records is available to search.  
*Probate records may include the deceased's date of death; names, relationships, residences of heirs and guardians; and names of witnesses.
:*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/textprototype/ United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search] at FamilySearch
*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.


==What can you find in probate records?==
==What can you find in probate records?==
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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>[[District of Columbia Probate Records|District of Columbia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Florida, United States Genealogy|Florida]]</li>
   <li>[[Florida Probate Records|Florida]]</li>  
   <li>[[Georgia, United States Genealogy|Georgia]]</li>
   <li>[[Georgia Probate Records|Georgia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Hawaii, United States Genealogy|Hawaii]]</li>
   <li>[[Hawaii Probate Records|Hawaii]]</li>  
   <li>[[Idaho, United States Genealogy|Idaho]]</li>
   <li>[[Idaho Probate Records|Idaho]]</li>  
   <li>[[Illinois, United States Genealogy|Illinois]]</li>
   <li>[[Illinois Probate Records|Illinois]]</li>  
   <li>[[Indiana, United States Genealogy|Indiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Indiana Probate Records|Indiana]]</li>  
   <li>[[Iowa, United States Genealogy|Iowa]]</li>
   <li>[[Iowa Probate Records|Iowa]]</li>  
   <li>[[Kansas, United States Genealogy|Kansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Kansas Probate Records|Kansas]]</li>
   <li>[[Kentucky, United States Genealogy|Kentucky]]</li>
   <li>[[Kentucky Probate Records|Kentucky]]</li>  
   <li>[[Louisiana, United States Genealogy|Louisiana]]</li>
   <li>[[Louisiana Probate Records|Louisiana]]</li>  
   <li>[[Maine, United States Genealogy|Maine]]</li>
   <li>[[Maine Probate Records|Maine]]</li>  
   <li>[[Maryland, United States Genealogy|Maryland]]</li>
   <li>[[Maryland Probate Records|Maryland]]</li>  
   <li>[[Massachusetts, United States Genealogy|Massachusetts]]</li>
   <li>[[Massachusetts Probate Records|Massachusetts]]</li>  
   <li>[[Michigan, United States Genealogy|Michigan]]</li>
   <li>[[Michigan Probate Records|Michigan]]</li>  
   <li>[[Minnesota, United States Genealogy|Minnesota]]</li>
   <li>[[Minnesota Probate Records|Minnesota]]</li>  
   <li>[[Mississippi, United States Genealogy|Mississippi]]</li>
   <li>[[Mississippi Probate Records|Mississippi]]</li>  
   <li>[[Missouri, United States Genealogy|Missouri]]</li>
   <li>[[Missouri Probate Records|Missouri]]</li>  
   <li>[[Montana, United States Genealogy|Montana]]</li>
   <li>[[Montana Probate Records|Montana]]</li>  
   <li>[[Nebraska, United States Genealogy|Nebraska]]</li>
   <li>[[Nebraska Probate Records|Nebraska]]</li>  
   <li>[[Nevada, United States Genealogy|Nevada]]</li>
   <li>[[Nevada Probate Records|Nevada]]</li>  
   <li>[[New Hampshire, United States Genealogy|New Hampshire]]</li>
   <li>[[New Hampshire Probate Records|New Hampshire]]</li>  
   <li>[[New Jersey, United States Genealogy|New Jersey]]</li>
   <li>[[New Jersey Probate Records|New Jersey]]</li>  
   <li>[[New Mexico, United States Genealogy|New Mexico]]</li>
   <li>[[New Mexico Probate Records|New Mexico]]</li>  
   <li>[[New York, United States Genealogy|New York]]</li>
   <li>[[New York Probate Records|New York]]</li>  
   <li>[[North Carolina, United States Genealogy|North Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[North Carolina Probate Records|North Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[North Dakota, United States Genealogy|North Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[North Dakota Probate Records|North Dakota]]</li>  
   <li>[[Ohio, United States Genealogy|Ohio]]</li>
   <li>[[Ohio Probate Records|Ohio]]</li>  
   <li>[[Oklahoma, United States Genealogy|Oklahoma]]</li>
   <li>[[Oklahoma Probate Records|Oklahoma]]</li>  
   <li>[[Oregon, United States Genealogy|Oregon]]</li>
   <li>[[Oregon Probate Records|Oregon]]</li>  
   <li>[[Pennsylvania, United States Genealogy|Pennsylvania]]</li>
   <li>[[Pennsylvania Probate Records|Pennsylvania]]</li>  
   <li>[[Rhode Island, United States Genealogy|Rhode Island]]</li>
   <li>[[Rhode Island Probate Records|Rhode Island]]</li>  
   <li>[[South Carolina, United States Genealogy|South Carolina]]</li>
   <li>[[South Carolina Probate Records|South Carolina]]</li>  
   <li>[[South Dakota, United States Genealogy|South Dakota]]</li>
   <li>[[South Dakota Probate Records|South Dakota]]</li>  
   <li>[[Tennessee, United States Genealogy|Tennessee]]</li>
   <li>[[Tennessee Probate Records|Tennessee]]</li>  
   <li>[[Texas, United States Genealogy|Texas]]</li>
   <li>[[Texas Probate Records|Texas]]</li>  
   <li>[[Utah, United States Genealogy|Utah]]</li>
   <li>[[Utah Probate Records|Utah]]</li>  
   <li>[[Vermont, United States Genealogy|Vermont]]</li>
   <li>[[Vermont Probate Records|Vermont]]</li>  
   <li>[[Virginia, United States Genealogy|Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[Virginia Probate Records|Virginia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Washington, United States Genealogy|Washington]]</li>
   <li>[[Washington Probate Records|Washington]]</li>  
   <li>[[West Virginia, United States Genealogy|West Virginia]]</li>
   <li>[[West Virginia Probate Records|West Virginia]]</li>  
   <li>[[Wisconsin, United States Genealogy|Wisconsin]]</li>
   <li>[[Wisconsin Probate Records|Wisconsin]]</li>  
   <li>[[Wyoming, United States Genealogy|Wyoming]]</li>
   <li>[[Wyoming Probate Records|Wyoming]]</li>
</ul>
</ul>
|}
|}
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<li>[[Monaco Genealogy|Monaco]]</li>
<li>[[Monaco Genealogy|Monaco]]</li>
<li>[[Montenegro Genealogy|Montenegro]]</li>
<li>[[Montenegro Genealogy|Montenegro]]</li>
<li>[[The Netherlands Genealogy|The Netherlands]]</li>
<li>[[Netherlands Genealogy|Netherlands]]</li>
<li>[[North Macedonia Genealogy|North Macedonia]]</li>
<li>[[North Macedonia Genealogy|North Macedonia]]</li>
<li>[[Norway Genealogy|Norway]]</li>
<li>[[Norway Genealogy|Norway]]</li>
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<li>[[Burundi Genealogy|Burundi]]</li>  
<li>[[Burundi Genealogy|Burundi]]</li>  
<li>[[Cameroon Genealogy|Cameroon]]</li>  
<li>[[Cameroon Genealogy|Cameroon]]</li>  
<li>[[Cape Verde Genealogy|Cape Verde]]</li>  
<li>[[Cabo Verde Genealogy|Cabo Verde]]</li>  
<li>[[Central African Republic Genealogy|Central African Republic]]</li>  
<li>[[Central African Republic Genealogy|Central African Republic]]</li>  
<li>[[Chad Genealogy|Chad]]</li>  
<li>[[Chad Genealogy|Chad]]</li>  
Line 275: Line 274:
<li>[[Rwanda Genealogy|Rwanda]]</li>  
<li>[[Rwanda Genealogy|Rwanda]]</li>  
<li>[[Saint Helena Genealogy|Saint Helena (UK)]]</li>  
<li>[[Saint Helena Genealogy|Saint Helena (UK)]]</li>  
<li>[[Sao Tome and Principe Genealogy|Sao Tome and Principe]]</li>  
<li>[[São Tomé and Príncipe Genealogy|São Tomé and Príncipe]]</li>  
<li>[[Senegal Genealogy|Senegal]]</li>  
<li>[[Senegal Genealogy|Senegal]]</li>  
<li>[[Seychelles Genealogy|Seychelles]]</li>  
<li>[[Seychelles Genealogy|Seychelles]]</li>  

Latest revision as of 16:22, 7 June 2024

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.
  • 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.

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]



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