10,814
edits
added headings
(added post-1857 info) |
(added headings) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[England]] [[Hertfordshire]] | |||
For an explanation of probate records in England. click [[England Probate Records|here]]. | For an explanation of probate records in England. click [[England Probate Records|here]]. | ||
<br> | == Getting Started == | ||
Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his/her heirs. | |||
In order to find a probate record for your ancestor, you must answer two questions: | |||
#When did your ancestor die? | |||
#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. | |||
*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. | |||
*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> | |||
== Hertfordshire Probate Courts == | |||
== Some Explanatory Notes on the Hertfordshire Probate Courts == | |||
== Court Jurisdictions == | |||
=== Post-1857 Probate Records === | === Post-1857 Probate Records === | ||