Hampshire Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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''[[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Hampshire]]''  
''[[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Hampshire]]''  


<br>The following article is about probate records in the county of Hampshire. For general information about English probate records, 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 or her heirs. Probate records include [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]] and [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]]. This article is about probate records in&nbsp;Hampshire For a general description of England probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]].  
 
=== 1858 to the Present  ===
 
Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
 
=== Before 1858  ===
 
Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Hampshire, follow these steps:
 
==== Step 1. Search Indexes  ====
 
Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Hampshire. Search these indexes first:
 
*[http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml]&nbsp;-- compiled by the Sussex Family History Group which has transcribed the names of 12,300 individuals found in Sussex wills, including testators, executors, beneficiaries or witnesses.&nbsp;The information recorded includes name, date&nbsp;and place.
*The [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/home2.asp?an=&ap= HampshireRecord Society] has&nbsp;published four volumes of indexes to Sussex wills, and these&nbsp;can be viewed on&nbsp;their [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/bwills1.asp?an=&ap= website]. They are arranged by parish then by surname.&nbsp;
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wills.asp?WT.hp=Wills Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)].
 
Did you find a reference to a probate record?


== Description  ==
*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
*If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.


''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The term ''probate'' refers to a collection of documents, including [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]], [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]] (also called admons), [[I genealogical glossary terms|inventories]], and [[A genealogical glossary terms|act books]]. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858. This article explains about probates and how to get started to search for a will.
==== Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died  ====


Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry. The '''Probates After 1857'''&nbsp;section below has a link to an article about probates after 1857.<br><br>
Determine ''when'' your ancestor died.&nbsp;If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.&nbsp;


== Getting Started  ==
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:
 
*[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/index.jsp 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.


Follow these steps to look for a probate record before 1858:<br>
If the latter, look that place up in the gazetteer and see if it is a parish.


#Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived. <br>
Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.  
#Go to the Court Jurisdictions section below.<br>
#Click a letter or span of letters for your place. This opens an article showing a table of places and the courts that had jurisdiction over them.<br>
#Follow the steps at the top of the table to search for a will.<br>


<br>
==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish  ====


== 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&nbsp;Hampshire 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.


Before 1858, most Hampshire&nbsp;townships and parishes in Hampshire were under the probate jurisdiction of a primary or a peculiar ecclesiastical court&nbsp;and one or more secondary ecclesiastical courts.&nbsp;  
<br>Before 1858, most Hampshire&nbsp;townships and parishes in Hampshire were under the probate jurisdiction of a primary or a peculiar ecclesiastical court&nbsp;and one or more secondary ecclesiastical courts.&nbsp;  


To see a list of places in Hampshire and the pre-1858 ecclesiastical courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on the letter that the place name begins with:  
To see a list of places in Hampshire and the pre-1858 ecclesiastical courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on the letter that the place name begins with:  
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Before looking for a will, you should search an index.  
Before looking for a will, you should search an index.  


An index to the wills&nbsp;[http://www3.hants.gov.uk/archives/hals-collections/wills.htm ]'''&nbsp;'''is'''&nbsp;'''available&nbsp;via&nbsp;Hampshire Archives and Local Studies' online Catalogue at the Hampshire Record Office.&nbsp;Their online searches provide access&nbsp;not only to Hampshire wills, but to all probate records as well as several other record types dating from the 15th to 20th centuries.&nbsp;Write to the Hampshire Archives for copies to be made of a will or administration.&nbsp;
An index to the wills&nbsp;[http://www3.hants.gov.uk/archives/hals-collections/wills.htm ]'''&nbsp;'''is'''&nbsp;'''available&nbsp;via&nbsp;Hampshire Archives and Local Studies' online Catalogue at the Hampshire Record Office.&nbsp;Their online searches provide access&nbsp;not only to Hampshire wills, but to all probate records as well as several other record types dating from the 15th to 20th centuries.&nbsp;Write to the Hampshire Archives for copies to be made of a will or administration.&nbsp;  


== Probate Indexes  ==
== Probate Indexes  ==
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*Administrations, 1558-1858 includes index for the Consistory Court of Winchester [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=173613&disp=Administrations%2C+1558%2D1858%20%20&columns=*,0,0]  
*Administrations, 1558-1858 includes index for the Consistory Court of Winchester [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=173613&disp=Administrations%2C+1558%2D1858%20%20&columns=*,0,0]  
*Archdeaconry of Winchester card index of wills, 1660-1857 (A-Cabanac)  
*Archdeaconry of Winchester card index of wills, 1660-1857 (A-Cabanac)  
*Archdeaconry of Winchester card index of wills, 1660-1857 (Cabanac-Z)
*Archdeaconry of Winchester card index of wills, 1660-1857 (Cabanac-Z)  
*Original index to the archdeaconry wills (WI-1-5) 1502-1792, 1742-1857 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=175819&disp=Probate+records+for+the+Archdeaconry+Cou++]&nbsp;  
*Original index to the archdeaconry wills (WI-1-5) 1502-1792, 1742-1857 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=175819&disp=Probate+records+for+the+Archdeaconry+Cou++]&nbsp;  
*Extracts from registered and original wills in the Consistory Court of Winchester, 1492-1652, and the Archdeaconry Court of Winchester, 1501-1653. Lists the testator, executor and anyone else for whom some relationship was stated, witnesses names and relationship, place of residence, occupation, date of probate, etc. Extracts are not arranged in either alphabetical or chronological order. The Family History Library also has an listing at the British Reference Counter of these extracts [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=957373&disp=Hampshire+will+extracts++]  
*Extracts from registered and original wills in the Consistory Court of Winchester, 1492-1652, and the Archdeaconry Court of Winchester, 1501-1653. Lists the testator, executor and anyone else for whom some relationship was stated, witnesses names and relationship, place of residence, occupation, date of probate, etc. Extracts are not arranged in either alphabetical or chronological order. The Family History Library also has an listing at the British Reference Counter of these extracts [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=957373&disp=Hampshire+will+extracts++]  
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