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| [[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Sussex]] | ||
For an explanation of probate records in England, click [[England Probate Records|here.]] | |||
== | == 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> | |||
== Sussex Probate Courts == | |||
== Some Explanatory Notes on the Sussex Probate Courts == | == Some Explanatory Notes on the Sussex Probate Courts == | ||
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== Sussex Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions <br> == | == Sussex Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions <br> == | ||
Here are links to an alphabetical list of Sussex parishes containing a prioritized list of courts with jurisdiction over each in the pre-1858 era. To see which courts to search for probates of persons living in or owning property in particular parish, click on the letter the parish name begins with. | Here are links to an alphabetical list of Sussex parishes containing a prioritized list of courts with jurisdiction over each in the pre-1858 era. To see which courts to search for probates of persons living in or owning property in particular parish, click on the letter the parish name begins with. | ||
{| | {| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" width="432" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" | ||
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| [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'A'|A]] | | [[Sussex Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with 'A'|A]] | ||
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Here is a list of Staffordshire parishes beginning with the letter A and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them. For other parishes, click on a letter link: | Here is a list of Staffordshire parishes beginning with the letter A and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them. For other parishes, click on a letter link: | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
== Probate Indexes Online == | == Probate Indexes Online == | ||
Before looking for a will, you should search an index. <br> | Before looking for a will, you should search an index. <br> | ||
[http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml] | [http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml] | ||
This index by the Sussex Family History Group records 12,300 individuals found in Sussex Wills as Testator, Executor, Beneficiary or Witness. The following information is recorded. <br>• Name – Forenames and surname of individual mentioned in the will <br><br> | This index by the Sussex Family History Group records 12,300 individuals found in Sussex Wills as Testator, Executor, Beneficiary or Witness. The following information is recorded. <br>• Name – Forenames and surname of individual mentioned in the will <br><br> | ||
== <br>Post-1857 Probate Records == | == <br>Post-1857 Probate Records == | ||
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Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. The system consists of 11 district registry offices and 18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and the principal registry office located in London. The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service. To learn more, go to the [http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm HMCS website]. | Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. The system consists of 11 district registry offices and 18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and the principal registry office located in London. The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service. To learn more, go to the [http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm HMCS website]. | ||
A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills. 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 records for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br> | A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills. 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 records for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.<br> | ||
[[Category:England|England]] | [[Category:England|England]] | ||