Essex Probate Records

For an explanation of probate records in England, click here.

Essex Probate Courts [NOTE: THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION; DO NOT DELETE!!]

The following probate courts had some jurisdiction over the county of Essex prior to 1858:

• Court of the Archdeaconry of Essex
• Court of the Archdeaconry of Colchester
• Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex & Hertfordshire Division)
• Court of the Archdeacon of Middlesex (Essex & Hertfordshire Division)
• Court of the Bishop of London
• Court of the Peculiar of the Deanery of Bocking
• Court of the Peculiar of Good Easter
• Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster (Abbey)
• Court of the Peculiar of Writtle with Roxwell
• Court of the Peculiar of the Liberty of the Sokens
• Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral
• Court of the Peculiar of Havering-atte-Bower - records available
• Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts in Essex

Probate records for the Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex & Hertfordshire division), the Court of the Archdeaconry of Colchester, Court of the Archdeacon of Essex, Court of the Archdeacon of Middlesex (Essex & Hertfordshire division), Court of the Bishop of London, Court of the Peculiar of the Deanery of Bocking, Court of the Peculiar of the Sokens, and the Courts of the Peculiars of the Deanery of Good Easter, and Writtle with Roxwell are at the Essex Record Office.

The records for the Royal Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey are at the City of Westminster Archives Department.

Essex Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions

This list of Essex parishes contains a prioritized list of courts with jurisdiction over each parish. Click on the letter the parish name begins with to see which courts to search for probates of persons living in or owning property in that parish.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Z Probate Indexes Before searching probate records, search indexes. Indexes on the Internet Here is a list of indexes on the Internet for the county of Kent. Printed Indexes If the indexes on the Internet do not produce possible wills for your ancestors, look in the published indexes listed here.  The links are to their listings in the Family History Library Catalog: Index Call # Title of Index Court and Type of record indexed Index relates to Notes 942.23 P22bgl 4 vols. microfiche #6026693-6026696 Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1449-1712 : index of wills, listed alphabetically by surnames Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury Registered wills on film  beginning with film # 0188913 - 942.23 P22bg 4 vols. microfiche #6026697-6026700 Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1449-1712 : index of wills, listed alphabetically by locality  Court of the Archdeaconry of  Canterbury Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188913 - 942.23 P22bgm 2 vols. microfilm #1559403 Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1449-1958: index to original wills Court of the Archdeaconry  Canterbury Original wills on film  beginning with film # 1042603 - 942.23 P22bgo 2 vols. microfiche #6035798-799 Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1713-1858: index of wills, listed alphabetically by locality Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188913 - 942.23 P22bgp 2 vols. microfiche #6035796-6035797 Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent,1713-1858: index of wills, listed alphabetically by surname Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188913 - 942 B4b vol. 65 microfilm #962735 and microfiche #6073783 (2fiche) Index of Wills and Administrations now Preserved in the Probate Registry at Canterbury Court of the Archdeaconry and Court of the Bishop of Canterbury Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188831 and # 0189226 - 942 B4b vol. 50 Index of Wills and Administrations now Preserved in the Probate Registry at Canterbury 1396-1558, 1640-1650 Court of the Archdeaconry and Court of the Bishop of Canterbury Wills and administrations on film beginning with film # 0188831 and # 0189226 also in book 942.23 B4ka v. 6 microfilm #0973302 & microfiche #6072890 (7 fiche) Microfilm #1551205 items 2-11 and 1551178 items 1-5 Archdeaconry Court of Rochester Probate Indices 1440-1857 Courts of the Archdeaconry & Consistory Courts of Rochester Wills and administrations on film beginning with film # 188771 - 942.23 B4ka vol. 9 microfilm number 973304 it. 2 & microfiche #6072893 (3 fiche) Index of Wills Proved in Rochester Consistory Court 1440-1561 Court of the Consistory of Rochester Wills and administrations on film beginning with film # 188771 - Microfilm #1544549 items 13 Kent Index to Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills 1701-1900 Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills on film  beginning with film  # 91890 - Microfiche #6341867 (5 fiche) and 6341868 (2fiche) KAO--index to wills, administrations, inventories and bonds of the Archbishops Peculiar Deaneries of Arches (London), Shoreham and Croydon Peculiar Deaneries of Arches (London), Shoreham and Croydon Wills, administrations, inventories and bonds on film beginning with film # 91789 - Microfilm #1544549 items 13 Kent Index to Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills 1701-1900 Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills on film beginning with film  # 91890 - Microfilm #1544555 its. 30-31 & 1544588 it. 1 Notebooks containing lists of wills, searches and depositions for Kent families, dating from 1560-1857 various various - 942.23 B4ka vol. 3 microfilm #874099 item 3 & microfiche #6072887 (2 fiche) Sede vacante wills : a calendar of wills proved before the commissary of the prior and chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury, during vacancies in the primacy, with an appendix containing transcripts of archiepiscopal and other wills of importance various various - 942.23 H25k no. 9, 13, 20, 21 Weald of East Kent : will abstracts from the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Kent Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury Wills on film beginning with film  # 1042603 v. 1. Parish of Benenden, will numbers 1-159 -- v. 2. Parish of Bethersden, will numbers 160-323 -- v. 3. Parish of Biddenden, will numbers 324-471 -- v. 4. Parish of Cranbrook, will numbers 472-663 Microfiche #6341166 The Weald of East Kent : will abstracts from the archdeaconry court of Canterbury, Kent, volumes 21-50 (KAO : PRC 17), index of will abstracts Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury Wills on film beginning with film # 1042603 Contains a surname index (A-Y) of all persons cited in the Kentish will abstracts (1536-1597) in the parishes of Benenden, Bethersden, Biddenden, Cranbrook, Frittenden, Goudhurst, Halden, Hawkhurst, Headcorn, Marden, Newenden, Rolvenden, Sandhurst, Smarden, Staplehurst, Tenterden, Wittersham and Woodchurch. CD-ROM no. 3251 The West Kent probate index : wills and administrations for all courts and peculiars in the Diocese of Rochester 1750-1858 Court of the Archdeaconry of Rochester; Court of the Consistory of Rochester; Court of the Peculiar of the Deanery of Shoreham; Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Cliffe various films; Consistory of Rochester wills on film beginning with film # 189131; Archdeaconry of Rochester wills on film beginning with film # 994318; Peculiar of Shoreham wills on film beginning with film # 91791; Peculiar of the Rector of Cliffe wills on film beginning with film # 727286 This can be accessed from the Family History Library Catalog if accessing computers in the Family History Library Microfiche #6204480 Will and register abstracts of families and people, mostly of Kent, letter A - - Will and parish register abstracts for individuals whose surname begins with the letter "A". Post-1857 Probate Records 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 HMCS website. A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills.  The indexes for 1858-1957 and the records for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.