Staffordshire Probate Records

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

Court Jurisdictions by Parish

Before 1858, every town and parish in Staffordshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts.  When looking for the will of an ancestor, you should search the courts in the order given. For an authoritative treatise on each Staffordshire probate court and the parishes comprising them in pre-1858, see Anthony J. Camp's publication, Wills and Their Whereabouts; also available at the Family History Library, FHL book call #942 S2wa. Search indexes first.  For indexes, click on the court name links above [soon to be constructed]. When looking for the will of an ancester, you should search the courts in the order given.  Search indexes first.  For indexes, click on the court name links above.

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:  B-G, H-L, M-S, T-Z.

PARISH	PRIMARY COURT	SECONDARY COURTS - IN SEARCH ORDER
Abbots Bromley	Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Adbaston	Peculiar of the Dean of Lichfield	2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Acton Trussel	Peculiar Court of Whittington and Baswich	2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Aldridge	Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Alrewas	Peculiar Court of Alrewas and Weeford	2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Alstonefield	Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Alton	Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Armitage	Peculiar Court of Hansacrea and Armitage	2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Ashford	Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield	2 - Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)
Ashley	Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Aston	Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Audley	Court of the Bishop of Lichfield (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

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.