England, Durham, Dean and Chapter of Durham's Allerton and Allertonshire Original Wills, Inventories and Bonds - FamilySearch Historical Records

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England, Durham, Dean and Chapter of Durham's Allerton and Allertonshire Original Wills, Inventories and Bonds, 1666-1845
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Durham, England
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Location of Durham, England
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Location of England
Record Description
Record Type Wills, Inventories and Bonds
Collection years 1666-1845
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
Durham University Library


What is in the Collection?

This collection consists of digitized probate records from the hundred of Allertonshire in Yorkshire for the years 1666-1845.

In the period of this collection, Allertonshire was a peculiar of the Diocese of Durham. A peculiar is a locality which is administered by a diocese other than the one where it is actually located; that is, it is exempted from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or bishop in whose diocese it lies and is governed by another. In this case, the parishes of Allertonshire are administered by the Diocese of Durham, rather than by the Diocese of York.

A will conveys real (immovable) property to heirs after an individual’s death.

A bond is a written guarantee that a person will faithfully perform the tasks assigned to him by a probate court. The executor posted a testamentary bond, the administrator posted an administration bond, and the guardian of a minor child posted a bond of tuition or curation.

An inventory lists belongings and their values, including such items as household goods, tools, and personal items. Occupations are often mentioned.

Collection Content

This collection contains various types of probate records, as described above. Other types of probate records may be present, but are unlikely.

Sample Images

What Can This Collection Tell Me?

The following lists indicate potential information given in each type of record. It must be remembered that every record may not provide all the listed information, as record-keeping practices often varied by time and location.

Wills usually include:

  • Surname and Given Name of the Participant
  • Age and/or Birthdate of Participant
  • Gender of Participant
  • Residence
  • Occupation
  • Marital Status
  • Surname and Given Name of Spouse
  • Name and Birth Date of Children
  • Name and Address of Beneficiary
  • Name and Address of Executor of the Will

Inventories usually include:

  • Name and Address of Property Owner
  • Address or Residence
  • A list of Personal Assets

Bonds usually include:

  • Surname and Given Name of the Participant
  • Age of Participant
  • Gender of Participant
  • Current Residence and Previous Residences
  • Current Occupation

How Do I Search the Collection?

Before beginning a search in these records, it is best to know the full name of the individual in question, as well as an approximate time range for the desired record. This information provides the quickest, most reliable path to finding the correct person. Of course, other information can be substituted as necessary.

View Images in This Collection by Visiting the Browse Page

⇒ Select Browse through images on the initial collection page
⇒ Select the Durham University Library Reference Number to go to the images.

Compare the information found on the images with what is already known determine if a particular record relates to the correct person. This process may require examining multiple records before the correct person is located.

Some of the records in this collection may be written in an old script that can be challenging to read. Refer to BYU’s Script Tutorial for assistance with reading the records.

Search by Name with an Index

These records are linked to an index on Durham University's website: North East Inheritance database (pre-1858 Durham Probate Records)

Fill in the requested information in the initial search page to return a list of possible matches. Compare the individuals on the list with what is already known to find the correct family or person. This step may require examining multiple individuals before a match is located.

Tips to Keep in Mind

  • When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
  • Check for variant spellings of the names.
  • Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
  • Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives.
  • Search the records of nearby Parishes (Brampton, Diehgton, High Worsall, Kirby Sigston, Northallerton and West Rounton).

How You Can Contribute

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Citing this Collection

Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Collection Citation:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection.



Image Citation:
This template has been deprecated and is no longer used.

When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen. You can browse through images in this collection by visiting the browse page for England, Durham, Dean and Chapter of Durham's Allerton and Allertonshire Original Wills, Inventories and Bonds, 1666-1845.