Kent Probate Records

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

Probate Courts

The probate courts that have some jurisdiction over the county of Kent prior to 1858 are:

Court of the Bishop of Canterbury
Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury
Courts of the Bishop (Episcopal consistory) and Archdeaconry of Rochester
Court of the Peculiar of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham
Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Cliffe
Court of the Exempt Jurisdiction of Wingham
Court of the Prior and Chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury
Court of the Bishop of London
Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts in Kent

The Court of the Archdeacon of Canterbury, the Court of the Episcopal consistory of Canterbury, and the Court of the Bishop and the Archdeacon of Rochester technically did not have jurisdiction over the Peculiar of Wingham, the Peculiar of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Episcopal Consistory and Archdeaconry of Rochester, but as the larger courts of original jurisdiction in the county they will often contain probate records of persons who resided in the other jurisdictions.
In 1846 the diocese of Rochester was reduced in area. Some parishes were transferred to the diocese of Canterbury and others to the diocese of London.

In the diocese of Canterbury, the Commissary-General exercised probate jurisdiction within the diocese. He also exercised the Archbishop’s prerogative throughout the diocese, and prerogative probate records exist from 1397 to about 1759 in the records of the Court of the Episcopal Consistory of Canterbury.
The Court of the Provost of the College of Wingham was closed in 1547. After that date wills of residents living in the parishes of this jurisdiction are found in the records of the Court of the Episcopal Consistory of Canterbury.

Kent Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions

To see a list of Kent parishes and the courts with probate jurisdiction over them, click on the letter the parish name begins with.

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 the index and corresponding records 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".