Wales probate as a source for marriage information

Probate records will often identify a woman's maiden name. This detail is more likely to be included in wills after about 1750 but will vary depending on the part of the country and the decline in the use of the patronymic naming system. These records can also be used in cases when the parish church registers have a late start date.

1. Discover which Church of England diocese your ancestor lived in.
   • Use the index in Parish Registers of Wales to find your parish then look for the abbreviation for the diocese on the same line as the parish name.
   • Dioceses
     • B = Bangor
     • C = Chester
     • H = Hereford
     • L = Lichfield
     • LL = Llandaff
     • M = Monmouth
     • SA = St Asaph
     • SB = Swansea & Brecon
     • SD = St David's
2. Search Wales Probate Abstracts, 1544-1858 - (How to Use this Collection) for:
   • Bangor 1635-1833
   • Llandaff 1575-1839
   • St Asaph 1557-1832
     • Peculiar court of Hawarden 1500-1900
   • St David's 1564-1858
     • Archdeaconry of Brecon 1639-1858
3. Welsh Probates from the National Library of Wales