"Midnight Feasts" - Hunting for Irish Wills
"Reading the Will" by Sir David Wilkie (Wikimedia Commons)
Wills are wonderful documents for genealogists as they usually contain a wealth of family information and can tell you a lot about the fortunes and inclinations of the deceased. For example, my 7xGreat Uncle, George Brass, forbade his son, Aris, from marrying a presumed cousin, Grace Brass, on pain of him being disinherited!
In Ireland, the key date to be aware of is 1858. Prior to this date, probate of wills was granted in the diocesan courts. From 1858, this responsibility passed to the civil courts. For more information on the former, consult my Church of Ireland Dioceses and Diocesan Records page, and for the latter, see my Will Probate Districts and Records,1858+ page. These pages also contain more practical details on my experiences searching the collections and what to expect to find.
Whilst many Irish wills - originals and copies - were lost in 1922, other useful resources did survive. These are mostly indexes, either contemporary finding aids compiled by Victorian clerks or various works published by researchers. There are also some actual wills too, so don't give up hope too soon!
Read on for my advice on what you can find online.
Wills are wonderful documents for genealogists as they usually contain a wealth of family information and can tell you a lot about the fortunes and inclinations of the deceased. For example, my 7xGreat Uncle, George Brass, forbade his son, Aris, from marrying a presumed cousin, Grace Brass, on pain of him being disinherited!
In Ireland, the key date to be aware of is 1858. Prior to this date, probate of wills was granted in the diocesan courts. From 1858, this responsibility passed to the civil courts. For more information on the former, consult my Church of Ireland Dioceses and Diocesan Records page, and for the latter, see my Will Probate Districts and Records,1858+ page. These pages also contain more practical details on my experiences searching the collections and what to expect to find.
Whilst many Irish wills - originals and copies - were lost in 1922, other useful resources did survive. These are mostly indexes, either contemporary finding aids compiled by Victorian clerks or various works published by researchers. There are also some actual wills too, so don't give up hope too soon!
Read on for my advice on what you can find online.
Wider Reading
Before launching into my consolidated list of resources, it's worth pausing to recommend some excellent reference resources that I have found very useful on the topic of Irish wills.
Before launching into my consolidated list of resources, it's worth pausing to recommend some excellent reference resources that I have found very useful on the topic of Irish wills.
- Reference Guide to Historic Irish Wills (John Grenham) This is a really thorough and comprehensive list of what survives and where to find the records, both online and in archives. There are lots of very specific collections referenced here, so be sure to study the locations and time periods carefully to see what might be relevant for your research.
- Ireland Probate Records (FamilySearch Wiki) This reference page has lots of information and plenty of links that will help you dive head-first into their collections and those of other providers. However, I do encourage you to at least read the rest of this page, as I have attempted to wrangle those same links, and more, into a order that will make your choices more obvious.
- ffolliott, Rosemary & Byrne, Eileen, "Wills and Administrations: A Prime Source for Family Research" (Irish Genealogy: A Record Finder. Chapter 8 pp157-180) Publ. Heraldic Artists Ltd., Dublin (1987). This is a brilliant essay that clearly and comprehensively details processes, records created and lost, published articles, manuscript references etc. etc. ... with nary a URL in sight, and all the better for our understanding I think. Sadly it is not available online, but if you can track down a copy, it is well worth reading (see my Bookshelves - Guides and Finding Aids for more information).
Pre-1858 Will Indexes
FindMyPast appear to have compiled the following broadly named collection for this period from a very wide range of documents held by the National Archives of Ireland.
Index of Irish Wills, 1484-1858 (FMP=£) c.100k records including some marriage licence bonds for good measure!
Read the source page information very carefully and, if there is an NAI reference given in any of the results, you ought to be able to track down a copy or an original document in Dublin. However don't rely on being able to find it independently in the limited NAI online catalogue - click through to the Advanced Search screen and try entering the reference number exactly. I have had limited success in doing this and you would have to contact the staff at the NAI directly to see if they could look it out for you.
The following resources for specific courts would appear to be limited to this period. Information is limited to names, probate year and perhaps places and occupations. Widows may be qualified with their maiden names though.
This is the same collection of c.365k records and register images.
Phillimore & Thrift also produced an index of diocesan wills in the early years of the 20th century using the PROI finding aids. Sadly, it is very incomplete for obvious reasons, but may be useful if they transcribed a name differently to any of the modern day indexers who produced the resources above? Check the description carefully on the search screen page as for the vast majority of the consistorial courts, their entries end in 1800 - only a few go up to 1858.
Prerogative Court (All Ireland) Vicars also indexed Prerogative Wills and there are several ways to access his work.
Diocese of Ardagh
Diocese of Clonfert
Diocese of Dublin &/or Prerogative Court of Armagh
Diocese of Kildare
Diocese of Leighlin
Pre-1858 Will Abstracts
You may be able to learn more information from abstracts made from the original wills by past Irish genies. Betham and Crossle both made copious notes from original sources including wills. Gertrude Thrift, in addition to her sterling work on will indexes, also made copious notes on all sorts of other records, in which you might be lucky to find something more in the way of testamentary evidence.
You are going to have to be patient and work through the original images as I'm afraid you cannot limit your search to just wills in either of the following collections. However, you never know what other treasure you might stumble across as you do this. Oh, and good luck with Crossle's handwriting - brace yourself!
Betham Genealogical Abstracts (FMP=£) Mostly pre-1800 Prerogative wills with dates and short biographical details of deceased and beneficiaries.
Crossle Genealogical Abstracts (FMP=£) Again, Prerogative wills 1620-1804, but Crossle often usefully grouped his notes by family names.
Thrift Genealogical Abstracts (FMP=£) Collection description is somewhat vague but it is a very wide-ranging set of notes. Be lucky!
Ireland, Abstracts of Wills and Marriages, 1620-1923 (Anc=£). Betham, Crossle and Thrift Abstracts all bundled together.
Beryl Eustace indexed abstracts of wills deposited with the Registry of Deeds for all Ireland up until 1831.
FindMyPast appear to have compiled the following broadly named collection for this period from a very wide range of documents held by the National Archives of Ireland.
Index of Irish Wills, 1484-1858 (FMP=£) c.100k records including some marriage licence bonds for good measure!
Read the source page information very carefully and, if there is an NAI reference given in any of the results, you ought to be able to track down a copy or an original document in Dublin. However don't rely on being able to find it independently in the limited NAI online catalogue - click through to the Advanced Search screen and try entering the reference number exactly. I have had limited success in doing this and you would have to contact the staff at the NAI directly to see if they could look it out for you.
The following resources for specific courts would appear to be limited to this period. Information is limited to names, probate year and perhaps places and occupations. Widows may be qualified with their maiden names though.
This is the same collection of c.365k records and register images.
- Diocesan and Prerogative Wills (1595-1858) (NAI)
- Ireland Diocesan and Prerogative Wills and Administrations Indexes, 1595-1858 (FamilySearch)
- Ireland Diocesan and Prerogative Wills and Administrations Indexes, 1595-1858 (FMP=£)
Phillimore & Thrift also produced an index of diocesan wills in the early years of the 20th century using the PROI finding aids. Sadly, it is very incomplete for obvious reasons, but may be useful if they transcribed a name differently to any of the modern day indexers who produced the resources above? Check the description carefully on the search screen page as for the vast majority of the consistorial courts, their entries end in 1800 - only a few go up to 1858.
- W.P.W. Phillimore & Gertrude Thrift, Indexes To Irish Wills 1536-1858, 5 Vols (Pub.1909-1920) (FMP=£) c.32k records and page images.
Prerogative Court (All Ireland) Vicars also indexed Prerogative Wills and there are several ways to access his work.
- "Index to the Prerogative Wills of Ireland, 1536-1810" (Sir Arthur Vicars, 1897) (e-book) Free to download and browse.
- Sir Arthur Vicars, Index To The Prerogative Wills Of Ireland, 1536-1810, and Supplement (1914) (FMP=£) Claim unique extra records.
- Ireland, Index to the Prerogative Wills, 1536-1810 (Anc=£)
Diocese of Ardagh
- Ardagh Wills, 1690-1857 (FMP=£) c.1.5k records for the period 1690-1857. (Original source: Rosemary ffolliott)
Diocese of Clonfert
- Clonfert Wills and Administrations (FMP=£) c.1k records for the period 1663-1857. (Original source: Rosemary ffolliott)
Diocese of Dublin &/or Prerogative Court of Armagh
- Ireland, Diocese of Dublin Wills and Grants, 1270-1858 (FMP=£) Wills and intestacies, mostly 18th century onwards (+images)
- Dublin, Ireland, Probate Record and Marriage License Index, 1270-1858 (Anc=£) Includes the same records on Ancestry (+images)
- Appendix to the 26th Report (Index to Act or Grant Books and Original Wills of the Diocese of Dublin to 1800) Free to browse
- Appendix to the 30th Report (Index to Act or Grant Books and Original Wills of the Diocese of Dublin, 1800-1858) Free to Browse
Diocese of Kildare
- Kildare Diocese Wills (e-book) Late 17th-mid 19th century index.
Diocese of Leighlin
- Leighlin Administrations, 1700-1857 (FMP=£) c.1k records for the period 1700-1857. (Original source: Rosemary ffolliott)
Pre-1858 Will Abstracts
You may be able to learn more information from abstracts made from the original wills by past Irish genies. Betham and Crossle both made copious notes from original sources including wills. Gertrude Thrift, in addition to her sterling work on will indexes, also made copious notes on all sorts of other records, in which you might be lucky to find something more in the way of testamentary evidence.
You are going to have to be patient and work through the original images as I'm afraid you cannot limit your search to just wills in either of the following collections. However, you never know what other treasure you might stumble across as you do this. Oh, and good luck with Crossle's handwriting - brace yourself!
Betham Genealogical Abstracts (FMP=£) Mostly pre-1800 Prerogative wills with dates and short biographical details of deceased and beneficiaries.
Crossle Genealogical Abstracts (FMP=£) Again, Prerogative wills 1620-1804, but Crossle often usefully grouped his notes by family names.
Thrift Genealogical Abstracts (FMP=£) Collection description is somewhat vague but it is a very wide-ranging set of notes. Be lucky!
Ireland, Abstracts of Wills and Marriages, 1620-1923 (Anc=£). Betham, Crossle and Thrift Abstracts all bundled together.
Beryl Eustace indexed abstracts of wills deposited with the Registry of Deeds for all Ireland up until 1831.
- Registry of Deeds Dublin Abstract of Wills Vol. 1, 1708-1745
- Registry of Deeds Dublin Abstract of Wills Vol. 2, 1746-1785
- Registry of Deeds Dublin Abstract of Wills Vol. 3, 1785-1831
Post 1858 Will Calendars
Post 1858, the will calendars became the finding aid for wills probated in both the various district registries and the principal registry in Dublin. The early calendars are a bit more expansive than the bare-bones indexes prior to this year and you will generally learn about the value of the estate, residence and place of death (may be different), date of death and hopefully the executors and their relationship to the deceased. However, later 20th century indexes revert back to brevity and the images betray their origin as old-fashioned computer print-outs which can make for poor quality images. See my Will Probate Districts and Records,1858+ page for more detailed information.
As you might expect, the big online portals, free and commercial, have all found some way of including this data in their collections. They vary in how you can search for records and how they return results. Whether any of them have produced their own indexes or simply invisibly link to the existing NAI indexes is never made clear - you would have to experiment with them to see if there was any difference (I suspect not.)
These are the same resources and cover all Ireland.
For the Republic of Ireland from 1922 (1921 is missing as it was a bit of a tricky year to get anything published!), the calendars are not indexed, and you will need to browse them, searching forward from any known death year. Here are 2 ways of getting to the right year quickly.
For the district registries of Northern Ireland (Armagh, Belfast & Londonderry), PRONI have a searchable database right up to 1965. They also have selected images from the will registers which you can access from the same database via any "image" hyperlink that might appear in the far-right column of the results screen.
The following collection may be a bit of a long-shot but you may be lucky.
IGRS Card Index Freely searchable images of a card index to further material held by the Irish Genealogical Research Society (members only access.)
I don't know what time period this resource covers though sampling in the cards suggests 18th and 19th century. Some of the original sources quoted are journal articles, so note any references carefully and you may be able to find the journal elsewhere online (See Dining Clubs - Societies and Journals.)
Post 1858, the will calendars became the finding aid for wills probated in both the various district registries and the principal registry in Dublin. The early calendars are a bit more expansive than the bare-bones indexes prior to this year and you will generally learn about the value of the estate, residence and place of death (may be different), date of death and hopefully the executors and their relationship to the deceased. However, later 20th century indexes revert back to brevity and the images betray their origin as old-fashioned computer print-outs which can make for poor quality images. See my Will Probate Districts and Records,1858+ page for more detailed information.
As you might expect, the big online portals, free and commercial, have all found some way of including this data in their collections. They vary in how you can search for records and how they return results. Whether any of them have produced their own indexes or simply invisibly link to the existing NAI indexes is never made clear - you would have to experiment with them to see if there was any difference (I suspect not.)
These are the same resources and cover all Ireland.
- Calendars of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1920 (NAI) Transcripts and images.
- Ireland Calendars of Wills & Administrations 1858-1920 (FamilySearch) Transcripts & images.
- Ireland Calendars of Wills & Administrations 1858-1965 (FMP=£) Transcripts only. Links to the NAI record for the same image for all Ireland up to 1920. Post 1920 entries are for Northern Ireland only.
- Web: Ireland, Calendar of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1920 (Anc=£) Search screen only. Links to the NAI record for the same image.
For the Republic of Ireland from 1922 (1921 is missing as it was a bit of a tricky year to get anything published!), the calendars are not indexed, and you will need to browse them, searching forward from any known death year. Here are 2 ways of getting to the right year quickly.
- Will Calendars from 1922 (Chris Paton's links to NAI PDFs by year)
- Wills and Administrations advice and post-1922 links (CIGO)
For the district registries of Northern Ireland (Armagh, Belfast & Londonderry), PRONI have a searchable database right up to 1965. They also have selected images from the will registers which you can access from the same database via any "image" hyperlink that might appear in the far-right column of the results screen.
- Will Calendars, 1858-1965 (PRONI)
- Web: Northern Ireland, Will Calendar Index, 1858-1965 (Anc=£) Search screen and results. Links to the PRONI search screen where you will have to search again!
The following collection may be a bit of a long-shot but you may be lucky.
IGRS Card Index Freely searchable images of a card index to further material held by the Irish Genealogical Research Society (members only access.)
I don't know what time period this resource covers though sampling in the cards suggests 18th and 19th century. Some of the original sources quoted are journal articles, so note any references carefully and you may be able to find the journal elsewhere online (See Dining Clubs - Societies and Journals.)
Will Registers and Wills
Having found your entry in the will calendar, how do you go about finding the actual will? Unfortunately, not every entry will lead you to a surviving document - see "What records have survived" on my Will Probate District 1858+ page for more details.
For online access to what has survived and has been currently digitised by the NAI.
In addition to these registers, there is also a small collection of testamentary records that appear to have been created by the Inland Revenue.
The images originated on FamilySearch, where you can browse them for free, but they are also available to search through indexes on Ancestry and FindMyPast.
The following free resources on FamilySearch are not indexed and you should take some time to browse the former in order to potentially find treasure in the latter. See my Searching the NAI Testamentary Index page for more detailed practical guidance. Note that there are pre-1858 wills in this collection too.
If you are hunting for later original wills from before 1992, then you will have to apply to the National Archives of Ireland for a copy, which must be paid for in Euros. Sadly, this process is not online - see Ordering Certified Copies on the National Archives of Ireland website. For wills proved from 1992, you will need to search the Probate Register Online and follow their process to obtain a copy.
Having found your entry in the will calendar, how do you go about finding the actual will? Unfortunately, not every entry will lead you to a surviving document - see "What records have survived" on my Will Probate District 1858+ page for more details.
For online access to what has survived and has been currently digitised by the NAI.
- Will Registers (1858-1900) (NAI) c.500k records. Cannot search by registry nor is it apparent from images, but it is free and all parties are indexed.
- Ireland, Original Will Registers, 1858-1920 (FMP=£) Same records sourced from NAI plus an additional 20 years? Hmm not sure about that...
- Ireland, Wills and Grants of Probate, 1858-1900 (Anc=£) Same records sourced from NAI.
In addition to these registers, there is also a small collection of testamentary records that appear to have been created by the Inland Revenue.
The images originated on FamilySearch, where you can browse them for free, but they are also available to search through indexes on Ancestry and FindMyPast.
- Ireland, Registers of Wills and Administrations, 1828-1885 (Anc=£)
- Ireland, Inland Revenue Wills & Administrations, 1828-1879 (FMP=£)
- Irish Will Index, 1838-1879: Irish Administration Register, 1828-1839: Irish Administration Index, 1828-1879 (FamilySearch)
The following free resources on FamilySearch are not indexed and you should take some time to browse the former in order to potentially find treasure in the latter. See my Searching the NAI Testamentary Index page for more detailed practical guidance. Note that there are pre-1858 wills in this collection too.
- Index to Testamentary Records in the Public Record Office, Dublin, 15th-20th Century (LDS Digitised Microfilms) Card index images
- Testamentary Documents in the Public Record office, Dublin (LDS Digitised Microfilms) Actual copies of wills
If you are hunting for later original wills from before 1992, then you will have to apply to the National Archives of Ireland for a copy, which must be paid for in Euros. Sadly, this process is not online - see Ordering Certified Copies on the National Archives of Ireland website. For wills proved from 1992, you will need to search the Probate Register Online and follow their process to obtain a copy.
Miscellaneous Resources
As part of their service records, WW1 soldiers completed a form stating to whom their effects and back pay should be left to. These short but poignant documents comprising of c.9k records (~25% of Irish privates and NCO's in British regiments) are accessible via the following links.
As part of their service records, WW1 soldiers completed a form stating to whom their effects and back pay should be left to. These short but poignant documents comprising of c.9k records (~25% of Irish privates and NCO's in British regiments) are accessible via the following links.
- Soldiers Wills from the First World War (NAI) Transcripts and images. Read this about page for a very good description of the records.
- WW1 Irish Soldiers Wills (FMP=£) Transcripts only, no links to NAI images.
Click to enlarge
Newspapers
Newspapers are a good source for tracking down wills as there may have been legal and court notices published in relation to them. For example,
How to find these announcements? In addition to searching with the deceased's name, use a place name to help narrow candidates. Unfortunately relatively common keywords like "will", "court" and "probate" may not be helpful, but give them a try. If you know a date of death, it may be better to browse the newspapers forward from the date to see if any debt notices were published in the following weeks. For substantial estates, the national newspapers may be the best bet to start with.
Here are the main online sources for Irish newspapers.
Irish Times (Subscription required) This title does appear on other sites like the BNA, but it also has its own dedicated archive site.
Irish Newspaper Archives (Subscription required) Check for titles included.
Irish Newspapers on the British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
Ireland Newspapers, 1763-1890 (Anc=£) Unindexed collection which you can browse.
Irish Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
Newspapers are a good source for tracking down wills as there may have been legal and court notices published in relation to them. For example,
- You will often see a clause at the beginning of any will that the deceased wished that all their debts be settled from their estate. Therefore, much as still happens today, solicitors may have published notices in the legal sections calling on anyone who thought the deceased owed them money to come forward.
- Wills may have been disputed and become the subject of court cases, which were fulsomely reported in the newspapers - we do all love a good family drama, don't we!
- I have also seen reports of the contents of wills, like the one pictured to the right. However, later on into the 20th century, this may just be a column with several entries stating the name of the deceased and the value of the estate, obviously where the amount merited broadcasting I suppose. Useful if the name is distinctive.
How to find these announcements? In addition to searching with the deceased's name, use a place name to help narrow candidates. Unfortunately relatively common keywords like "will", "court" and "probate" may not be helpful, but give them a try. If you know a date of death, it may be better to browse the newspapers forward from the date to see if any debt notices were published in the following weeks. For substantial estates, the national newspapers may be the best bet to start with.
Here are the main online sources for Irish newspapers.
Irish Times (Subscription required) This title does appear on other sites like the BNA, but it also has its own dedicated archive site.
Irish Newspaper Archives (Subscription required) Check for titles included.
Irish Newspapers on the British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
Ireland Newspapers, 1763-1890 (Anc=£) Unindexed collection which you can browse.
Irish Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
Overseas Wills
If your Irish-born relative died overseas, then you may find similar notices published in the local and national newspapers there.
British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
British Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
Papers Past (New Zealand)
Trove Digitised Newspapers (Australia)
New York Times Archive (Subscription required)
Newspapers.com (Subscription required) Generally North American titles but some other countries too.
Civil and court records in major destinations for Irish emigrants should also be considered. Here are a few suggestions - not exhaustive.
India
Did your ancestor join the armies of the East India Company, or later, the British Army? Or the Civil Service? See also my page "Fighting in a Foreign Field - India".
Scotland
The terminology in Scotland is slightly different (wills are confirmed rather than probated) but the processes are the same. You will find records of people dying both with and without a will. In both cases, you may find an official inventory of the deceased's belongings, no matter how meagre.
England & Wales
This is the same resource, although FindMyPast would appear to have more up-to-date records.
Index to Death Duty Registers, 1796-1903 (FMP=£) Where English or Welsh estates attracted death duties, you should find them in here.
USA
ANCESTRY American Wills & Probate Collections (Anc=£) Filter by state.
FINDMYPAST American Wills & Probate Collections (FMP=£) Very little unless you want Stark Co., Ohio. The rest are very esoteric.
FamilySearch has many American collections for probate and will records, usually categorised by county within state as they would have been proved at local county courthouses. However, it is not easy to create a link to them all, so I'm afraid you are going to have to search their catalogue yourself.
Canada
ANCESTRY Canadian Wills & Probate Collections (Anc=£) Only 4 collections and by far the largest one for Quebec is in French.
FINDMYPAST Canadian Wills & Probate Collections (FMP=£) Majority of records in 3 collections for Manitoba.
Canada, British Columbia Wills, 1861-1981 (FamilySearch) Not indexed - check instructions on how to browse.
Library and Archives Canada has some useful information on wills at the bottom of their Deaths, Cemeteries and Wills page. This states that wills were proved at the state or province level and you will have to access each of these named pages to see what might be available.
Australia
ANCESTRY Australian Wills & Probate Collections (Anc=£) Filter by state. 2 odd inclusions at the end of the list?
FINDMYPAST Australian Wills & Probate Collections (FMP=£) Large collection for Victoria plus 4 sets of records for Queensland. Some others.
Australia, Victoria, Wills, Probates and Administration Files, 1841-1926 (FamilySearch) c.21k records with images.
New Zealand
Neither Ancestry or FindMyPast appear to have anything for testamentary records in New Zealand. For a good insight into the history of the process, see the FamilySearch Wiki article on New Zealand Probate Records. Note particularly the fact that pre-1843 NZ wills were actually probated in New South Wales, Australia!
New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998 (FamilySearch) Transcripts and images but latter only up to 50 years ago.
If your Irish-born relative died overseas, then you may find similar notices published in the local and national newspapers there.
British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
British Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
Papers Past (New Zealand)
Trove Digitised Newspapers (Australia)
New York Times Archive (Subscription required)
Newspapers.com (Subscription required) Generally North American titles but some other countries too.
Civil and court records in major destinations for Irish emigrants should also be considered. Here are a few suggestions - not exhaustive.
India
Did your ancestor join the armies of the East India Company, or later, the British Army? Or the Civil Service? See also my page "Fighting in a Foreign Field - India".
- British India Office Wills and Probate (FMP=£) Transcripts & images. Be sure to read all the pages returned for any record, not just the first.
Scotland
The terminology in Scotland is slightly different (wills are confirmed rather than probated) but the processes are the same. You will find records of people dying both with and without a will. In both cases, you may find an official inventory of the deceased's belongings, no matter how meagre.
- Scottish Wills and Testaments (ScotlandsPeople=Pay-per-view) See my Scotland Records & Resources page.
- Scotland, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations & Inventories), 1876-1936 (Anc=£) Use this to narrow your search in the above.
England & Wales
This is the same resource, although FindMyPast would appear to have more up-to-date records.
- England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957 (FamilySearch) Brief index entries only, no images.
- England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 (Anc=£) Indexed images.
- England and Wales Government Probate Death Index, 1858-2019 (FMP=£) Indexed images.
- Wales Probate Abstracts 1544-1858 (FamilySearch) Not indexed, so see this help page for advice on browsing.
- National Library of Wales Wills There is a rudimentary search function to the same material on here. Further potential access to actual wills.
Index to Death Duty Registers, 1796-1903 (FMP=£) Where English or Welsh estates attracted death duties, you should find them in here.
USA
ANCESTRY American Wills & Probate Collections (Anc=£) Filter by state.
FINDMYPAST American Wills & Probate Collections (FMP=£) Very little unless you want Stark Co., Ohio. The rest are very esoteric.
FamilySearch has many American collections for probate and will records, usually categorised by county within state as they would have been proved at local county courthouses. However, it is not easy to create a link to them all, so I'm afraid you are going to have to search their catalogue yourself.
Canada
ANCESTRY Canadian Wills & Probate Collections (Anc=£) Only 4 collections and by far the largest one for Quebec is in French.
FINDMYPAST Canadian Wills & Probate Collections (FMP=£) Majority of records in 3 collections for Manitoba.
Canada, British Columbia Wills, 1861-1981 (FamilySearch) Not indexed - check instructions on how to browse.
Library and Archives Canada has some useful information on wills at the bottom of their Deaths, Cemeteries and Wills page. This states that wills were proved at the state or province level and you will have to access each of these named pages to see what might be available.
Australia
ANCESTRY Australian Wills & Probate Collections (Anc=£) Filter by state. 2 odd inclusions at the end of the list?
FINDMYPAST Australian Wills & Probate Collections (FMP=£) Large collection for Victoria plus 4 sets of records for Queensland. Some others.
Australia, Victoria, Wills, Probates and Administration Files, 1841-1926 (FamilySearch) c.21k records with images.
New Zealand
Neither Ancestry or FindMyPast appear to have anything for testamentary records in New Zealand. For a good insight into the history of the process, see the FamilySearch Wiki article on New Zealand Probate Records. Note particularly the fact that pre-1843 NZ wills were actually probated in New South Wales, Australia!
New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998 (FamilySearch) Transcripts and images but latter only up to 50 years ago.
(c) Irish Geneaography - 2022
