Lancashire Wiki Topics
|
|
Beginning Research
|
|
Record Types
|
|
|
Lancashire Background
|
|
|
Local Research Resources
|
|
Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. Probate records include wills and administrations. This article is about probate records in Lancashire. See England Probate Records for a general description of probate records in England.
Beginning in 1858, the Principal Probate Registry had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Lancashire, follow these steps:
Online Indexes Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Lancashire. Search these indexes first:
For published indexes see each court jurisdiction (listed below). The latest years of these indexes go only to the year 1807.
For later than 1807, see the Estate Duty Registers' indexes (see above link pr view microfilms available at the Family History Library). These original indexes were created by the Estate Duty Office (Inland Revenue) for all wills and administrations, which exacted Death Duties (from all probate courts in the country).
Did you find a reference to a probate record?
- If yes, go to Step 4 below.
- If no, go to Step 2 below.
Indexes at the Family History Library, Salt Lake City. Archdeaconry Court of Richmond, Index of Probate Records 1748-1858
Lancashire and Cheshire Record Society Series.
Vol 2 (1545-1620), Vol 4 (1621-1650), 1651-1659 see Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Vol 15 (1660-1680), Vol 18 (1681-1700), Vol 20 (1701-1720), Vol 22 (1721-1740), Vol 25 (1741-1760), Vol 37-38 (1761-1780), Vol 44-45 (1781-1800), Vol 62-63 (1801-1810), Vol 78-79 (1811-1820), Vol 107 (1821-1825), Vol 113 (1826-1830), Vol 118 (1831-1833), Vol 120 (1834-1837)
Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died[edit | edit source]
Determine when your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.
Determine where your ancestor died. It is easier to find a probate record if you know whether the place where your ancestor lived or died is a parish. To learn whether it is a parish, look it up in a gazetteer. Or use England Jurisdictions, 1851 to find it on a map, along with information about it. Here is a link to the 1872 Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales online:
The gazetteer will either tell you:
- A place is a parish, or
- What parish it is a part of, or
- What place it is near.
If the latter, look that place up in the gazetteer and see if it is a parish.
Once you have identified the parish, go to Step 3.
Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish[edit | edit source]
Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, learn which courts had jurisdiction over it then search indexes for those courts. Before 1858 every town and parish in Lancashire came under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Click on a link below for the letter the parish begins with to identify which pre-1858 courts had probate jurisdiction over it:
Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record[edit | edit source]
Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:
- Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection.
Probate Records of Lancashire Courts[edit | edit source]
- MISCELLANEOUS WILLS 1695-1855 Diocese of Chester. Consistory Court
- PROBATE RECORDS 1558-1858, Consistory Court of the Diocese of Chester, 1558-1858 Diocese of Chester. Consistory Court
- PROBATE RECORDS 1466-1860 Archdeaconry of Richmond. Consistory Court (Western Deaneries)
- PROBATE RECORDS, 1521-1858 Church of England. Diocese of Chester. Consistory Court
- PROBATE RECORDS, 1852 Church of England. Prebendal Court (Fordington and Writhlington)
- PROBATE RECORDS, 1374 to 1858 Court of the Exchquer of the Archbishop of York
- PROBATE RECORDS, early to 1858 Court of the Chancery of the Archbishop of York
- PROBATE RECORDS, Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of York
Probate records of Lancashire commence from as early as 1321 to 1857. The probate court jurisdictions listed below hold extensive probate record coverage not only for Lancashire but for Yorkshire, Cheshire, Durham, and Cumberland. There is only one peculiar or smaller court jurisdictions which pertain to Lancashire parishes.
Raymond, Stuart A. Lancashire: a genealogical bibliography, vol. 2. Registers, inscriptions and wills. Birmingham [England]: Federation of Family History Societies, c 1996-1997.
Links to Lancashire, England Genealogy-related articles |
---|
| Topics | | | Parishes and Chapelries
(ancient parishes in bold) |
Accrington St James
• Adlington
• Admarsh
• Aigburth
• Ainsworth
• Aldingham
• Altcar
• Altham
• Ancoats All Souls
• Ancoats St Andrew
• Angerton
• Ardwick St Thomas
• Arkholme
• Ashton in Makerfield St Thomas
• Ashton in Makerfield Holy Trinity
• Ashton under Lyne Christ Church
• Ashton under Lyne St Michael
• Ashton under Lyne St Peter
• Ashton upon Ribble St Andrew
• Ashworth
• Astley
• Astley Bridge
• Atherton
• Audenshaw
• Aughton
• Bacup
• Balderstone
• Bamber Bridge St Saviour
• Bardsley
• Barrowford
• Barton
• Barton upon Irwell
• Bedford Leigh
• Beswick
• Bevington
• Bickerstaffe
• Billinge
• Birch in Hopwood
• Birch in Rusholme
• Bircle
• Birtle
• Bispham
• Blackburn Holy Trinity
• Blackburn St John
• Blackburn St Mary
• Blackburn St Michael and All Angels
• Blackburn St Paul
• Blackburn St Peter
• Blackley St Peter
• Blackpool St John
• Blackrod
• Blawith
• Bolton le Moors All Saints
• Bolton le Moors Christ Church
• Bolton le Moors Emmanuel
• Bolton le Moors Holy Trinity
• Bolton le Moors St George
• Bolton le Moors St Peter
• Bolton le Sands
• Little Bolton St John
• Bootle St Mary
• Bradshaw
• Brathay
• Bretherton
• Briercliffe
• Brindle
• Broughton
• Broughton in Furness
• Burnley St Paul
• Burnley St Peter
• Burnley St James
• Burscough Bridge
• Burton in Kendal
• Burton Wood
• Bury St John
• Bury St Mary
• Bury St Paul
• Butterworth
• Cartmel
• Cartmel Fell
• Castleton
• Caton with Littledale
• Chadderton St John
• Chadderton St Matthew
• Chatburn
• Cheetham Hill St Mark
• Cheetham Hill St Luke
• Childwall
• Chipping
• Chorley St George
• Chorley St Laurence
• Chorley St Peter
• Chorlton cum Hardy
• Chorlton upon Medlock All Saints
• Chorlton upon Medlock St Luke
• Chorlton upon Medlock St Saviour
• Church Coniston
• Church Kirk
• Claughton
• Claughton St Chad
• Clayton le Moors
• Clitheroe
• Clitheroe Castle
• Clitheroe St James
• Cockerham
• Cockersand Abbey
• Coldhurst
• Colne
• Colne Christ Church
• Colton
• Coniston
• Copp
• Coppull
• Croft with Southworth
• Crompton
• Crosby
• Crossens
• Croston
• Croxteth Park
• Dalton in Furness
• Darwen, Over
• Deane
• Dendron
• Denton
• Denton Christ Church
• Didsbury
• Dolphinholme, Lancashire Genealogy
• Downham
• Droylsden
• East Broughton
• East Crompton
• Eccles
• Eccleston St Mary (near Croston)
• Eccleston Christ Church (near Prescot)
• Eccleston St Thomas
• Edenfield
• Egton cum Newland
• Ellel
• Ellenbrook
• Elton
• Euxton
• Everton Christ Church
• Everton St Augustine
• Everton St George
• Everton St Peter
• Failsworth
• Farington
• Farnworth
• Farnworth and Kearsley
• Fence-in-Pendle
• Feniscowles
• Field Broughton St Peter
• Finsthwaite
• Flixton
• Flookburgh
• Formby
• Garstang
• Garstang St Thomas
• Garston
• Glasson
• Glodwick
• Golborne
• Goodshaw
• Goosnargh
• Gorton St James
• Great Crosby
• Great Eccleston, Lancashire Genealogy
• Great Harwood
• Great Lever
• Great Marsden
• Great Sankey
• Gressingham
• Grimsargh
• Habergham All Saints
• Habergham Eaves
• Haigh and Aspull
• Hale
• Halewood
• Halliwell St Paul
• Halliwell St Peter
• Halsall
• Halton
• Hambleton
• Harpurhey
• Harwood
• Haslingden
• Haverthwaite
• Hawkshead
• Healey
• Heapey
• Heaton Norris
• Henheads
• Hesketh with Becconsall
• Hey
• Heyhouses
• Heysham
• Heywood
• Heywood St James
• Hindley
• Hoghton
• Holcombe
• Hollinfare
• Hollinwood
• Holme Island
• Holme St John
• Hoole
• Hornby
• Horwich
• Houghton, West
• Hulme Christ Church
• Hulme St George
• Hulme St Mark
• Hulton, Little
• Hundersfield
• Hurst
• Hurst Green
• Huyton
• Inskip
• Kellet, Over
• Kirkby
• Kirkby Ireleth
• Kirkdale St Mary
• Kirkham
• Knotty Ash St John the Evangelist
• Knowsley
• Lancaster Castle
• Lancaster St Anne
• Lancaster St John
• Lancaster St Mary
• Lancaster St Thomas
• Lane Bridge
• Langho
• Latchford St James
• Lathom St James
• Leck
• Leesfield
• Leigh
• Lever Bridge
• Leyland
• Lindale
• Litherland Christ Church
• Little Bolton All Saints
• Little Bolton St John
• Little Crosby
• Little Hulton
• Little Lever
• Little Marsden
• Littleborough
• Liverpool St Peter and St Nicholas
• Liverpool All Saints
• Liverpool All Souls Vauxhall
• Liverpool Blessed Virgin Mary
• Liverpool Christ Church
• Liverpool Holy Innocents
• Liverpool Holy Trinity
• Liverpool St Andrew
• Liverpool St Anne
• Liverpool St Barnabas
• Liverpool St Bartholomew
• Liverpool St Bride
• Liverpool St Catherine
• Liverpool St David
• Liverpool St George
• Liverpool St John
• Liverpool St John the Evangelist
• Liverpool St Luke
• Liverpool St Mark
• Liverpool St Martin in the Fields
• Liverpool St Martin Cemetery
• Liverpool St Mary's Cemetery
• Liverpool St Mary
• Liverpool St Matthew
• Liverpool St Matthias
• Liverpool St Michael
• Liverpool St Nicholas
• Liverpool St Paul
• Liverpool St Peter
• Liverpool St Philip
• Liverpool St Saviour
• Liverpool St Silas
• Liverpool St Simon
• Liverpool St Stephen
• Liverpool St Thomas
• Longridge
• Longton
• Lower Darwen St James
• Lowick
• Lowton
• Lumb
• Lund
• Lydgate
• Lydiate
• Lytham
• Lytham St John
• Maghull
• Manchester All Souls
• Manchester Cathedral
• Manchester Our Lady, St George and St Denys
• Manchester St Ann
• Manchester St Barnabas
• Manchester St Clement
• Manchester St George
• Manchester St James
• Manchester St John
• Manchester St Mary
• Manchester St Matthew, Campfield
• Manchester St Matthias
• Manchester St Michael
• Manchester St Paul
• Manchester St Peter
• Manchester St Peter, Oldham Road
• Marsden, Little
• Marton
• Mawdesley with Bispham
• Melling
• Melling (near Liverpool)
• Mellor
• Mellor-Brook
• Middleton
• Milnrow
• Mitton St Michael
• Morecambe Holy Trinity
• Mossley
• Much Woolton
• Musbury
• Newchurch
• Newchurch in Pendle
• Newchurch in Rossendale
• Newton All Saints
• Newton in Makerfield Emmanuel
• Newton in Makerfield St Peter
• North Meols
• Oldham St James
• Oldham St Mary
• Oldham St Peter
• Openshaw
• Ormskirk
• Oswaldtwistle
• Out Rawcliffe
• Over Darwen St James
• Over Darwen St John the Evangelist
• Over Darwen St Peter
• Over Darwen Holy Trinity
• Over Kellet
• Overton
• Paddington
• Padgate
• Padiham
• Parr
• Peel
• Pemberton
• Pendlebury
• Pendleton All Saints (near Clitheroe)
• Pendleton St Thomas (near Salford)
• Pendleton Hall
• Pennington
• Penwortham
• Pilling
• Poulton
• Poulton le Fylde
• Poulton le Sands
• Prescot
• Preston All Saints
• Preston Christ Church
• Preston Holy Trinity
• Preston St George
• Preston St James
• Preston St John
• Preston St Mary
• Preston St Paul
• Preston St Peter
• Preston St Wilfrid
• Prestwich St Mary
• Quernmore
• Radcliffe St Mary
• Radcliffe St Thomas
• Rainford
• Rainhill
• Rampside
• Ramsbottom
• Rawcliffe, Out
• Rawtenstall
• Reedley Hallows, Filly Close and New Laund Booth
• Ribby cum Wrea
• Ribchester
• Ringley
• Rivington
• Rochdale St Chad
• Royton
• Rufford
• Rusland
• Salesbury
• Salford Sacred Trinity
• Salford Christ Church
• Salford St Bartholomew
• Salford St Matthias
• Salford St Philip
• Salford St Simon
• Salford St Stephen
• Samlesbury
• Sandowne-Park
• Sankey, Great
• Satterthwaite
• Scarisbrick
• Seaforth
• Seathwaite
• Sefton
• Shaw
• Shireshead
• Shore, South
• Shuttleworth
• Silverdale
• Singleton
• Skelmersdale
• Skerton
• Smallbridge
• South Shore Holy Trinity
• Southport Christ Church
• Southport Holy Trinity
• Spotland
• St Helens
• St Michael on Wyre
• Stalmine
• Stalybridge New St George
• Stalybridge Old St George
• Stand
• Standish
• Staveley
• Stidd
• Stockton Heath
• Stretford St Matthew
• Sutton
• Swinton St Peter
• Tarleton
• Tatham
• Tatham Fells
• Thornton
• Thornton in Lonsdale
• Tockholes
• Todmorden
• Tonge
• Tonge cum Alkrington
• Torver
• Tottington
• Tottington Higher End
• Toxteth Park
• Toxteth Park St Clement
• Toxteth Park St James
• Toxteth Park St John the Baptist
• Toxteth Park St Michael
• Toxteth Park St Thomas
• Trawden
• Tunstall
• Turton
• Tydesley cum Shakerley
• Ulverston Holy Trinity
• Ulverston St Mary
• Unsworth
• Upholland
• Urmston
• Urswick
• Walmersley
• Walmsley
• Walney
• Walsden
• Walton le Dale
• Walton on the Hill St Mary
• Walton on the Hill St Mary, Edge Hill
• Walton Breck, Lancashire Genealogy
• Wardle St James
• Wardleworth St James
• Wardleworth St Mary
• Warrington Christ Church
• Warrington Holy Trinity
• Warrington St Elphin
• Warrington St Paul
• Warton (near Kirkham)
• Warton (near Lancaster)
• Waterhead
• Wavertree Holy Trinity
• Weeton
• Wennington
• Werneth
• West Broughton
• West Derby St Mary
• West Houghton
• Westleigh St Paul
• Whalley
• Whitechapel
• Whitewell
• Whittington
• Whittle le Woods
• Whitworth
• Wigan All Saints
• Wigan St Catherine
• Wigan St George
• Winwick
• Withnell
• Witton
• Woodland
• Woodplumpton
• Woolton, Much
• Worsley
• Worsthorne
• Wray
• Wyresdale
• Yate and Pickup Bank
• Yealand Conyers
| | Probate Courts | | | Major
Repositories | |
|