Durham Diocese Probate Index, 1663-1869
Delve into this index of more than half a million probate records from the Diocese of Durham to reveal whether your ancestor’s probate papers have survived through the centuries. Spanning more than 200 years of history, this index can help you to uncover new details about your ancestor’s life and may reveal new relationships to help you add new branches to your family tree.
See description
Delve into this index of more than half a million probate records from the Diocese of Durham to reveal whether your ancestor’s probate papers have survived through the centuries. Spanning more than 200 years of history, this index can help you to uncover new details about your ancestor’s life and may reveal new relationships to help you add new branches to your family tree.
Learn about these records
Each record includes a transcript of the original record. While details can vary, you can expect to find a combination of the following facts:
- Name of testator
- Relationship to testator
- Year
- Role
- Probate type
- Residence
- Place
- Archive reference
These records are brought to you thanks to the work of the Northumberland and Durham Family History Society.
The Northumberland and Durham Family History Society’s “Probate Index Project” indexed every person mentioned on the probate documents which totalled more than 560,000 names. This includes testators, intestate, executors, beneficiaries, creditors, debtors, administrators, witnesses, bondsmen and bondswomen.
The fields indexed for each person, where details were included on the probate document, include: surname, forename, Notes (e.g. Son of ..., widow, occupation), relationship (relationship to testator/intestate), residence (usually just place name) and type of probate record (will, codicil, bond, inventory). It also includes the document reference. The index covers the Diocese of Durham, incorporating the whole of Durham and Northumberland (excluding Hexhamshire Peculiars held at York), and including Allertonshire Peculiars and strays from the rest of the United Kingdom and worldwide.
Family historians searching for their Durham ancestors may have come across the Durham Probate Records via Durham University Library. These are made freely available through the North-East Inheritance Database (pre-1858 Durham Probate Records). This database allows you to search by the surname/forename of the testator/intestate. From this database, you can link to the digitised image of the probate document on FamilySearch (free account required). The NDFHS database contains the “Document Reference” of the Inheritance database records to simplify the process.
© Northumberland & Durham FHS