Did your ancestor leave a will?

What can you discover from the NPC?
To search the NPC, start with your ancestor’s year of death, if known, and work forward.

• The entries are in surname order and then of first name(s) within each surname.

• A typical entry from the years 1858-1891 will tell you the full name of the deceased, including any aliases, the amount of his/her personal estate, date and place of death, occupation (or marital status for a woman), residence, and sometimes also previous residence, date and place where probate or administration was granted.

• From 1918 onwards, the occupation of the deceased is not given.

The entries in the NPC pertain to people who had money and or property in England and Wales (regardless of which country they actually died in). For some years, Irish and Scottish entries are in a separate section, but for other years they are included in the main index. As well as Irish and Scottish entries, there are some from all over the world, although the details may not be as full as for English and Welsh entries.

What can a will tell you?
If you find a will for a deceased ancestor it may contain useful information on other relatives such as: a spouse or children, whether they were married, or had grandchildren; the death date and age of the deceased; hopefully a birth date and place might be given; often his/her occupation will be mentioned; and also bequests made. Find also the signatures of at least two witnesses (who must not benefit from the will), and the signature of the testator
.
As you can see, tracking down an ancestor’s will can provide a wealth of evidence for your research!

Where to look for wills?

• www.thegenealogist.co.uk – Find the Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills indexes and images

• www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/holdings/guides/research-guides/probate-courts – research Prerogative Court of York records

• www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk – Explore the index to wills and testaments 1513-1925

• www.llgc.org.uk/en/discover/nlw-resources/wills/ – wills proved in the Welsh Ecclesiastical courts before 1858

• www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/search/cwa/home.jsp – Calendars of Wills
and Administrations 1858-1922      for Ireland

• www.ffhs.org.uk/members2/contacting.php – Can your family history society help? Many have transcribed wills projects. Find the relevant society for the area you’re interested in

• www.findmypast.co.uk – Search Findmypast for transcriptions created by societies too, and other wills collections, such as that for British India.