Wills usually mention the names of heirs and frequently specify how those heirs are related. Wills may also list names of children and married names of daughters. Probate records may not give an exact death date, but the death most often occurred within a few months of the date of probate. See the United States Research Outline (30972) for more information about probate records.

Probate records of Alabama have been kept by the probate court since the counties were created. These courts have records of estate, guardianship, and juvenile cases. The Gandrud and Jones Alabama Records Collection includes some of these records (see the “Genealogy” section of this outline).

The Family History Library has microfilms of probate records from most of the counties in Alabama, generally from the date a county was created to the 1920s. The types of records available from each county vary considerably. For some counties, the library has only the court minutes. Records from other counties include complete probate records, such as dower records, personal property sales, settlement records, orphans’ records, wills, and bonds.

An index for Alabama wills is:

Index to Alabama Wills, 1808–1870. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, 1955. (FHL fiche 6051441; computer number 254141.) This was compiled by the Daughters of the American Revolution in Alabama.

Probate records are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

ALABAMA- PROBATE RECORDSALABAMA, [COUNTY]- PROBATE RECORDSALABAMA, [COUNTY]-GUARDIANSHIPS

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