To locate estate records you need to know the name of the estate owner. Approximately four out of five people in Wales rented the property they lived on. If you can locate your ancestor in the tithe apportionment or land tax records, you will find the name of the owner of the property. For more information, see the “Taxation” section of this outline.

Availability of Estate Records

If any estate records of a land owner survive, they may be in a record office or library, where you can search them for references to the family you seek. The National Library of Wales has many estate records in its manuscript department. Most county record offices also have collections of estate papers. For a general description of the collections containing estate records at the National Library of Wales see:

The National Library of Wales. Guide To The Department of Manuscripts And Records: The National Library of Wales. Aberystwyth, Wales: National Library of Wales, 1996. (FHL book 942.9 A3g; computer number 0752109.)

The staff of the National Library of Wales is preparing various indexes to these estate records. The Family History Library has filmed some of these indexes. The Topographical Index and Estate Index will help you identify estate records and which collection they are a part of. The codes given on the index cards may be interpreted by using the Key to Schedules Indexed. (FHL film 1597120 item 2; computer number 0502794.) For more information on how to use the indexes and schedules see:

Department of Manuscripts And Records. Indexes To Schedules: Introduction. Aberystwyth, Wales: The National Library of Wales, 1978. (FHL film number 1597120 item 1; computer number 0502794.)

Look for the indexes, calendars and schedules in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

WALES - LAND AND PROPERTY - INDEXESWALES - LAWS AND LEGISLATION - INDEXESWALES - LAND AND PROPERTYWALES, [COUNTY] - LAND AND PROPERTY