England, Durham, Dean and Chapter of Durham's Allerton and Allertonshire Original Wills, Inventories and Bonds - FamilySearch Historical Records

England Durham

What is in the Collection?
This collection consists of digitized probate records from the hundred of Allertonshire in Yorkshire for the years 1666-1845.

In the period of this collection, Allertonshire was a peculiar of the Diocese of Durham. A peculiar is a locality which is administered by a diocese other than the one where it is actually located; that is, it is exempted from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or bishop in whose diocese it lies and is governed by another. In this case, the parishes of Allertonshire are administered by the Diocese of Durham, rather than by the Diocese of York.

A will conveys real (immovable) property to heirs after an individual’s death.

A bond is a written guarantee that a person will faithfully perform the tasks assigned to him by a probate court. The executor posted a testamentary bond, the administrator posted an administration bond, and the guardian of a minor child posted a bond of tuition or curation.

An inventory lists belongings and their values, including such items as household goods, tools, and personal items. Occupations are often mentioned.

Collection Content
This collection contains various types of probate records, as described above. Other types of probate records may be present, but are unlikely.

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
The following lists indicate potential information given in each type of record. It must be remembered that every record may not provide all the listed information, as record-keeping practices often varied by time and location.

How Do I Search the Collection?
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the 'Reference number' category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives.
 * Search the records of nearby Parishes (Brampton, Diehgton, High Worsall, Kirby Sigston, Northallerton and West Rounton).

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: