Exchequer and Prerogative Courts of the Archbishop of York

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England Gotoarrow.png Cheshire Gotoarrow.png Cheshire Probate Records
England Gotoarrow.png Yorkshire Gotoarrow.png Yorkshire Probate Records
England Gotoarrow.png Lancashire Gotoarrow.png Lancashire Probate Records

For a general explanation about probate records in England, click here.

Description

Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The term probate refers to a collection of documents, including wills, administrations (also called admons), inventories, and act books. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858.

Step By Step

1. Search indexes to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail given in the index.

2. Go to "Records" below to determine what probate records exist for this court.

3. Obtain the records to search. Use one of these methods to find indexes and records:

  • Contact or visit the Archive (see below) or hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf.
  • Order microfilm copies of the indexes and records listed in the Family History Library Records (see section below) by visiting theFamily History Library or one of its family history centers and search indexes and records.

Indexes

Online Indexes

Indexes to Yorkshire wills are beginning to come online.

  • The National Archives website has an index covering 1267 to 1500, for 10,000 wills proved in the Prerogative & Exchequer Courts of York, and other probate indexes, arranged alphabetically by location.
  • The 'Exchequer and Prerogative Courts of York Probate Index 1731-1858' is available at British Origins. Click on the 'National Wills Index' then select it from the list. This is a subscription site.

Indexes to the Exchequer and Prerogative Courts were published by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society. Many of these volumes have been converted to digital books. The following table will help you find these resources online (the dollar sign [$] means there is a fee for using the listed website):

Vol. Contents BYU Google Genealogist
6 Wills 1389-1514; Probate and Administrations Act Book 1502-1514 (mislabeled on Google) FamilySearch Books Online Link Link ($)
11 Wills 1514-1553; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1514-1553; Probate Acts 1514-1521; Act Book Deanery of Harthill 1558-1565 Link Link Link ($)
14 Wills 1554-1568; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1553-1568 Link   Link ($)
19 Wills 1568-1585; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1568-1585 Link   Link ($)
22 Wills 1585-1594; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1585-1594      Link ($)
24 Wills 1594-1602; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1594-1602 Link   Link ($)
26 Wills 1603-1611; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1603-1611 Link   Link ($)
28 Wills 1612-1619; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1612-1619 Link   Link ($)
32 Wills 1620-1627; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1620-1627 Link   Link ($)
35 Wills 1627-1636; Administration Acts (from Act Books) 1627-1652 Link   Link ($)
4 Wills 1636-1652 Link Link Link ($)
49 Wills, Administrations, Probate Acts 1660-1665 Link    


Printed and Published Indexes

The Family History Library has film copies of the following indexes. Films can be viewed in the

Family History Library and in a family history center.

Yorkshire probate index : part one, 1800 to 1803 was compiled by Janet Ogden, Stephen D. Whitwam and Brian Jones.

Records

Archive Location

The original records for this court are in the Borthwick Institute for Historical Research

University of York
Heslington York YO10 5DD
England Telephone: (0)1904 321166
Email: bihr500@york.ac.uk

Archive Records

Add information about the manuscript, printed and digital records in this location.

Family History Library Records

The Family History Library has the following records on film.

Appeals Courts

Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:

Estate Duty Records

Starting in 1796, a tax or death duty was payable on estates over a certain value. Estate duty abstracts may add considerable information not found elsewhere. Estate duty indexes may help locate a will. For more information, go to Estate Duty Records.

Jurisdiction

This court's jurisdiction applies to persons with bona notabilia (property worth 5 pounds or more) in more than one diocese within the northern Province of York, which includes all of the dioceses of York, Carlisle, Chester, Sodor and Man (Isle of Man), Durham and Lancaster. If probate records are not found in this court, be certain to search the Court of the Dean and Chapter of York.

The Court of the Exchequer and Prerogative Courts of the Archbishop of York held jurisdiction over the whole of the Province of York, which consisted of the counties of Cheshire, Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Westmoreland, Yorkshire.

Unless a person held properties in more than one diocese (within the Province of York), always first search, the local diocesan court probate records of the county in which they lived and/or died. When a search of this courts’ probate records, or a search in those of the local diocesan courts fails to provide the desired probate record, be sure to search the Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of York as well.

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