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Engraving of registry of wills, Somerset House (Catalogue reference: ZPER 34/66/96)

This is a brief guide to researching records of a will or administration after 1858 which was provedprove - to obtain legal authentication in England and Wales. Wills proved from 1858 to the present day are held only by the Probate Service.

  • What do I need to know before I start?

    • Try to find out:

      • the name of the person
      • the geographical location
      • the date range to focus your search

  • What records can I see online?

    • There are no wills or administrations after 1858 available online.

  • What records can I find at The National Archives at Kew?

    • There are no wills or administrations after 1858 at The National Archives.

  • What records can I find in other archives and organisations?

    • Probate records (1858-present)

      Request copies of wills and administrations from the Probate Service. The index to these records, known as the National Probate Calendar, is available to consult at the Probate Search Room, First Avenue House, 42-49 High Holborn, London WC1V 6NP (tel: +44 (0) 207 947 6000).

       

      Partial indexes are available to consult at The National Archives, the Guildhall Library, the Society of Genealogists or local probate registries.

  • The National Archives is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Did you know?

As well as the full name, address and occupation of the deceased, the National Probate Calendar may also contain the full names of executors, administrators and relationships to the deceased; the date and place of the death; the date and place of the probate or administration grant; and the value of the estate.

The National Probate Calendar is not available online.

An application for administration could be made when a person died without leaving a will, if there were problems with the estate.

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