All research guides
Family history
First World War
Second World War
Military and maritime
Social and cultural history
Criminals, courts and prisons
Political and economic history
Foreign and colonial history
Land and maps
Medieval and early modern history
Records for current legal purposes
Online collections
How to look for records of...
- African ancestors – an overview…you cannot search the online indexes to wills at The National Archives with any name other than that of the testator. …Keywords: africaemigrationimmigration
- Births, marriages and deaths in the armed forces…wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel () from ADM 48. …Keywords: armybirthsbritish armydeathsmarriagesnavyrafroyal air forceroyal marinesroyal navy
- British military campaign and service medals…Wills paper) Issued details: S. …Keywords: armyawardsbritish armycampaign medalsmedalsofficers (army)
- Caribbean ancestors – an overview…At The National Archives we only hold wills proved before 1858. …Keywords: caribbeanimmigration
- Civil court cases: an overview…Probate of wills and administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Manorial courts Most of the court records we hold are not online and to see them you will need to consult them at our building in Kew or pay for copies to be made and sent to you. …Keywords: civil litigationcourts of lawlaw and ordertrials
- Civil court cases: Chancery Division since 1875…wills, deeds, share certificates and letters. …Keywords: chancery (court of)civil litigationcourts of lawlaw and ordertrials
- Civil court cases: Chancery equity suits 1558-1875…wills and other documents on which the masters founded their reports, together with the drafts of reports. …Keywords: chancery (court of)civil litigationcourts of lawearly modern periodequity courtslaw and ordertrials
- Civil court cases: Chancery equity suits before 1558
Keywords: chancery (court of)civil litigationcourts of lawearly modern periodequity courtslaw and ordertrials - Civil court cases: disputed wills…is a guide to the records that were created when wills were disputed in court and how to find them. …Keywords: civil litigationcourts of lawdeathsearly modern periodlaw and orderprerogative court of canterburyprobatetrialswills
- Country court death duty registers 1796-1811…you can search Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills 1383-1858 on our website, or browse these records using Discovery, our catalogue. …Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
- Court of Exchequer…wills and so on. …Keywords: courts of lawearly modern periodequity courtsexchequerlaw and order
- Courts of law records held in other archives…wills, criminals and land. …Keywords: civil litigationconvictscourts of lawcrime and criminalscriminal courtslaw and ordertrials
- Death duties 1796-1903…read our guides to looking for wills and administrations before 1858 and after 1858. The National Archives only holds wills proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. …Keywords: administrations of probatedeath duties (tax)deathsduties and taxeslegacies (probate)probatetaxes and dutieswills
- Emigration and emigrants
Keywords: america (emigration to)australia (emigration to)canada (emigration to)emigrationmigrationnew zealand (emigration to) - Famous wills 1552-1854…the wills of 102 famous people which form the series PROB 1. …Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
- Free online records: digital microfilm…s Wills 1786-1909 Indexes to the Wills of Royal Naval Seamen 1786-1882 in ADM 48. …Keywords: admiraltyconvictscrime and criminalsdigitised recordsforeign affairsfree online recordshome officenavyonline collections All records viewable online
- French lands of the English kings…such as wills which you can view online. …Keywords: early modern periodfrance (english lands in)landland ownership
- Funds in court…Consult our research guides for advice on obtaining documentation of wills, births, marriages and deaths and the census. …Keywords: courts of lawdormant fundsfunds in courtlegacies (probate)money in chanceryprobate
- Irish ancestors – an overview…Virtually all wills administered in Ireland were destroyed in 1922. …Keywords: emigrationimmigrationireland
- Manorial documents and lordships and how to use the Manorial Documents Register…wills, inventories, administrations, probate register(s), probate act book(s), papers rel to probate Rent Used for a document which lists tenants and their rent taken in a given year. …Keywords: early modern periodlandland ownershipmanorial documents registermanors
- Medieval and early modern family history…such as wills proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and equity suits heard at the Court of Chancery, are not described in detail online, and simply searching the catalogue by keyword is not likely to reveal comprehensive results. …Keywords: early modern periodmedieval period
- Merchant Navy ships’ records: crew lists, musters and log books
Keywords: crew listslog books (ships)merchant navyshipping - Royal Household and Wardrobe
Keywords: crown servantsearly modern periodroyal householdroyal servantsroyal warrant holderstradesmen - Royal Marines officers…wills, 1786–1882 (ADM 48), part of The National Archives online collections. …Keywords: first world warofficers (royal marines)royal marinesworld war one
- Royal Marines other ranks…wills, 1786–1882 (ADM 48), part of The National Archives online collections. …Keywords: first world warroyal marinesworld war one
- Royal Navy commissioned and warrant officers’ pensions: claims by next of kin for unpaid monies 1830-1860
Keywords: digitised recordsonline collectionspensionsroyal navy All records viewable online - Understanding digital records
Keywords: catalogue (discovery) helpdiscovery (catalogue) help - Wills 1384-1858…wills in series PROB 11 made between 1384 and 12 January 1858. …Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
- Wills and administrations after 1858…The National Archives does not hold wills or administrations in England and Wales (or any other part of the UK) after 1858 but this guide provides advice on where they are held and how you can search for them. …Keywords: administrations of probatedeath duties (tax)duties and taxesprerogative court of canterburyprobatetaxes and dutieswills
- Wills and administrations before 1858…Probate Registry was established on 12 January 1858 and for wills proved from this date onwards go to the Probate Service. …Keywords: administrations of probatedeath duties (tax)deathsduties and taxesearly modern periodprerogative court of canterburyprobatetaxes and dutieswills
- Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel 1786-1882…These records are the original wills of warrant officers and ratings as well as Royal Marines other ranks. …Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online