England, Durham Diocese, Registered Wills - FamilySearch Historical Records

England Durham

What is in the Collection?
This article pertains to two separate collections. The first includes original wills from 1743-1900 which are part of the Durham Consistory Court Papers. The wills are dated 1743, 1900 and one is undated [from the 19th century]. These records are linked to an index on the Durham University website.

The second collection contains registered wills for the Consistory Court at Durham, from 1526 to 1858. It covers individuals who owned property in Durham, Northumberland and part of Cumberland. These records are also linked to an index on the Durham University website.

Durham is a county in North East England near the German Ocean. The name "Durham" comes from the Old English "dun", meaning hill, and the Old Norse "holme", which translates to island. It is about 40 miles in length and 30 miles in width. This county was formerly under the special jurisdiction of the bishop of Durham.

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Wills usually include:


 * Surname and Given Name of the Participant
 * Age and/or Birthdate of Participant
 * Gender of Participant
 * Residence
 * Occupation
 * Marital Status
 * Surname and Given Name of Spouse
 * Names and Birthdates of Children
 * Name and Address of Beneficiary
 * Name and Address of Executor of the Will

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 search by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To search 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 'University of Durham Library 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.
 * 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.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.
 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Look for an index.
 * Search the records of nearby localities (Northumberland on the North, Cumbria on the West, Westmorland on the East and North Yorkshire on the South).

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: Collection Citation:

Image Citation: Image Citation