Isle of Man Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Isle of Man

What is in This Collection?
Records in this collection cover the mid to late 1800s. Facts current at the time of the event are generally reliable.

The collection consists of miscellaneous records from the Manx Museum and National Trust. The records include the following:


 * Wills and Testamentary papers
 * Indexes to wills
 * Diocesan orders of court
 * Diocesan Presentments
 * Liber Causarum
 * Manorial Records
 * Deeds and Conveyances
 * Indexes to deeds

The records are handwritten in bound books. Court officials began keeping records from the time the court was formed. Each type of record was created for a different purpose, but most were created to keep track of the vital events happening in the lives of the citizens and to safeguard their legal interests and the legal interests of their heirs.

Collection Content
These records may contain the following information:


 * Name of primary persons
 * Names of heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, or friends
 * Names of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (used to approximate event dates since a will was usually written near the time of death)
 * Description and value of property or land

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The approximate date the event occurred.
 * The name of the primary individual or individuals.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.


 * Use the information you have found to find the person in a census record.

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * The name of the officiator may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.


 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This can help you find possible relatives.


 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * - They might have been listed under a middle name, or abbreviations of their given name.
 * -A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Isle of Man.
 * Isle of Man Guided Research
 * Isle of Man Record Finder

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Image Citation

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