Court of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon (Herts div.)

Before 1858, the grant of probate or letters of administration for estates was within the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical courts in England. Seventy six Hertfordshire parishes fell within the jurisdiction of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon in the Herts or Hitchin division. Below is a step by step guide to finding these probate records including wills.

Step by Step
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry.

2. Proceed to "Records" (below) to determine what probate records exist for this court. Also see "FamilySearch Library Records."

3. Contact or visit the Hertfordshire Record Office or hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.

4. The indexes and original records have been digitized and are available online at a FamilySearch centre or a FamilySearch affiliate library near you.

Online Indexes
Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies has compiled an online index to Wills, 1413 - 1857 as part of the Hertfordshire Names Online. In "advanced search" mode, you may search on:


 * Surname:
 * Forename:
 * Occupation:
 * Place:
 * Document type:
 * Document ref:
 * Year range from:
 * Year range to:

You may also specify:


 * Exact surname search:
 * Variant surname search:

Document delivery by email is available for a fee.

Printed and Published Indexes
Wills at Hertford

Index to wills of the Archdeaconries of St. Albans and Huntingdon (Hitchin),

Index to inventories 1607-1857 on FS Library Film 187855 and Index to Admon Bonds on FS Library Film 187904 which is in this catalog source listing.

The Society of Genealogists in London, England has Indexes.

Archive Location

 * Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS) and
 * Huntingdon Record Office, Grammar School Walk, Huntingdon PE18 6LF

Archive Records

 * HALS: original wills, 1585-1857; will registers, 1557-1843; inventories, 1568-1789; admons and accounts, 1609-1857.


 * Huntingdon: will registers, 1479-1652 containing Hertfordshire entries.

FamilySearch Library Records
The FamilySearch Library has a collection of the probate records on Microfilm as follows:

Probate records of the Hitchin Division of the Court of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon,

Probate records of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon,

Admon Act Books and Bonds cover this jurisdiction with catalog source listing

Jurisdiction
Includes the early records 1479-1609 at Huntingdon mingled with those of the Huntingdonshire division. This court was in the diocese of Lincoln. It had jurisdiction over all of Huntingdonshire except for the Prebends. From 1479-1609 the Hitchin Division of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon also had jurisdiction over these parishes: