England, Durham, Probate Commissions, Monitions and Citations - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include probate records from 1650-1858 from the county of Durham. These records are linked to an index on Durham University's website: http://familyrecords.dur.ac.uk/nei/data/advanced.php

Probate courts deal in the legal administration of wills and estates. Probate agreements guarantee that a person will faithfully perform the tasks assigned to him by a probate court.

Commissions are authorizations to carry out particular acts, usually, in probate cases, to administer an oath to an executor or administrator of an estate.

Monitions are normally general summonses issued to kindred or others with an interest in a will or administration of an estate, or else instructions to do or refrain from doing a specific action.

Citations are summonses issued usually to a named person but sometimes to anyone concerned, ordering them to appear before a court for some specific purpose.

To Browse This Collection
These records are sorted by reference numbers. For assistance with searching, see the section How Do I Search This Collection?.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Probate
 * Name of Testator
 * Name of Executor
 * Names of Beneficiaries
 * Place of Residence
 * Witness Name(s)

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the deceased
 * The approximate date of death

Helpful Hint: The records in this collection are linked to an index on Durham University Probate Database website.
 * Fill in as much information as you know and click on Search Database
 * The results will provide a link back to the images and/or give you the reference number to look within FamilySearch
 * Example 1: Reference DPRI/5/1826 indicates the records are from the year 1826
 * Example 2: Reference DPR/I/1/1826/S13/1-2 indicates the records are from the year 1826; this person is the 13th individual with records in the letter "S"
 * Example 3: Reference DPR/I/2/37 p703-709 indicates the record is on pages 703 -709. Note the page numbers refer to the number written on the actual image rather than the image number itself.

View the Images
Once you have a reference number you may view the images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Reference Number to view the images.

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?

 * Use the name of the testator, along with the date and place, to locate death records
 * Use the information given in the probate record to determine wealth and status
 * Try to locate the names of family members or wards
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community

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

 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Search the records of nearby localities
 * Tyne, Wear, and Northumberland to the north
 * Cumbria to the west
 * North Yorkshire to the south
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur
 * Probate records sometimes omit the name of the eldest son who received his inheritance according to law; the names of others who had previously received their inheritance; or any deceased family members
 * Realize that some of the mentioned children may be from a spouse’s previous marriage
 * The records may also mention a spouse who is not the parent of the children named or give inaccurate relationships of people mentioned in the document

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Durham.
 * Durham Guided Research
 * England Record Finder
 * England Research Tips and Strategies

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.