New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of county probate estate files for Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Hillsborough and Rockingham counties.

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

Probate records include petitions, inventories, accounts, decrees and other court documents.
 * Name of the testator or deceased
 * Names of the heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, and friends
 * Name of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Residence of the testator
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (used to approximate event dates since a will was usually written near the time of death)

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate death or probate date
 * The place where your ancestor lived

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.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

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

 * Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives
 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents
 * Use the document (such as the will) or the recording dates to approximate a death date
 * Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period
 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about land transactions
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records
 * Use the occupations listed to find employment records or other types of records such as military records
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased, this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have 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
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

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

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Consult the New Hampshire Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of New Hampshire.
 * New Hampshire Guided Research
 * New Hampshire Record Finder
 * New Hampshire Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step New Hampshire Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Probate records of the province of New Hampshire Concord, N.H. : Rumford Printing, 1907-1941. (New Hampshire state papers). v. 31-39 reprint. Bowie, Maryland : Heritage Books, Inc., 1989-1990 FS Library 974.2 P2p
 * Carroll County, Probate papers, 1840-1936; index to probate papers, 1840-1990
 * Cheshire County, Probate estate files, 1769-1885
 * Coos County, Probate packets, 1885-1931; probate index, 1885-1992
 * Hillsborough County, Probate Case Files, 1771-1933
 * Rockingham County, Estate papers, old series, 1771-1869

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.