California Probate Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in the Collection?
Probate records are used to legally dispose of a person’s estate after his or her death. The probate process transfers the legal responsibility for payment of taxes, care and custody of dependent family members, liquidation of debts, and transfer of property title. The transfer is to an executor or executrix if the deceased had made a will, to an administrator or administratrix if the deceased had not made a will, or to a guardian or conservator if the deceased had heirs under the age of twenty-one or if heirs were incompetent due to disease or disability.

Probate records fall into two general categories: wills and estate papers. Most records mention the names of heirs and frequently specify how those heirs are related. Names of children may be given, as well as married names of daughters. Probate records may not give an exact death date, but a death most often occurred within a few months of the date of probate. The exact contents of probate records vary greatly depending on the prevailing law and the personality of the record keeper.

The collection consists of estate files of the Probate and Superior Courts in the following counties:

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name of testator or deceased
 * Names of heirs such as spouse, children, and other relatives or friends
 * Names of witnesses
 * Residence of testator
 * Lists of belongings, property, and so forth
 * Document and recording dates

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date and or location of the event

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of California.
 * California Guided Research
 * California Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * Alpine County. Probate court estate files, 1864-1879.
 * Alpine County. Probate estate case files, 1924-1991, estate index, 1907-1992, index to probate orders, ca. 1867.
 * Alpine County. Probate estate files, 1880-1926.
 * Amador County. Probate records, 1858-1921.
 * Butte County. Probate case files, 1880-1938.
 * Butte County. Probate Court case files, 1850-1879.
 * Calaveras County. Probate estate files, 1850-1950; indexes, 1850-1820, 1954-1956.
 * Colusa County. Probate records, 1851-1922.
 * Glenn County. Probate records, 1891-1936; indexes, 1891-1927.
 * Lassen County. Probate records, 1864-1920; indexes, 1864-1968.
 * Napa County. Probate estate case files, 1864-1920.
 * Sacramento County. Estate files, 1850-1900.
 * San Benito County. Probate estate files, 1880-1930.
 * Solano County. Probate records, 1853-1921.

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * California Death Index, 1905-1939
 * California Death Index, 1940-1997
 * California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000
 * California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994

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

California, archivos de sucesiones (Registros históricos de FamilySearch)