Court of the Archdeaconry of Richmond Western Deaneries - Copeland

England Cumberland  Cumberland Probate Records

For a general explanation about probate records in England, click here.

Getting Started or 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.&lt;br&gt;

2. Proceed to the "Probate Records Held in This Archive" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court. Also see "Probate Records of This Court in The Family History Library".&lt;br&gt;

3. Contact or visit the&amp;nbsp;Lancashire Record Office or,&amp;nbsp;hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.&lt;br&gt;

4. Visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes to probate records;&amp;nbsp;then with the information obtained from the index[es] you can search more quickly the&amp;nbsp;original wills and admons also&amp;nbsp;on microfilm via any&amp;nbsp;centers&amp;nbsp;near you.&lt;br&gt;

Indexes
The University of Central Lancashire has "An index of all surviving probate documents for the Western Deaneries of the Archdeaconry of Richmond, 1748-1858 has been prepared. The deaneries included are Amounderness, Copeland, Furness, Kendal and Lonsdale". The indexes are based on 36,676 wills. Indexes for surnames and for places are free of charge.

A few abstracts of documents relating to Richmond probates are found in miscellaneous collections. Filmed calendars stop in 1720. The act books are a substitute index, 1720-1857. The Family History Library has indexes and act books, 1541-1857 on film.

Records
These documents are held at: Lancashire Record Office



The Family History Library has wills, 1466-1860. They can be viewed in the library or in a family history center.

Jurisdiction
This court is part of the western deaneries. Four other courts are included in the western deaneries: Amounderness, Furness, Kendal and Lonsdale. These courts cover parts of Lancashire. Maps and gazetteersof each deanery, including Copeland, are on film in the Family History Library.