Wiltshire Probate Records

For an explanation of probate records in England, click here.

Probate Courts
Pre-1858 probate courts having some jurisdiction in Wiltshire are:

Court of the Peculiar Parish of Bishopstone (a prebend of Sarum Cathedral)

Court of the Peculiar Prebend of Calne (Peculiar Court of the Treasurer of Sarum in the Prebend of Calne)

Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Court of the Peculiar Parish of Castle Combe

Court of the Peculiar Parishes of Chute and Chisenbury ( a prebend of Sarum Cathedral)

Court of the Peculiar Parishes of Coombe and Harnham ( a prebend of Sarum Cathedral)

Court of the Peculiar Parish of Corsham

Court of the Peculiar Parish of Durnford ( a prebend of Sarum Cathedral)

Court of the Bishop of Gloucester

Court of the Bishop of Hereford

Court of the Peculiar Parish of Highworth ( a prebend of Sarum Cathedral)

Post-1858 Probate Records
Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. The system consists of 11 district registry offices and 18 sub-district registries, located throughout England and Wales, and the principal registry office located in London. The records are available through the office of Her Majesty's Courts Service. To learn more, go to the HMCS website.

A country-wide surname index to the records is available, so it is much easier to look for post-1857 wills. The indexes for 1858-1957 and the records for 1858-1925 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.