Australia, South Australia, Will and Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes wills, probate records and inheritance tax records from South Australia from 1844 to 1916. The original records are located in the State Records of South Australia, Adelaide. Wills are documents by which the person or testator wish his property to be distributed at the time of his death. Probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased. Wills and probates began in South Australia in 1832.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Wills and Probates may contain the following:
 * Name of Testator
 * Death Date
 * Place of Birth
 * Inventory of Assets
 * Place of Residence and Address
 * Occupation
 * Date of Testament
 * Declaration
 * Names of Children or Heirs
 * Name of Spouse
 * Name of Administer of Will
 * Guardians and Relationships
 * Nature of Grant
 * Witnesses

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the Deceased
 * Death Date
 * Names of Family Members

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?

 * Search for death records
 * Search for death or burial information in the BillionGraves Index or at Find A Grave
 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname
 * Search the records of nearby areas
 * Use the information to identify names of guardians, heirs and relatives
 * Use the information to locate census, vital records, and land records

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

 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the probate entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the probate records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community
 * Search the records of nearby localities
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Australia.
 * Record Finder
 * Australia 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.