Court of the Chancellor of the University of Oxford

England Oxfordshire Probate Records, Berkshire Probate Records

Step By Step
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will or administration (admon), writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry. 2. Proceed to the "Probate Records of This Court" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court. 3. Contact or visit the Oxfordshire Record Office or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers. 4. Visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes to probate records; then with the information obtained from the index[es] you can search more quickly the original wills and admons also on microfilm via any centers near you.

Online Index
Here is a partial index to Oxfordshire wills from 1550-1590 online.

Printed Indexes

 * An index to wills proved in the court of the chancellor of the University of Oxford 1436-1814 by John Griffiths Oxford University Press: 1862

Indexes at The Family History Library

 * Index to the probate records of the courts of the bishop and archdeacon of Oxford, 1733-1857
 * Index to the Wills &amp; Administrations of the Peculiar Courts 1550-1858 The records of this court may not provide information as late as 1858.
 * An index to wills proved in the court of the chancellor of the University of Oxford 1436-1814 by John Griffiths Oxford University Press: 1862 FHL book call number 942.57/O1 P2g; also on FHL British FHL BRITISH Film 1426210 Item 9

The Records
The original records are deposited at:

Oxfordshire Record Office

St Luke's Church

Temple Road

Cowley

Oxford OX4 2HT

ENGLAND

Tel: 44 (0)1865 398200 Fax: 44 (0)1865 398201

E-mail: [mailto:archives@oxfordshire.gov.uk archives@oxfordshire.gov.uk]

Website

Probate Records of This Court Held in This Archive
The records held there include:


 * Original &amp; Register Copy Wills 1436-1814
 * Inventories 1443-1740
 * Accounts 1453-1719

Probate Records of This Court In The Family History Library
Some records have been microfilmed and made available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and through its satellite family history centers. They include:

Wills 1577-1747

Inventories 1577-1747

Administrations 1577-1747

Depositions, 1567-1578

Jurisdiction
The Court of the Chancellor of the University of Oxford had jurisdiction over matriculated persons with bona notabilia within the precincts of the University.