England, Kent, Wills and Probate - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of Wills and probate records for the County of Kent. Availability of the records varies by year and locality.

Probate records document the transfer of possessions after a person dies. Wills, in particular, were written to ensure that the property and personal estate of a deceased person would be distributed according to his or her wishes. If the deceased did specifiy an executer, the court would usually assign the next of kin the duty of distributing the goods.

Record Content
The genealogical facts found in probate records may vary from one probate to another. However, they generally include the folowing:

Key genealogical facts found in most Cheshire probate records after 1858 are:


 * Name of individual
 * Location where the deceased lived
 * Names of beneficiaries (usually surviving spouse and children)
 * Name of executor or administrator
 * Names of witnesses
 * Date of will or probate
 * Place of probate
 * Relative or relatives present at the time of death
 * Itemization of household goods and property
 * Amounts of money and goods
 * Location where the deceased lived
 * Listing of any debt or funeral expenses to be paid
 * Property names

How to Use the Records
Use these records to find ancestors’ children and relatives in order to establish relationships that may be more difficult to prove in parish registers, especially before 1813. They are also good to confirm relationships in families where relationship is already established.

Related Websites
Kent Archives

Related Wiki Articles

 * England Probate Records
 * Kent
 * Kent Probate Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Example of a Source Citation for a Record Found in This Collection
"England, Kent, Wills and Probate, 1440-1881:" images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 8 February 2012). entry for John Edwards, late of Deal, 25 November 1739; citing Probate Records, Kent, Diocese of Canterbury, Inventories, 1739-1748, Image 5; Kent archives, Maidstone, England.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

"England, Kent, Wills and Probate, 1450-1875." FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org). Kent Archives, Maidstone, England. FHL digital images, 409 digital folders. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Information about creating source citations for FamilySearch Historical Collections is listed in the wiki article Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.