Canada, Saskatchewan Probate Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1887 to 1931.

This collection contains an index and images of probate estate files for Saskatchewan.

There is no central repository for probate records in Saskatchewan. The province is divided into fifteen judicial districts (See Canada Probate Records). Original wills and records of estates are filed with the clerk of the court of the judicial district, from whom certified copies may be obtained.

The fifteen judicial courthouses in Saskatchewan are located at the following places:


 * Assiniboia
 * Battleford
 * Estevan
 * Humboldt
 * Kerrobert
 * Melfort
 * Melville
 * Moose
 * Jaw
 * Prince Albert
 * Regina
 * Saskatoon
 * Swift Current
 * Weyburn
 * Wynyard
 * Yorkton.

Current records are available through these courthouses.

Most court records prior to 1931 are under the jurisdiction of the Saskatchewan Archives Board. You may also send questions to the Registrar of Estates and Wills, Regina Courthouse (see the Saskatchewan Archives and Libraries section for addresses). Court records are filed by court of jurisdiction. They are sequentially numbered for each year and then indexed under the name of the plaintiff and the name of the defendant. For a list of records by localities currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Last wills and testaments were much rarer in early Quebec than in English-speaking areas because the civil law predetermined how an estate would be divided. Only those who wanted to leave property to a religious order or who had no living heirs would make a will. To avoid effects of the law, Quebec families often made donations and property distributions among living individuals.

Outside Quebec, anyone of legal age, sound mind, and freedom from restraint had the right to leave a last will and testament. Wills and testaments were made primarily by the merchant or upper-middle class, the majority of whom lived in cities. Males with valuable property were more likely to have left a will, while families of ordinary farmers usually arranged matters among themselves without a will and avoided probate.

Probate records before 1930 are usually at provincial archives, with microfilm copies at the appropriate court. More recent probate records are usually only at the court. You may need to contact or visit the archive or court to obtain all of the papers.

Probate records were not created for every person who died. The laws of Prince Edward Island and Quebec required all estates to be probated, whether or not the individual left a will.

If you want to learn more about Canadian probate records, look at the Canada Probate Records article to find more information.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in this collection may include the following information:


 * Death date
 * Names of heirs and guardians
 * Relationships
 * Residences
 * An inventory of the estate
 * Names of witnesses

Beginning Your Search
To search this collection, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Ancestor's name
 * Place of death
 * Name of spouse

Searching the images
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the “Judicial District” category ⇒Select the “Year” category ⇒Select the “File Number” category which will take you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Unable to Find the Information?

 * Try searching for the death certificate of your ancestor. That will give you information on where your ancestor died and where the probate court was held.
 * Try looking for a nickname that the ancestor had during their life time.
 * Search for a birth certificate, this will give you a clue on what their death year was.
 * Look in the Canadian Census Records, they will help you locate the last residence of your ancestor.

While probate records are one of the most accurate sources of genealogical evidence, use them with some caution because:


 * They may omit the names of deceased family members or those who previously received an inheritance.
 * The spouse mentioned in a will may not be the parent of the children mentioned.
 * Relationships noted in the records may not have the same meaning today.

Related Websites
Wills and Estates - Frequently Asked Questions

Related Wiki Articles

 * Canada Probate Records
 * Saskatchewan
 * Saskatchewan Probate Records
 * Saskatchewan Archives and Libraries
 * Canada Court Records

Citing Family Search 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.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Saskatchewan, Probate Estate Files, 1889-1931" index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VNTJ-VMY : accessed 21 June 2012), Charlotta Erickson, 1929; citing Queens Bench Provincial Court Probate Records, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.