England and Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills - FamilySearch Historical Records

 England  Wales

What is in This Collection?
Registered copies of wills from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury from 1640-1660. Wills may contain the following: name, date, residence, death date, and beneficiaries. The original records are held at the National Archives, series PROB 11.

The Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) was the most important pre-1858 probate court. It had both original and appellate jurisdiction throughout England and Wales. Because of its central location and security afforded by being the court of the Archbishop of Canterbury it was popular among the upper classes. In 1653-1660 the Commonwealth experimented with a single, civil probate court for the entire country for which records were retained by the PCC. The PCC also held jurisdiction over citizens abroad who still held property in England or Wales when they died giving their emigration information.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name
 * Date
 * Beneficiaries
 * Place

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of ancestor
 * Approximate date of death

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?

 * Determine the relationship of beneficiaries
 * Find information in church records
 * Check for individual in land and property records
 * See if individual can be found in visitation and heraldry records

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

 * Check church and parish records for individual
 * Check for variations in spelling of the name
 * If possible look at the original record for errors in transcription

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in England. The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Wales.
 * England Guided Research
 * England Record Finder
 * England Research Tips and Strategies
 * Wales Guided Research
 * Wales Record Finder
 * Wales 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.