Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk

England Norfolk  Norfolk Probate Records

Location of These Probate Records
Norfolk Record Office

The Archive Centre Martineau Lane Norwich NR1 2DQ

United Kingdom

Telephone: 01603 222599 Fax: 01603 761885 E-mail: [mailto:norfrec@norfolk.gov.uk norfrec@norfolk.gov.uk]

Jurisdiction
There were over 320 parishes in the Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk in the following deaneries:

This court also had jurisdiction over the parishes of Upwell and Outwell which were at times a part of Cambridgeshire.

Historical Background
Probate records of the Archdeaconry Court of Norfolk commence from as early as 1530 to1652 and 1660-1857. This court held jurisdiction over 320 of Norfolk's 756 parishes all in the following deaneries: Blofield, Breckles, Brisley, Flegg, Holt, Ingworth, Lynn, Norwich, Sparham, Taverham, Toftrees, Walsingham, and part of Thetford.

Starting Your Search in Indexes
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, 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 Guildhall Library, 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 (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilms so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching the wills). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be circulated on microfilm via any family history.

Indexes
The Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk probate records have to some extent been indexed with the following ones:

Online indexes
A general will index (partial) for this probate court covering much of the county is available online for the years 1800-1857. More years are bring added so re-visit their website regularly.

Also, Ancestry.co.uk has indexed some probate records abstracts as well.

Printed and Published Indexes
The Norfolk Record Office has indexed a considerable number of the wills from this court jurisdiction and these are available in the following publications:


 * Index of wills proved in the Norfolk Archdeaconry Court, compiled by Patrick Palgrave-Moore in FHL book call #942.61 B4m vol. 3,5 and 10; also on FHL microfilm or, also on microfiche. These are probate indexes for the Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk 1453-1603/4.
 * Index to Norfolk Wills 1838-1858 is also available.

Original Handwritten Indexes
Calendars to this Probate court exist covering acts of Wills and Administrations (Admons) exist from 1368-1786. Calendars are a kind of index (of the first letter of each surname) to the probate records and admons (administrations).

In addition to the calendars, a majority of the original (unregistered) wills and the registered wills are alphabetically arranged at The Guildhall Library and are likewise organized on the microfilmed probates for this court at the Family History Library. Visit The Guildhall Library or the Family History Library Catalog under Middlesex, England to determine availability of records.

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
Indexes of Wills and Admons (Administrations) are available on microfilm at the Family History Library covering the years 1368-1781 and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers (see Court of the Archdeaconry of London), or go to this Family History Library Catalog page.

== Searching for probates in this court. ==

CALENDARS

1469-1858

REGISTERED COPY WILLS

1469-1857

ADMINISTRATIONS

1660-1857

ACT BOOKS 1541-1857

PROBATE INVENTORIES

1728-1774