Australia, Victoria, Wills, Probate and Administration Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1841 to 1925. The collection consists of probate registers for Victoria located in the Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV), North Melbourne, Australia. Probate records are court records created after an individual's death. The estate or property of the deceased person is divided among the heirs. This takes place regardless of whether there is a will or not. The Probate Registry is responsible for overseeing the probate process and selecting a personal representative for the deceased person.

Record Content
Probate Records in this collection may contain the following information:
 * Name of testator
 * Death date
 * Place of birth
 * Inventory of assets
 * Place of residence and address
 * Occupation
 * Date of testament
 * Declaration
 * Names of children or heirs
 * Name of spouse
 * Name of administrator of will
 * Guardians and relationships
 * Nature of grant
 * Witnesses

How to Use the Record
Depending on the length or type of testament you can find genealogical information to extend research for additional generations of ancestors. Wills may provide historical family information not found elsewhere. They are often the only record for the time period before census records became available, where all members of a family might be listed, or before the civil registration was implemented.

To search this collection, it would be helpful to know the following information: To begin your search, it is helpful to know the name and some other identifying information such as the birth place or birth date.

When searching: It is helpful to know such information as:
 * Your Ancestor's name
 * The date of your ancestor's death
 * Names of family members

Search the Collection
To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the 'Record Type' category ⇒ Select the 'Year' category ⇒ Select the 'File Number' category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the probate entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the probate records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Search the records of nearby localities.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

General Information about These Records

 * Documents are mostly hand-written; some forms are pre-printed
 * The record was created so the real and personal property of deceased individuals could be dispersed
 * The records are all listed with a copyright of the Public Records Office of Victoria
 * The information on the record should be analyzed to determine the accuracy of the information
 * The documents are written in English

Related Websites

 * Australian Bureau of Statistics: The population census - a brief history
 * Public Record Office Victoria
 * Victoria, New South Wales 1895 Map
 * Australia Maps
 * Victoria, Australia, Historical Societies etc

Related Wiki Articles

 * Australia Probate Records
 * Victoria, Australia
 * Australia
 * Australia Civil Registration- Vital Records
 * Australia, Victoria Inquest Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Australia Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. 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. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

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