England, Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains wills, inventories, letters of administration and probate proceedings for the dioceses of Coventry and Litchfield. These diocese include locations in the counties of Derbyshire, the northern part of Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the north and east portions of Warwickshire.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:


 * Name of the Individual
 * Age and/or Birthdate
 * Gender
 * Residence
 * Occupation


 * Marital Status
 * Spouse's name
 * Children's names
 * Name and Address of Beneficiary
 * Name of Executor of the Will

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

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?

 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community
 * Continue to search the images and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives
 * Use the age and death date to estimate a birth year. Search for a birth record
 * If the name of a spouse is found, look for a marriage record
 * Use the names of relatives to find the family in censuses

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

 * Be aware that errors (such as name spelling) still may have occurred in the documents, especially if the document was not written by the testator
 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Search the records of nearby localities

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

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * Registered wills and original wills, administrations and inventories, 1494-1860, and, act books, 1532-1638 for Diocese of Lichfield Episcopal Consistory Court

Related FamilySearch Historical Records Collections

 * England, Staffordshire, Church Records

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.