Maine, County Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of images of county probate books. The record content and time period varies by county.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name of the testator or deceased
 * Date of death
 * Names of the heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, and friends
 * Name of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (may be used to approximate a death date since a will was usually written near the time of death).

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the deceased
 * The place of residence
 * The approximate death or probate date

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.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Utilize probate records to identify heirs and relatives
 * Use the document (such as the will) or the recording dates to approximate a death date
 * Since probates exist for an earlier time period, use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records
 * Locate census, church, and land records using the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased
 * Using the occupations listed, find employment records or other types of records such as military records

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Maine.
 * Beginning Research in United States Probate Records
 * Maine Guided Research
 * Maine Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Related Family History Library Collections

 * John Eldridge Frost. Maine probate abstracts. 2 volumes. Camden, Maine : Picton Press, c1991 FHL FHL 974.1 P2f The volumes cover 1687-1800

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Maine, Androscoggin County, Probate Estate Files, 1854-1918
 * Maine, Aroostook County, Probate Records, 1837-2007
 * Maine, Kennebec County Probate Estate Files, 1779-1915
 * Maine, Knox County, Probate Estate Files, 1861-1915
 * Maine, Oxford County, Probate Estate Files, 1805-1915
 * Maine, Somerset County, Probate Estate Files, 1809-1915
 * Maine, York County, Probate Estate Files, 1690-1917

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * William M. Sargent, comp and edited, Maine wills, 1640-1760 Portland, Maine : Brown Thurston, 1887

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.