Delaware Orphan Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains records for the years 1680 to 1978 from the Delaware Public Archives. The Orphan Court deals with guardianship of minors, real estate left intestate, partition of real estate, and appeals from the Register of Wills.

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

Court
 * Names of interested parties
 * Date of court proceeding or transaction
 * Details of the case
 * Amount of money exchanged or paid
 * Names of family members, heirs, and witnesses

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The place of residence
 * The court date
 * The names of interested individuals

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the County
 * 2) Select the Record Type, Date Range and Volume to view the images.

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?

 * Use the date and locality to search for census and church records
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Witnesses in court cases may be close relatives

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

 * Consult the Delaware Research Tips and Strategies and its Record Finder to search other records
 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local historical and genealogical groups also compile indexes to local records
 * Search the records of nearby counties

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Delaware.
 * Delaware Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

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.