New Brunswick Probate Records

Probate records include wills, petitions, letters of administration and testamentary, and inventories. Most wills were created by individuals with substantial property. Most poor people, such as farmers and workers, arranged their affairs without legal action. Wills can give relationships, names, and dates.

Until recently, most probate records were held in the county courthouses. These records have been moved to the Provincial Archives. Most of the probate files are arranged chronologically and then alphabetically. Indexes exist for most probate files. Record Group 7 at the Provincial Archives contains probates for the following years:


 * Albert Co.1845–1855 (misc.)
 * Carleton Co.1833–1964
 * Charlotte Co.1785–1965
 * Gloucester Co.1836–1964
 * Kent Co.destroyed by fire
 * Kings Co.1786–1964
 * Madawaska Co.1894–1966
 * Northumberland Co.1860–1966
 * Queens Co.1785–1976
 * Restigouche Co.1839–1968
 * St. John Co.1785–1904
 * incomplete to 1963
 * Sunbury Co.1786–1976
 * Victoria Co.1845–1960
 * Westmorland Co.1787–1885 (misc.)
 * York Co.1786–1976