New Hampshire Naturalization and Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of images of naturalization and probate records for the following counties:


 * Belknap
 * Grafton
 * Hillsborough
 * Merrimack
 * Rockingham
 * Sullivan

The records were acquired from the state archives in Concord. The collection is being published as images become available. It covers the years 1643 to 1948.

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

Naturalization and Probate
 * Name of the testator or deceased
 * Names of heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, or friends
 * Name of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (used to approximate event dates, since a will was usually written near the time of death)
 * Court where will is filed
 * Date of filing
 * Conditions of the will
 * Land descriptions
 * Inventory of property or estate
 * Residences (including previous residences)
 * Date of immigration
 * Age
 * Court where declaration of intent was filed
 * Date declaration of intent was filed

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The type of event (probate or naturalization)
 * The approximate date of event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the County
 * 2) Select the Record Category
 * 3) Select the Record Type, Record Description and Year Range 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. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

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

 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church, land, and census records
 * Use ages to determine approximate birth dates
 * Use will filing or probating dates as approximate death dates
 * Search for records of people in the county who shared a surname. These may have been the couple’s parents, uncles, or other relatives. Your ancestor may have been an heir who sold inherited land that had belonged to parents or grandparents
 * To find later generations, search the land records a few years before and after a person’s death. Your ancestor may have sold or given land to his or her heirs before death, or the heirs may have sold the land after the individual died. For daughters, the names of their husbands are often provided. For sons, the given names of their wives may be included. Heirs may have sold their interest in the land to another heir even though the record may not indicate this. Continue this process for identifying each succeeding generation
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Some counties were subdivided or the boundaries may have changed. Consider searching neighboring counties as well since that courthouse may have been more convenient for the person
 * Witnesses and neighbors, even those with a different surname, may have been relatives, in-laws, or even a widowed mother who has remarried. You may want to check the records of these witnesses and neighbors, especially if they are frequently found in your ancestor’s land records

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

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for indexes. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume
 * Make a list of all residences mentioned in the records within a year or two of when your ancestors came to the county—regardless of surname. Then search the records of places that seem likely or that occur frequently
 * Consult the New Hampshire Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of New Hampshire.
 * New Hampshire Guided Research
 * New Hampshire Record Finder
 * 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.