25 Reasons to Research Probate Records and Wills

Does the thought of locating and searching through old probate records and wills turn you off, because you will need to go through some court’s smelly basement, where you have to pore through dusty old files of records? Let me tell you, whether you have to find them that way or online, they are incredibly valuable sources of terrific information about the deceased. They are often well-documented and provide a ton of details about the deceased’s life activities, relationships, relatives, friends, and acquaintances.

Here is a list of just some of the information available in Probate Records and Wills:

Full Name –  often the middle name is a challenge to find while researching, but it likely is found in either the will or probate documents

Date and Location of Death

Name of Spouse – and likely ex-spouses if they were a parent of your children

Children’s Names – and possibly their birth date and location

Children’s Spouses’ Names

Grandchildren’s Names

Siblings

Other Heirs –  may be nieces or nephews, but also close friends or associates, and if the deceased had homeworkers

Occupations

Businesses Owned – if a partnership business arrangement, the names of the partners

Citizenship Status – and possibly naturalization information

Residences – this may include old residences and possibly those of their children

Real Estate Property Owned – including their locations and value

Deaths of Other Family Members – possibly including siblings and children, or parents, depending on the age of the deceased

Adoptions and/or Guardianships

Inventory of items Owned by the Deceased

Debts of the Deceased

Household Items

Executor/Trustee for the Estate – and alternates should the Trustee be deceased

Guardianship of Minor Children – should both parents be deceased

Deceased’s Signature – if on a will.

Witnesses to the Signing of the Will

Feelings of the Deceased toward Family Members –  this can be deduced if not stated explicitly, by the amount of the estate that is bequeathed in relation to that of others.

Specific Bequests –  if not to a person specifically; may be to a charity, or church, or other organization. May also specify an amount for the care of a minor child.

Wills of Slaveholders May Name Slaves Owned

Download the Quicksheet PDF

Below is a link to a QuickSheet that contains a list of what you can find from these records. To obtain the one-page Quicksheet pdf for easy reference of what information to look for, you can view or download it by clicking on the Download button below.

For all the previously published Quick Reference Guides, click on QuickSheets. 

Genealogy QuickSheets – Frequently Asked Questions