The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is November 2024)
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Probate records and wills are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.
What can you find in these records? How about the date of death, spouse’s and children’s names, birth order, siblings and siblings’ spouses, parent’s names, and residence locations for all named persons? Also, ownership of land and/or other significant property, business names and occupation, military service, guardianships, and adoptions. Basically, anything owned by the deceased is typically listed and to whom it is to be assigned.
I won’t pretend to be an expert on the probate process – all I know is that I have discovered an amazing amount of good information from probate records and wills as part of my personal genealogy research.
Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching probate documents and wills:
- FamilySearch – United States Probate Records
- Wills and Probate Records are Genealogy Riches
- How to Use Wills and Estate Records to Learn About Your Ancestors
- Probate Records Could Be the Key to Unlocking Your Family’s Hidden Past
Below, listed are links to probate records, wills, and indexes available for free online for the state.
Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired will or probate record in an index, the holder of the actual materials (e.g., (archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Michigan Probate and Wills
- Alcona County Probate Files, 1868-1900; Probate Index, 1868-1972
- Allegan County Deed Records, 1833-1934; Index, 1833-1901
- Allegan County Wills and Estates, 1835-1872
- Allegan County, Miscellaneous Genealogical Records
- Alpena County Probate Files, 1872-1904; Indexes, 1872-1974.
- Antrim County Miscellaneous Record, V. 1, 1888-1903
- Antrim County Probate Records, 1864-1910
- Arenac Country Probate Packets, 1883-1904; Probate Index, 1883-1900
- Baraga County Probate Records, 1875-1900; Probate Index, 1875-1900
- Bay County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills 1857-1870
- Bay County Bonds and Letters, 1868-1916
- Bay County Estate Files, 1858-1900; Index, 1858-1900
- Bay County Miscellaneous Orders and Sales of Estates, 1868-1915
- Bay County Probate Records and Journals, 1858-1923.
- Bay County Wills, 1867-1902; Index to Wills Filed, 1858-1973
- Benzie County Probate Calendar, 1881-1955; Probate Case Files, 1869-1922
- Berrien County Probate Records, 1832-1913, Index ca. 1832-1933
- Berrien County Probate Records: Estates of Minors and Guardianships, ca. 1832-1915
- Branch County Probate Case Files and Calendar Books, Miscellaneous Probate Records, 1833-1939
- Calhoun County Probate Records, 1834-1900, Some to 1944
- Cass County Probate Records, 1830-1904
- Charlevoix County Probate Files, 1882-1901; Probate Calendar, 1882-1905
- Cheboygan County Miscellaneous Deed Records, 1895-1934
- Cheboygan County Probate Calendar, 1858-1915; Probate Packets, 1858-1910
- Cheboygan County Probate of Wills, Vol. M, 1871-1902
- Chippewa County Probate Records, 1828-1908; General Probate Index, 1834-1930
- Clare County Probate Records, 1872-1923
- Crawford County Probate Records 1879-1916; Probate Calendar 1879-1964
- Delta County Probate Index 1873-1975
- Delta County Deed Records, 1863-1951; Index, 1843-1900
- Delta County Probate Records, 1873-1900
- Dickinson County Probate Packets, 1891-1900: Probate Calendar, 1891-1912
- Eaton County Probate Packets, 1838-1900; General Probate Index, 1838-1972
- Emmet County Probate Files, 1857-1901; Probate Index, 1857-1909
- Genesee County Chancery Case File, 1841-1870
- Genesee County Probate Estate Files, ca.1857-1883
- Grand Traverse County Miscellaneous Record, V. 1, 1861-1886
- Grand Traverse County Probate Files, 1853-1901
- Gratiot County Probate Records, 1855-1900
- Gratiot County, Miscellaneous and Vital Records
- Gratiot County, Miscellaneous and Vital Records
- Hillsdale County Probate Records, 1835-1915
- Houghton County General Probate Index 1872-1889; Probate Calendar 1881-1904
- Huron County Estate Files, 1861-1900; General Index, 1861-1920
- Huron County Miscellaneous Record, 1878-1897
- Ingham County Probate Records, 1840-1904; Probate Indexes, 1835-1933
- Ionia County Probate Packets, 1837-1900; Probate Calendar, 1837-1904; Probate Index, 1837-1958
- Iosco County Miscellaneous Record, V. 1, 1879-1911
- Iosco County Probate Court Cases, 1859-1906
- Iron County Miscellaneous Records, 1855-1892; Miscellaneous Record Index, 1871-1945
- Iron County Probate Packets, 1886-1900; Probate Calendar, 1886-1918
- Isabella County Probate Index, Vol. 1, 1859-1976
- Jackson County Miscellaneous Record, 1836-1892
- Jackson County Probate Records, 1832-1901; Index 1832-1963
- Kalamazoo County Probate Records, 1833-1925; Indexes, 1833-ca. 1940
- Kalamazoo County Records of Estates Settled from December 1832, to December 1845
- Kalamazoo County, Index to Probate Records, Part XIX 1831-1900
- Kalamazoo County, Index to Probate Records, Part XXII
- Kalamazoo Probate 1831-57
- Keweenaw County Will Book, 1866-1938
- Lake County Probate Files and Calendar, 1872-1910; Index Record, 1872-1873
- Lake County Record of Wills, Vol. 1, 1877-1926
- Lapeer County Probate Records, 1838-1900
- Leelanau County Probate Files, 1882-1911; Probate Calendar, 1889-1973
- Leelanau County Probate Journal, Vols. B-C, 1876-1887
- Livingston County Probate Estate Files, ca. 1895-1905
- Luce County Probate Calendar, 1888-1950; Probate Packets, 1888-1900
- Macomb County Probate Calendar, 1849-1905
- Macomb County Probate Estate Files, ca.1825-1869
- Manistee County Probate Calendars, Records and Files, 1855-1968
- Marquette County Probate Records, 1840-1900
- Mason County Miscellaneous Record, V. 1, 1865-1893; Index 1867-1923
- Mason County Probate of Wills, 1885-1895; Probate Indexes, 1855-1976
- Mecosta Probate Index and Case Files, ca. 1820-1920
- Menominee County Probate Packets, 1872-1900; Probate Calendar (Index), 1868-1903
- Michigan, Probate Records, 1797-1973
- Missaukee County Probate Files, 1871-1900; General Index, 1871-1960
- Missaukee County. Miscellaneous Record Index 1872-1974
- Monroe County Probate Estate Files, ca. 1800-1878
- Muskegon County Chancery Case Files, 1859-1937
- Muskegon County Probate Records, 1859-1900; Index, 1859-1929
- Muskegon County Probate Records, 1862-1917; Index, 1859-1929
- Niles Material from Newspapers: Deaths, Marriages, Probates, Guardianships
- Oakland County Abstracts of Probate Files in the Probate Court 1832-1868
- Oakland County Miscellaneous Records, Vols. 1-2, 1836-1906
- Oakland County Probate Records, 1822-1911
- Oceana County Probate Records, ca. 1859-1935
- Ogemaw County Probate Packets, 1877-1900; Probate Calendar, 1877-1912
- Ontonagon County Probate Packets, 1853-1914
- Osceola County Probate Packets, 1870-1915; Probate Calendar, 1870-1917
- Oscoda County Probate Packets, 1881-1900; Probate Index and Calendar, 1881-1954
- Otsego County Miscellaneous Record, Vol. A, 1881-1904
- Otsego County Probate Packets, 1881-1901; Probate Calendar, 1875-1928
- Ottawa County General Probate Index, 1844-1975
- Pontiac, Index to Probate Notices from 19th Century Newspapers – Last Names A-L
- Pontiac, Index to Probate Notices from 19th Century Newspapers – Last Names M-Z
- Presque Isle County Probate Packets, 1871-1902; Probate Index 1871-1974; Probate Calendar, 1871-1909
- Roscommon County Miscellaneous Record, Vol. 1, 1875-1905
- Roscommon County Probate Packets, 1874-1917; General Index 1874-1950
- Shiawassee County Miscellaneous Records, Vols. A-C, 1840-1889
- Shiawassee County Probate Records, 1837-1901
- St. Clair County Probate Calendars and Estate Files, 1828-1902; Probate Index, 1838-1975
- Tuscola County Probate Estate Files, ca.1850-1901; Probate Index, 1850-1966
- Van Buren County Court Cases, 1846-1912
- Van Buren County General Probate Index, Vols. 1-2, 1839-1960
- Van Buren County Miscellaneous Orders of Adoption, 1887-1907
- Van Buren County Petition for Assignment of Dower, 1864-1906
- Van Buren County Probate Journal, Vols. 1-3, 1848-1915
- Van Buren County Probate Records Concerning Real Estate Sales, 1859-1904
- Van Buren County Record of Mortgages on Estates of Deceased Persons, 1879-1916
- Van Buren County Record of Wills, 1865-1904
- Van Buren County Records of Administrators, Executors, Guardians, Appraisers in Estates of Deceased Persons, 1860-1920
- Wayne County Administrators, Executors and Guardians Bonds and Letters, 1832-1852, 1872-1914
- Wayne County Probate Estate Packets, 1797-1901
- Wayne County Probate Journals, 1818-1821, 1831-1835
- Wayne County Probate Records
- Wayne County Proceedings in dower, 1862-1896
- Wayne County, Probate Records, 1832-1967
- Wexford County Miscellaneous Records, Vol. 1, 1869-1903; Index to Miscellaneous Records 1865-1921
- Wexford County Probate Journal, Vol. A, 1869-1895
- Wexford County Probate Packets, 1869-1901
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
2 replies on “Free Michigan Probate Records and Wills”
Not free at all
Yes it is! My site is totally free and the links go to free collections. But there are ads and you clicked on one. Stay with the links that are listed and you’ll be fine.