Diploma in Family HistoryDiploma in Family History

Irish Wills

WHY?WHY?- the name, address and occupation of the testator;- the names of the beneficiaries;- the name(s) of the executor(s);- the names of the witnesses;- the date the will was made;- the date of probate of the will;

WHY?WHY?

1922 AGAIN1922 AGAIN

FROM 1858FROM 1858

• Calendars of Wills and Administrations: Annual, Alphabetical

PRE-1858PRE-1858

• Church of Ireland dioceses, c. 1906

Consistorial court in each dioceseGrants of probateLetters of Administration (next of kin or creditors)Administration Bonds

PRE-1858 SYSTEMPRE-1858 SYSTEM

Property worth more than £5 in another diocesePrerogative Court, Armagh

PRE-1858 SYSTEMPRE-1858 SYSTEM

WHAT THE PRO DID AFTER 1858WHAT THE PRO DID AFTER 1858

Collected whatever originals survivedTranscripts to Will & Grant BooksIndexes to Wills and Administration BondsLarge gaps

All original wills & grants destroyedAlmost all Will & Grant Books except:

Will Books for Down (1850-1858) and Connor (1853-58), and the Grant Books for Cashel (1840-45), Derry and Raphoe (1818-21), and Ossory (1848-58).

Indexes to wills & Admon bonds survived

WHAT HAPPENED TO EARLY RECORDS?WHAT HAPPENED TO EARLY RECORDS?

PRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONSPRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONS

Inland Revenue Records (NAI)

Indexes 1828 to 1879 Will & Administration Registers 1828-1839

Estate Duty Office Records (PRONI)

1812 - 1858 (Testators with Irish addresses)Pre-1858 wills index (online)

Land Commission Records Registry of Deeds

• Eustace, P. Beryl (Ed). Registry of Deeds, Dublin: Abstracts of wills. Vol. 1 1708-1745; Vol.2 1746-1785. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1954 & 1956)

• Eustace, P. Beryl & Ellis, Eilish Registry of Deeds, Dublin: Abstracts of wills. Vol. 3 1786-1832. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1984)

Genealogical Office • Analecta Hibernica, No. 17, 1949 ....

English records• www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/

PRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONSPRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONS

National Archives Uk

PRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONSPRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONS

Betham CollectionPrerogative Court pre 1800 (Wills to 1800, Admins to 1802

– Indexed in Vicars Index to Prerogative Wills 1536-1810 (NAI, GO, PRONI)

– Kildare wills to 1826 (NAI)

PRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONSPRE-1858 TRANSCRIPT COLLECTIONS

• Betham Collection: GO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF IRELANDPUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF IRELAND

PRE-1858 INDEXESPRE-1858 INDEXES

www.findmypast.ie

DUBLINDUBLIN

www.findmypast.ie

CARD INDEXES NAICARD INDEXES NAI

11 District registriesPrincipal Registry, Dublin

POST-1858 SYSTEMPOST-1858 SYSTEM

POST-1858 SYSTEM: CALENDARSPOST-1858 SYSTEM: CALENDARS

POST-1858 SYSTEM: CALENDARSPOST-1858 SYSTEM: CALENDARS

• Annual (usually), alphabetical

• Composite index 1858-77 (NAI) only

• Online for NI: www.proni.gov.uk

PRONI

POST-1858: DISTRICT WILL BOOKSPOST-1858: DISTRICT WILL BOOKS

• NAI:• Ballina, 1865 to date• Cavan, 1858-1909• Cork, 1858-1932• Kilkenny, 1858-1911• Limerick, 1858-1899• Mullingar, 1858-1901• Tuam, 1858-1929,• Waterford, 1858-1902 • PRONI:• Armagh 1858-1900 • Belfast 1858-1900• Londonderry 1858-1900

National Archives of Ireland

POST-1858: PRINCIPAL REGISTRYPOST-1858: PRINCIPAL REGISTRY

• NAI:• Wills: 1874, G-M• Wills: 1878, A-Z• Wills: 1891, G-M• Wills: 1896, A-F• Wills, Dublin District: 1869, G-M• Wills, Dublin District: 1891, M-P• Wills, Dublin District: 1901, A-F• Grants: 1878, 1883, 1891, 1893

WHAT’S ONLINE?WHAT’S ONLINE?

www.genealogy.nationalarchives.ie

WHAT’S ONLINE?WHAT’S ONLINE?

www.genealogy.nationalarchives.ie

WHAT’S ONLINE?WHAT’S ONLINE?

www.genealogy.nationalarchives.ie

WHAT’S ONLINE?WHAT’S ONLINE?

PRONIFindmypast.ie

www.findmypast.ie

WWW.PRONI.GOV.UKWWW.PRONI.GOV.UK

WWW.PRONI.GOV.UKWWW.PRONI.GOV.UK

WWW.PRONI.GOV.UKWWW.PRONI.GOV.UK

WWW.PRONI.GOV.UKWWW.PRONI.GOV.UK

WWW.PRONI.GOV.UKWWW.PRONI.GOV.UK

WWW.PRONI.GOV.UKWWW.PRONI.GOV.UK

WHAT’S ONLINE?WHAT’S ONLINE?

• http://bit.ly/1kJW5nb• www.genealogy.nationalarchives.ie• www.proni.gov.uk• www.findmypast.ie