What is a Will Record Search?

When the Public Record Office was destroyed, by fire, during the civil war, in 1922, the vast majority of all the records it contained, including testamentary, were destroyed. For this reason it is necessary to resort to a will abstract, a will substitute or even an index entry, in place of an original will, when researching family history. The following searches are offered at specific prices because the chances of locating them are reasonably good and finite. If you wish to locate a will/abstract/transcription other than those offered below please contact us with the details.

Pre-1800

Betham’s Abstracts

Betham’s Abstracts - In 1810 Sir William Betham, Ulster King of Arms, on behalf of the Record Commissioners, superintended the construction of an alphabetical index of testators. He also wrote out, in his own hand, brief genealogical abstracts of almost all those wills that pre-dated 1800, and later constructed sketch pedigrees from his notes. When the Prerogative Wills were destroyed by fire at the Public Record Office in 1922, this work became a very important tool for genealogical research.

Click here to order a Pre - 1800 Will record search with Records Ireland.

Wills 1828-1839

Inland Revenue Will Registers and Administration Registers

The Inland Revenue in London kept a series of annual Indexes to Irish Will Registers and Indexes to Irish Administration Registers from 1828-1879, which are now in the National Archives. As well as the indexes, the Archives also hold a set of the actual Inland Revenue Irish Will Registers and Irish Administration Registers for the years 1828-1839, complete apart from the Wills Register covering January to June 1834. When the Prerogative Wills were destroyed by fire at the Public Record Office in 1922, these Registers and Indexes became very important substitutes for the originals.

Click here to order a 1828 - 1839 Will Record Rearch with Records Ireland.

Wills Post-1905

Wills – Post 1905 – These wills survived and are available. The minimum information to be found in a will is: name , address and occupation of the testator; name(s) of the executor(s); names of the witnesses; date the will was made; and the date of probate of the will.

Click here to order a Post-1905 Will Record Rearch with Records Ireland.