A court creates probate records after a person’s death, based on the contents of the deceased person’s will. Probate records dictate the distribution of a person's estate and the care of any dependents.

Records found in a probate packet

Wills

A will is a legal document outlining how a person wants their estate distributed after their death. A will generally contains the signature of the deceased, a description of the person's land and property, and the names of heirs, witnesses, and guardians.

Petitions

To start a probate process, an interested party (someone affected by the will) must file a petition with the court to probate the will. Petitions usually include the heirs’ names, relationships, and residences.

Inventories

A probate inventory itemizes the possessions of the deceased and lists their worth. Probate inventories can contain details from the cost of bed linens and number of cows owned to personal items like watches, photos, and shaving tools.

Guardianship and orphans' court records

A guardian is someone (usually a family member or close friend of the deceased) appointed by a court to be responsible for the interests of a child. These records often contain names of widows, children’s ages, and residential information.

Searching for probate records

1. From any Ancestry page, click the Search tab and select Birth, Marriage & Death.
2. Enter information and type "probate" into the Keyword field.
3. Click Search.
4. To search by date or location, select filters on the left side of the page.