Wills Index
You can search this index of over 38,000 entries to see what Archdeaconry of Berkshire wills, administrations and inventories we have for the period 1480 to 1857.
Let's explain the difference between these records.
Wills: this is the most common record in which an individual sets out their intentions as to what should happen to their possessions after death and to appoint executors.
Administrations (admons): If a person died without making a will (intestate), the court had to appoint people to administer the estate and issued letters of administration. The appointed persons would then enter an administration bond to carry out various tasks. However, they do not reveal anything about actual possessions unless an inventory is included.
Inventories: This was made as a true record of the extent and value of the deceased’s estate and often included debts as well as possessions.
It's also worth noting that sometimes, all that survives is a registered copy of a probate record, which is a hand written version in a bound volume.
How to use the wills index:
The index is listed by surname, but also provides details of place name and occupation as well the document reference of the record and what microfilm/fiche (MF) copies we have.
To use the Name Search simply enter the name as surname, first name. For example: Blackmore, Dennis.
You can also search by surname only or first name only.
For place names or occupations please use the Keyword Search.
If you would like to look at or order copies of any of the records listed, please Contact Us.
Name | Place Name | Occupation | Year | BRO Ref | MF Copy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMITH, Richard | Wallingford Street, West Compton, Compton | Husbandman | 1610 | D/A1/117/043 D/A1/15/054 | MF539 MF10065 |
SMITH, Richard | Burghfield | 1614 | D/A1/168/106 | MF96001 | |
SMITH, Richard | Buckland | 1626 | D/A1/118/087 | MF540 | |
SMITH, Richard | Sutton Courtenay | Yeoman | 1632 | D/A1/119/004 | MF540 |
SMITH, Richard | Ashampstead | Husbandman | 1635 | D/A1/214/015 | MF96096 |
SMITH, Richard | Hamstead Marshall | Yeoman | 1637 | D/A1/119/080 | MF540 |
SMITH, Richard | Ardington | Yeoman | 1642 | D/A1/119/161 | MF541 |
SMITH, Richard | Uffington | Yeoman | 1646 | D/A1/120/026 | MF541 |
SMITH, Richard | Chilton | Yeoman | 1653 | D/A1/120/49 | MF541 |
SMITH, Richard | Basildon | 1653 | D/A1/120/166 | MF541 | |
SMITH, Richard | Chilton | Yeoman | 1653 | D/A1/120/049 | MF541 |
SMITH, Richard | Donnington, Shaw Cum Donnington | Carpenter | 1666 | D/A1/120/146 | MF541 |
SMITH, Richard | West Shefford | 1669 | D/A1/120/174 | MF541 | |
SMITH, Richard | Benham, Speen | Husbandman | 1670 | D/A1/214/144 | MF96097 |
SMITH, Richard | Thatcham | Husbandman | 1676 | D/A1/190/85 | MF96037 |
SMITH, Richard | Hamstead Marshall | Yeoman | 1692 | D/A1/215/76 | MF96098 |
SMITH, Richard | Hamstead Marshall | Yeoman | 1699 | D/A1/215/124 | MF96099 |
SMITH, Richard | Letcombe Regis | 1701 | D/A1/215/131 | MF96099 | |
SMITH, Richard | Letcombe Regis | Yeoman | 1701 | D/A1/122/103 | MF542 |
SMITH, Richard | Reading | Mealman | 1704 | D/A1/17/39 | MF10079 |
SMITH, Richard | North Moreton | 1708 | D/A1/215/184 | MF96099 | |
SMITH, Richard | West Shefford | Yeoman | 1722 | D/A1/216/63 | MF96101 |
SMITH, Richard | Thatcham | 1748 | D/A1/124/164 | MF544 | |
SMITH, Richard | Letcombe Regis | Yeoman | 1754 | D/A1/216/204 | MF96102 |
SMITH, Richard | Steventon | Yeoman | 1793 | D/A1/125/161 | MF546 |
SMITH, Richard | Hampstead Norreys | 1799 | D/A1/216/270 | MF96102 | |
SMITH, Richard | Reading St Giles | Weaver | 1824 | D/A1/162/54 | MF583 |
SMITH, Richard | Ufton Nervet | 1826 | D/A1/231/73 | MF96129 | |
SMITH, Richard | Basildon | Farmer | 1830 | D/A1/231/76 | MF96129 |
SMITH, Richard | Theale, Tilehurst | 1834 | D/A1/162/12 | MF583 | |
SMITH, Richard Jnr | Didcot | Yeoman | 1686 | D/A1/121/159 | MF542 |
SMITH, Richard Snr | Hurley | Yeoman | 1678 | D/A1/121/92 | MF542 |
SMITH, Richard Snr | Earley, Sonning | Yeoman | 1703 | D/A1/122/129 | MF543 |
SMITH, Robert | West Ilsley | 1559 | D/A1/8/138 | MF10043C | |
SMITH, Robert | Wargrave | 1615 | D/A1/117/116 D/A1/15/513 | MF539 MF10065 | |
SMITH, Robert | Fawler, Sparsholt | Husbandman | 1616 | D/A1/213/102 | MF96094 |
SMITH, Robert | Fawler, Sparsholt | 1616 | D/A1/168/130 | MF96001 | |
SMITH, Robert | Wytham | Husbandman | 1635 | D/A1/214/019 | MF96096 |
SMITH, Robert | Wytham | Husbandman | 1635 | D/A1/169/083 | MF96002 |
SMITH, Robert | Oare, Chieveley | 1662 | D/A1/120/108 | MF541 | |
SMITH, Robert | Hamstead Marshall | Brick Burner | 1664 | D/A1/120/135 | MF541 |
SMITH, Robert | Cumnor | Yeoman | 1760 | D/A1/125/33 | MF544 |
SMITH, Robert | Stanford Dingley | Baker, Grocer | 1836 | D/A1/162/67 | MF583 |
SMITH, Roger | West Shefford | Shepherd | 1723 | D/A1/123/98 | MF543 |
SMITH, Samuel | Newbury | Clothier | 1679 | D/A1/121/103 | MF542 |
SMITH, Samuel | Newbury | 1694 | D/A1/215/95 | MF96098 | |
SMITH, Samuel | Compton | Carpenter | 1706 | D/A1/122/152 | MF543 |
SMITH, Samuel | Newbury | Cordwainer | 1739 | D/A1/216/157 | MF96101 |
SMITH, Samuel | Thatcham | Glazier | 1796 | D/A1/125/177 | MF546 |
SMITH, Sarah | Reading St Giles | 1730 | D/A1/124/17 | MF544 | |
SMITH, Sarah | Thatcham | 1830 | D/A1/162/28 | MF583 | |
SMITH, Stephen | Chapel Row, Bucklebury | Husbandman | 1586 | D/A1/115/226 D/A1/11/080 | MF538 MF10047B |
SMITH, Stephen | Stanford Dingley | Yeoman | 1631 | D/A1/118/151 | MF540 |
SMITH, Stephen | Titcomb, Kintbury | Yeoman | 1642 | D/A1/119/157 | MF541 |
SMITH, Thomas | Waterhouse, Wasing | Husbandman | 1564 | D/A1/114/273 D/A1/8/330 | MF537 MF10043C |
SMITH, Thomas | Sutton Courtenay | Husbandman | 1566 | D/A1/115/020 D/A1/9/013 | MF538 MF10046 |
SMITH, Thomas | Lambourn | Labourer, Husbandman | 1591 | D/A1/116/029 D/A1/11/405 | MF538 MF10047B |
SMITH, Thomas | Didcot | 1596 | D/A1/12/402 | MF10048 | |
SMITH, Thomas | Abingdon | 1597 | D/A1/212/171 D/A1/13/180 | MF96093 MF10049 | |
SMITH, Thomas | Didcot | 1609 | D/A1/168/046 | MF96001 | |
SMITH, Thomas | Abingdon | 1616 | D/A1/168/130 | MF96001 | |
SMITH, Thomas | Bourton, Shrivenham | Yeoman | 1617 | D/A1/117/140 D/A1/15/719 | MF539 MF10065 |
SMITH, Thomas | White Waltham | Labourer, Husbandman | 1618 | D/A1/117/165 D/A1/15/816 | MF539 MF10065 |
SMITH, Thomas | Ardington | Husbandman | 1621 | D/A1/118/025 | MF540 |
SMITH, Thomas | Buscot | Husbandman | 1625 | D/A1/118/069 | MF540 |
SMITH, Thomas | Kennington, Sunningwell | Yeoman | 1626 | D/A1/213/140 | MF96095 |
SMITH, Thomas | Frilford, Marcham | 1635 | D/A1/119/039 | MF540 | |
SMITH, Thomas | Hampstead Norreys | Yeoman | 1640 | D/A1/214/044 | MF96096 |
SMITH, Thomas | Hampstead Norreys | Yeoman | 1640 | D/A1/169/083 | MF96002 |
SMITH, Thomas | Ardington | Yeoman | 1669 | D/A1/120/168 | MF541 |
SMITH, Thomas | East Shefford | Yeoman | 1670 | D/A1/121/12 | MF542 |
SMITH, Thomas | E. Challow, Letcombe Regis | Yeoman | 1672 | D/A1/121/38 | MF542 |
SMITH, Thomas | Harts Hill, Thatcham | Yeoman | 1676 | D/A1/214/171 | MF96097 |
SMITH, Thomas | Shaw Cum Donnington | Husbandman | 1682 | D/A1/215/7 | MF96098 |
SMITH, Thomas | Benham Valence, Speen | Yeoman | 1686 | D/A1/121/179 | MF542 |
SMITH, Thomas | Hamstead Marshall | Yeoman | 1689 | D/A1/122/15 | MF542 |
SMITH, Thomas | Little Shefford Place | 1689 | D/A1/122/13 | MF542 | |
SMITH, Thomas | Wellhouse, Hampstead Norris | Maltster | 1697 | D/A1/215/114 | MF96098 |
SMITH, Thomas | Compton | Husbandman | 1700 | D/A1/215/126 | MF96099 |
SMITH, Thomas | Kingston Lisle, Sparsholt | Yeoman | 1703 | D/A1/122/123 | MF543 |
SMITH, Thomas | Shrivenham | Labourer | 1706 | D/A1/215/170 | MF96099 |
SMITH, Thomas | Stanford In The Vale | Yeoman | 1719 | D/A1/123/74 | MF543 |
SMITH, Thomas | Ashbury | 1723 | D/A1/216/72 | MF96101 | |
SMITH, Thomas | Harwell | Husbandman | 1725 | D/A1/216/76 | MF96101 |
SMITH, Thomas | Hagbourne | Yeoman | 1734 | D/A1/124/61 | MF544 |
SMITH, Thomas | Kintbury | Bailiff | 1742 | D/A1/124/119 | MF544 |
SMITH, Thomas | Sparsholt | Gardener | 1748 | D/A1/216/191 | MF96102 |
SMITH, Thomas | Harwell | Yeoman | 1754 | D/A1/124/197 | MF544 |
SMITH, Thomas | Chieveley | Yeoman | 1762 | D/A1/125/50 | MF544 |
SMITH, Thomas | Speenhamland, Speen | Butcher | 1785 | D/A1/125/133 | MF544 |
SMITH, Thomas | Newbury | Victualler | 1797 | D/A1/125/181 | MF546 |
SMITH, Thomas | East Hendred | Blacksmith | 1845 | D/A1/162/101 | MF583 |
SMITH, Thomas Snr | Didcot | Husbandman | 1596 | D/A1/212/175 | MF96093 |
SMITH, Thomas Snr | Henwick, Thatcham | Yeoman | 1664 | D/A1/190/68 | MF96037 |
SMITH, Thomas Snr | Sutton Courtenay | Yeoman | 1678 | D/A1/121/94 | MF542 |
SMITH, Thomas Snr | Blagrove, Ascott, Gt. Milton [Thame And  Milton Peculiar] , Oxfordshire | Yeoman | 1703 | D/A1/122/127 | MF543 |
SMITH, Thomas Snr | Hately, Winkfield | Yeoman | 1703 | D/A1/122/124 | MF543 |
SMITH, Timothy | Lockinge | Gamekeeper | 1827 | D/A1/162/45 | MF583 |
SMITH, Tobias | Ashbury | Tailor | 1726 | D/A1/123/139 | MF543 |
SMITH, Vincent | East Lockinge | 1587 | D/A1/212/134 D/A1/11/159 | MF96092 MF10047B |