Wills index | The Royal Berkshire Archives

Using the 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.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Name	Place Name	Occupation	Year	BRO Ref	MF Copy
VACHELL, Jane	Theale, Tilehurst		1668	D/A1/131/91	MF549
VACHELL, John	Warfield		1641	D/A1/131/080	MF549
VAGHEN, David	Shottesbrooke		1553	D/A1/131/027 D/A1/7/004	MF549 MF10040
VALANTINE, Henry	Warfield	Husbandman	1611	D/A1/131/065 D/A1/15/183	MF549 MF10065
VANNER, Richard	Bucklebury	Yeoman	1682	D/A1/69/14	MF519
VANNER, Robert	Bray		1574	D/A1/131/040/1 D/A1/9/392	MF549 MF10046
VANSBIE, John	Reading St Laurence	Draper	1544	D/A1/3/252	MF604
VANSE, John	Swallowfield		1587	D/A1/131/049 D/A1/11/263	MF549 MF10047B
VAPRICE, John	Cookham		1532	D/A1/1/186	MF10042
VARNEY, Andrew	West Hendred	Husbandman	1681	D/A1/131/99	MF549
VARNEY, Joseph	Stanford In The Vale	Clerk	1807	D/A1/164/42	MF584
VARNEY, Thomas	Stanford In The Vale	Harness Maker	1719	D/A1/219/126	MF96109
VAUGHAN AP JOHN AP DAVUD AP GRYFFITH, Thomas	Abergele, Denbighshire	Yeoman	1583	D/A1/131/045 D/A1/10/374	MF549 MF10047A
VAUGHAN, Henry	Welford		1613	D/A1/219/091 D/A1/168/100	MF96109 MF96001
VAUGHAN, Henry	Old Windsor	Innholder	1684	D/A1/131/100	MF549
VAUGHAN, James	Newbury	Tailor	1614	D/A1/131/066 D/A1/15/417	MF549 MF10065
VEALE, John	Reading	Cloth Worker	1715	D/A1/131/122	MF549
VEALL, Ruth	Reading		1728	D/A1/131/127	MF549
VEASY, John	Remenham		1603	D/A1/13/1020	MF10049
VECHAM, Robert	Thatcham	Smith	1572	D/A1/131/038 D/A1/9/319	MF549 MF10046
VEISEY, Christian	Abingdon St Helen		1719	D/A1/219/125	MF96109
VEISEY, Mary	Abingdon		1719	D/A1/219/127	MF96109
VENDE, William	West Hendred		1557	D/A1/3/251	MF604
VENNER, John	Kintbury	Labourer	1574	D/A1/219/079	MF96109
VENNIMORE, Thomas	Harwell	Butcher	1714	D/A1/219/122	MF96109
VENSENT, Gabriel	Hamstead Marshall	Husbandman	1665	D/A1/219/107	MF96109
VENTON, Elizabeth	South Moreton		1589	D/A1/219/085 D/A1/11/186	MF96109 MF10047B
VERIMAN, John	Kingston Lisle, Sparsholt	Yeoman	1640	D/A1/131/079	MF549
VERNELL, Humfrey Snr	Finchampstead	Farrier	1661	D/A1/131/88	MF549
VERNELL, John	Binfield	Husbandman	1699	D/A1/131/111	MF549
VERNELL, Ralph	Finchampstead	Yeoman	1661	D/A1/219/103	MF96109
VERNELL, Thomas	Finchampstead	Yeoman	1662	D/A1/131/89	MF549
VERNEY, Henry	Yattendon		1576	D/A1/131/042 D/A1/10/107	MF549 MF10047A
VERNEY, John	Reading St Mary		1555	D/A1/7/106	MF10040
VERNEY, Thomas	Stanford In The Vale	Harness Dresser	1709	D/A1/219/120	MF96109
VERNILL, James	Finchampstead	Blacksmith	1641	D/A1/219/098 D/A1/169/111	MF96109 MF96002
VERNON, Elizabeth	Wallingford		1695	D/A1/219/116	MF96109
VERNON, John	Cookham	Clerk	1629	D/A1/219/092	MF96109
VERNON, John	Wallingford		1694	D/A1/131/107	MF549
VERTEW, John	Newbury		1543	D/A1/3/250	MF604
VERTUE, Edward	Newbury		1583	D/A1/219/081	MF96109
VERTUE, Edward	Newbury		1583	D/A1/10/418	MF10047A
VERTUE, John	Newbury	Cloth Worker	1585	D/A1/219/082	MF96109
VERTUE, Margery	Newbury		1632	D/A1/131/077	MF549
VERTUE, Thomas	Newbury	Cloth Worker	1666	D/A1/131/90	MF549
VERTUE, William	Newbury	Weaver	1724	D/A1/131/126	MF549
VERYMAN, Thomas	West Challow, Letcombe Regis	Husbandman	1599	D/A1/131/059 D/A1/13/367	MF549 MF10049
VESTMENT, John	New Windsor, Windsor	Innholder	1673	D/A1/219/108	MF96109
VIAN, Ezekial	Midgham, Thatcham		1634	D/A1/168/263 D/A1/219/094	MF96001 MF96109
VICARS, John	Sparsholt		1589	D/A1/219/084	MF96109
VICARS, John	Sparsholt		1589	D/A1/11/184	MF10047B
VICARS, Richard	Cumnor	Husbandman	1643	D/A1/219/099	MF96109
VICARS, Thomas	Bourton, Shrivenham	Husbandman	1559	D/A1/131/032 D/A1/8/164	MF549 MF10043C
VICARS, William	Wootton	Yeoman	1718	D/A1/131/123	MF549
VICAS, John	Aldworth		1546	D/A1/6/004	MF10043B
VICAS, John	Aldworth		1546	D/A1/3/249	MF604
VICAS, John	Aldworth		1547	D/A1/131/025	MF549
VICK, John	Bisham	Yeoman	1706	D/A1/131/116	MF549
VICKARIE, Mary	Abingdon		1643	D/A1/131/083	MF549
VICKERES, Roger	Bourton, Shrivenham	Husbandman	1647	D/A1/131/085	MF549
VICKERY, James	Reading	Chair Maker	1772	D/A1/131/135	MF549
VICKERY, Thomas	Abingdon	Yeoman	1627	D/A1/131/073	MF549
VICKERY, William	Binfield	Bricklayer	1747	D/A1/219/129	MF96109
VICKIS, John	Pangbourne	Yeoman	1629	D/A1/131/075	MF549
VIDLER (ALIAS HURST), Joseph William	Barking, Essex	Mariner	1857	D/A1/228/166	MF96125
VIGARS, John	Reading	Clothier	1694	D/A1/131/105	MF549
VILLIER, Edward	Newbury	Mercer	1631	D/A1/16/223	MF10066
VINASSHE, John	Newbury	Joiner	1578	D/A1/219/080	MF96109
VINCE, John	Shaw Cum Donnington	Labourer	1831	D/A1/164/43	MF584
VINCE, John Snr	Inkpen	Yeoman, Gardener	1661	D/A1/219/102	MF96109
VINCENT, Elizabeth	Newbury		1837	D/A1/232/43	MF96131
VINCENT, John	Brimpton		1558	D/A1/7/340b	MF10040
VINCENT, John	Brimpton		1558	D/A1/167/098	MF96000
VINCENT, John	Brimpton		1560	D/A1/219/078	MF96109
VINCENT, Joseph	Benham, Speen	Husbandman	1710	D/A1/131/120	MF549
VINCENT, Joseph	Speen	Husbandman	1710	D/A1/131/120	MF549
VINCENT, Richard	Newbury	Broad Weaver	1642	D/A1/131/081	MF549
VINCENT, Susanna	Newbury		1837	D/A1/232/44	MF96131
VINDGE, Ralph	Reading	Shoemaker	1625	D/A1/131/071	MF549
VINEASHE, Agnes	Newbury		1581	D/A1/131/044 D/A1/10/267	MF549 MF10047A
VINER, Adam	Ardington	Husbandman	1586	D/A1/131/046 D/A1/11/054	MF549 MF10047B
VINER, Ann	Purley		1758	D/A1/131/132	MF549
VINER, Anne	Foxcombe Hill, Cumnor		1707	D/A1/131/117	MF549
VINER, Christopher	Sunningwell	Yeoman	1666	D/A1/131/086	MF549
VINER, Christopher	Ashbury	Yeoman	1705	D/A1/219/119	MF96109
VINER, Christopher	Sunningwell	Yeoman	1733	D/A1/131/129	MF549
VINER, Helen	West Hendred		1567	D/A1/9/104	MF10046
VINER, Jane	Ardington		1597	D/A1/131/058 D/A1/13/244	MF549 MF10049
VINER, Jane	Sunningwell		1666	D/A1/131/87	MF549
VINER, John	West Hendred	Yeoman	1609	D/A1/131/062 D/A1/14/515	MF549 MF10064
VINER, John	Ashbury	Husbandman	1636	D/A1/131/078	MF549
VINER, Mary	Purley		1784	D/A1/131/137	MF549
VINER, Thomas	Ashbury	Husbandman	1715	D/A1/219/123	MF96109
VINER, William	Foxcombe Hill, Cumnor		1707	D/A1/131/118	MF549
VINER, William Snr	Foxcombe Hill, Cumnor		1688	D/A1/131/102	MF549
VING, William	Reading St Laurence		1598	D/A1/219/089	MF96109
VING, William	Reading St Laurence		1598	D/A1/13/320	MF10049
VINGE, Edward	Reading	Butcher	1685	D/A1/131/101	MF549
VINGE, Ralph	Reading St Laurence	Butcher	1712	D/A1/219/121	MF96109
VININDINE, John	Pangbourne	Barber	1663	D/A1/219/106	MF96109