Probate records and wills are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.
What can you find in these records? How about date of death, spouses and children names, birth order, siblings and siblings spouses, parents names, and residence locations for all named persons. Also, ownership of land and/or other significant property, business names and occupation, military service, guardianships, and adoptions. Basically anything owned by the deceased is typically listed and to whom it is to be assigned to.
I won't pretend to be an expert on the probate process - all I know is that I have discovered an amazing amount of good information from probate records and wills as part of my personal genealogy research.
Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching probate documents and wills:
- FamilySearch - United States Probate Records
- Wills and Probate Records are Genealogy Riches
- How to Use Wills and Estate Records to Learn About Your Ancestors
- Probate Records Could Be the Key to Unlocking Your Family’s Hidden Past
Below, listed by state are links to probate records, wills, and indexes available for free online.
Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired will or probate record in an index, that the holder of the actual materials (e.g., (archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.
Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.
(Updated August, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
- Adair County Administrator's, Executor's, and Guardian's Bonds, 1858-1902
- Adair County Probate packets, 1854-1926; Index, 1854-1926
- Adair County Probate Records, 1857-1952; Index, 1857-1965
- Adair County Probate register, 1868-1886
- Adair County Will Records, 1858-1979
- Allamakee County Historical Society Wills, Probates & Guardians Index
- Benton County Probate Records Indexes
- Benton County Will Records, vol. A-C, 1856-1910
- Benton County, Probate Records, 1847-1925
- Calhoun County Probate Index, 1873-1924 ; Probate Record, 1880-1910
- Calhoun County Probate Records, 1909-1928 ; Probate Docket, 1885-1914
- Carroll County Abstract of Wills prior to 1900
- Cass County District Court Will Index, 1878 - March 1931
- Cedar County Probate Records, 1835-1953 ; Indexes, 1839-1975
- Clinton County Index to Wills 1850-1976
- Davis County Probate inventory Records, 1871-1928
- Davis County Will Records, 1879-1940
- Delaware County Probate Case Files and Index, 1849-1929
- Delaware County Probate Records, 1847-1940; Indexes, 1849-1937
- Des Moines County Probate packets, 1835-1930; Probate Index, 1835-1989
- Des Moines County Probate Records, 1835-1935; Index, 1835-1973
- Des Moines County Will book 1 & 2
- Fayette County Probate Records, 1851-1928
- Fayette County Probate Records, 1859-1978
- Fayette County Record of heirs and estates of descendants, 1862-1885
- Franklin County Probate Records, 1855-1899
- Franklin County Probate Records, 1856-1952
- Franklin County Wills, 1897-1931
- Guthrie County Probate Records card Index, 1872-1966
- Hardin County Wills Index
- Harrison County Probate Index 1853-1980
- Henry County Index to Probate papers disposed of, 1920-1937 and earlier years
- Henry County Probate Dockets, 1869-1928
- Jackson County Probate Records, 1838-1985; Index, 1869-1887
- Jasper County Probate Index
- Jasper County, Probate Records : Case Files, 1840-1933
- Jasper County, Probate Records : dockets and estate administrations, 1848-1942
- Jasper County, Probate Records : wills, 1911-1930
- Johnson County Probate Records, 1851-1914
- Jones County Probate Index, 1844-1873
- Jones County Probate Index, 1873-1885
- Linn County Probate Case Files, 1840-1924
- Madison County Probate Indexes
- Madison County, Probate Records, 1925-1943
- Mahaska County Circuit Court Records, 1868-1887
- Mahaska County District Court Records, 1844-1926
- Mahaska County Records of Wills to 1900
- Marshall County, Probate Court Records
- Monroe County Probate Court Index 1845 to 1900
- Monroe County, Probate Records, 1861-1978
- Monroe County, Will Books A, B, and C
- Muscatine County Probate Records
- Muscatine County District Court Records, 1839-1930
- Polk County Probate Case Files 1846-1925
- Polk County Probate Case Files, 1895-1905
- Polk County Probate Case Files, ca. 1847-1915
- Polk County Probate Deed Record, vol. 1, 1872-1892, Index 1869-1901
- Polk County Probate Records, 1860-1886 ; Index, 1847-1912
- Polk County Probate Records, 1866-1902
- Polk County Wills, 1850-1866
- Polk County Wills, 1866-1893
- Polk County, Probate Records, 1852-1967
- Pottawattamie County Index to Wills
- Pottawattamie County Probate Case Files and Indexes, 1846-1926
- Poweshiek County Probate, School, and Court Records, 1850-1954
- Poweshiek County, Circuit Court Records, 1861-1921
- Poweshiek County, District Court Records, 1856-1927
- Poweshiek County, Probate Case Files, 1850-1907
- Poweshiek County, Probate Records, 1881-1957
- Ringgold County, Probate Records, 1855-1929
- Shelby County, Probate Case Files, 1864-1929
- Shelby County, Probate Record books, 1855-1943
- Tama County, Probate Records, 1856-1970
- Taylor County, Wills, Probates and Estates
- Wapello County List of heirs description of real estate, 1862-1900
- Wapello County Probate Case Files; Indexes, 1844-1924 , 1844-1920
- Wapello County Probate Records, 1844-1934
- Wayne County Probate Case Files, 1851-1925
- Woodbury County, Will Book, 1856-1893
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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