Thursday 29 October 2015

Ancestry adds Scottish probate records (confirmations)

http://www.dpbolvw.net/9q97tenkem1754B68A132A3B2231362A928A25222?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2Fsearch%2Fdb.aspx%3Fdbid%3D60558
Ancestry has added an important collection for those of you with Scottish connections: the All Scotland, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories), 1876-1936.

Previously available only via the Scotland's People website, this collection includes a searchable index and browsable images of the annual Calendars of Confirmations and Inventories published annually from 1876 to 1936. Scottish probate records are called 'confirmations' and include a testament and an inventory of the estate.

The annual calendars follow a traditional pattern being set out in alphabetical order of surname and typically including full name of the deceased, date and place of death, name of an executor and where and when the testament was recorded.

As is typical of probate records, most of the names relate to wealthier families, since they're the ones likely to have property and assets available to distribute. And, of course, most of the people recorded in the calendars lived in Scotland. But not all! Much to my surprise, even one of my Santrys shows up in the 1916 calendar (originally from Cork but settled in Kerry, Michael Santry was a merchant, and presumably built up some assets in Scotland). There seem to be a few thousand entries in the collection recording some connection to Ireland.

There are more details about these records on the Ancestry page and you can order copies of testaments and inventories via the ScotslandsPeople website.