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.

Name	Place Name	Occupation	Year	BRO Ref	MF Copy
BIRD, Martha	Reading		1762	D/A1/180/211	MF96020
BIRD, Mary	Chieveley		1836	D/A1/146/29	MF557
BIRD, Millicent	Sonning		1661	D/A1/45/75	MF465
BIRD, Richard	Reading St Mary		1619	D/A1/168/162	MF96001
BIRD, Thomas	Shaw Cum Donnington		1566	D/A1/167/132	MF96000
BIRD, William	Reading St Giles		1600	D/A1/13/441	MF10049
BIRD, William	Speen		1800	D/A1/51/20	MF469
BIRDE, Richard	Reading St Mary	Cloth Worker	1619	D/A1/176/062	MF96012
BIREMILL, Avis	Abingdon St Helen		1510	D/A1/1/001	MF10041
BIRT, Richard	Buckland	Yeoman	1586	D/A1/175/108	MF96010
BIRT, Thomas	Buckland		1611	D/A1/168/071	MF96001
BIRTCHE, Robert	Eastbury, Lambourn	Husbandman	1600	D/A1/41/146 D/A1/13/613	MF463 MF10049
BIRTE, Richard	Buckland	Husbandman	1598	D/A1/41/091 D/A1/13/267	MF462 MF10049
BIRTE, William	Buckland	Husbandman	1561	D/A1/39/172 D/A1/8/195	MF461 MF10043C
BISHOP, Anthony	Abingdon	Tailor	1600	D/A1/41/142 D/A1/13/576	MF463 MF10049
BISHOP, John	Cookham	Husbandman	1733	D/A1/49/176	MF468
BISHOP, John	Cookham	Husbandman	1749	D/A1/50/22	MF469
BISHOP, John	Sonning	Milkman	1845	D/A1/226/118	MF96123
BISHOP, Mary	Oxford, Oxfordshire		1707	D/A1/17/94	MF10079
BISHOP, Robert	Harwell		1606	D/A1/175/189	MF89011
BISHOP, Sarah	Brightwell		1736	D/A1/49/186	MF468
BISHOP, Thomas	Newbury		1715	D/A1/48/222	MF468
BISHOP, William	Sotwell	Cordwainer	1691	D/A1/47/157	MF467
BISHOP, William	Longcot, Shrivenham		1802	D/A1/145/8	MF557
BISHOPP, Castell	Reading		1684	D/A1/47/88	MF466
BISHOPP, John	Cookham	Brickmaker	1685	D/A1/179/46	MF96016
BISHOPP, John	Cholsey	Blacksmith	1716	D/A1/180/31	MF96019
BISHOPP, Richard	Dorchester, Oxfordshire		1711	D/A1/103/236	MF575
BISHOPP, Robert	Bray		1605	D/A1/42/040	MF463
BISHOPP, Thomas	Wallingford	Innholder	1702	D/A1/48/88	MF467
BISHOPP, William	Reading		1694	D/A1/179/108	MF96017
BISHOPP*, John	Oxford, Oxfordshire		1699	D/A1/48/54	MF467
BISLEY, Anthony	Cholsey	Yeoman	1734	D/A1/180/137	MF96020
BISLEY, Anthony	Wootton	Yeoman	1738	D/A1/49/203	MF468
BISLEY, Anthony	Cholsey	Farmer	1849	D/A1/147/20	MF558
BISLEY, John	Cholsey	Yeoman	1712	D/A1/48/189	MF467
BISLEY, John	Cumnor		1717	D/A1/49/16	MF468
BISLEY, Mary	Cholsey		1808	D/A1/145/42	MF557
BISLEY, Richard	Ashbury	Yeoman	1626	D/A1/176/112	MF96012
BISLEY, Richard	Bayworth, Sunningwell		1638	D/A1/16/483	MF10066
BISLEY, Robert	Abingdon		1599	D/A1/175/163	MF96010
BISLEY, Robert	Abingdon		1599	D/A1/13/435	MF10049
BISLEY, Thomas	Cholsey		1681	D/A1/178/186	MF96015
BISLIE, Alexander	Abingdon		1621	D/A1/43/053	MF464
BISLYE, John Jnr	Bayworth, Sunningwell		1592	D/A1/12/071	MF10048
BISSHOP, John	Bray		1552	D/A1/5/159	MF10043A
BISSHOPP, Dorothy	Mackney, Brightwell		1558	D/A1/167/104	MF96000
BISSHOPPE, Christopher	Easthampstead		1612	D/A1/42/093 D/A1/15/278	MF463 MF10065
BISSLEE, Anthony	Cholsey	Husbandman	1646	D/A1/45/015	MF465
BISSLEY, John	Ashbury	Husbandman	1604	D/A1/41/186	MF463
BISSLEY, John	Ashbury		1604	D/A1/13/1341	MF10049
BITTELL, William	Speen	Gardener	1693	D/A1/179/97	MF96017
BIZLEY, Clement	Buckland	Yeoman	1680	D/A1/47/49	MF466
BLACK, George	W. Compton, Compton	Carpenter	1683	D/A1/179/25	MF96016
BLACK, Philip	Bucklebury		1594	D/A1/41/050 D/A1/12/208	MF462 MF10048
BLACKALL , John Jnr	Cholsey	Yeoman	1823	D/A1/145/117	MF557
BLACKALL , John Snr	Cholsey	Yeoman	1805	D/A1/145/20	MF557
BLACKALL , William Snr	North Moreton	Victualler	1822	D/A1/145/106	MF557
BLACKALL, Anne	London		1721	D/A1/49/52	MF468
BLACKALL, Anne	Cholsey		1749	D/A1/50/33	MF469
BLACKALL, Elizabeth	Cholsey		1751	D/A1/180/192	MF96020
BLACKALL, Henry	Wargrave	Husbandman	1667	D/A1/178/105	MF96015
BLACKALL, Thomas	Cholsey	Yeoman	1739	D/A1/49/207	MF468
BLACKALLER, Mary	East Ilsley		1737	D/A1/49/197	MF468
BLACKBERY, Henry	Speenhamland, Speen		1697	D/A1/179/123	MF96017
BLACKE, Francis	Reading St Mary	Clothier	1632	D/A1/177/041 D/A1/168/234	MF96013 MF96001
BLACKE, John	Crookham, Thatcham		1602	D/A1/41/159 D/A1/13/797	MF463 MF10049
BLACKE, Richard	Bucklebury	Yeoman	1604	D/A1/41/190 D/A1/13/1370	MF463 MF10049
BLACKEGROVE, Thomas	West Shefford		1567	D/A1/39/231	MF462
BLACKEMAN, Andrew	Shinfield	Yeoman	1597	D/A1/41/088 D/A1/13/173	MF462 MF10049
BLACKEMAN, James	Newbury	Tailor	1586	D/A1/175/106	MF96010
BLACKEMAN, John	Cumnor	Blacksmith	1651	D/A1/178/45	MF96015
BLACKEMAN, John	Cumnor	Blacksmith	1651	D/A1/178/045	MF96015
BLACKEMAN, Thomas	Tilehurst		1568	D/A1/39/232 D/A1/9/120	MF462 MF10046
BLACKEMAN, William	Tilehurst		1591	D/A1/11/376	MF10047B
BLACKEMAN, William	Shinfield	Yeoman, Wheelwright	1626	D/A1/43/150	MF464
BLACKESTONE,	Aldworth	Vicar	1557	D/A1/233/052	MF96132
BLACKHALL, Robert	Reading	Husbandman	1585	D/A1/175/102	MF96010
BLACKHALL, Robert	Reading		1585	D/A1/11/013	MF10047B
BLACKLEDGE, Henry	Reading St Laurence	Labourer	1583	D/A1/40/115 D/A1/10/413	MF462 MF10047A
BLACKMAN,	Northcourt, Abingdon St Helen		1591	D/A1/175/126	MF96010
BLACKMAN, Agnes			1564	D/A1/167/124	MF96000
BLACKMAN, Agnes	Sulhamstead Abbots		1591	D/A1/11/377	MF10047B
BLACKMAN, Alice	Tilehurst		1543	D/A1/233/022	MF96132
BLACKMAN, Anne	Abingdon		1684	D/A1/47/100	MF466
BLACKMAN, Anthony	Shinfield	Yeoman	1713	D/A1/180/14	MF96019
BLACKMAN, Benjamin	Aston Tirrold	Yeoman	1822	D/A1/145/110	MF557
BLACKMAN, Edward	Tilehurst	Husbandman	1629	D/A1/43/187	MF464
BLACKMAN, Edward Snr	Tilehurst	Husbandman	1692	D/A1/48/2	MF467
BLACKMAN, Elizabeth	Stratfield Mortimer		1711	D/A1/180/3	MF96019
BLACKMAN, Henry	Burghfield	Husbandman	1730	D/A1/49/137	MF468
BLACKMAN, James	Newbury		1586	D/A1/11/051	MF10047B
BLACKMAN, James	Aldermaston		1616	D/A1/176/056	MF96012
BLACKMAN, James	Aldermaston		1616	D/A1/168/135	MF96001
BLACKMAN, James	Aldermaston	Yeoman	1661	D/A1/45/77	MF465
BLACKMAN, Joan	Tilehurst		1553	D/A1/7/003	MF10040
BLACKMAN, Joan	Tilehurst		1612	D/A1/42/084 D/A1/15/246	MF463 MF10065
BLACKMAN, Joan	Tilehurst		1670	D/A1/178/126	MF96015
BLACKMAN, Joanna	Aston Tirrold		1822	D/A1/145/109	MF557
BLACKMAN, John	Tilehurst		1551	D/A1/5/122	MF10043A

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