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
BRENT, Mary	Shinfield		1717	D/A1/180/39	MF96019
BRENT, Thomas	Shinfield	Yeoman	1749	D/A1/50/25	MF469
BREWAR, Bartholomew	Burghfield		1591	D/A1/41/004 D/A1/11/340	MF462 MF10047B
BREWER, Bartholomew	Burghfield		1616	D/A1/168/136	MF96001
BREWER, Bartholomew	Burghfield		1617	D/A1/176/057	MF96012
BREWER, Deborah	Burghfield		1695	D/A1/48/38	MF467
BREWER, John	Wasing	Husbandman	1595	D/A1/175/143	MF96010
BREWER, John	Wasing		1595	D/A1/12/396	MF10048
BREWER, John	Burghfield	Yeoman	1615	D/A1/42/122 D/A1/15/508	MF463 MF10065
BREWER, John	Abingdon	Stay Maker	1806	D/A1/145/28	MF557
BREWER, Katherine	Padworth		1675	D/A1/46/108	MF466
BREWER, Reynold	Burghfield	Yeoman	1687	D/A1/47/122	MF467
BREWER, Robert Scullard	Abingdon	Stay Maker	1802	D/A1/145/7	MF557
BREWER, Sarah	Burghfield		1697	D/A1/48/47	MF467
BREWER, William	Englefield	Husbandman	1604	D/A1/41/187 D/A1/13/1355	MF463 MF10049
BREWETT, John	Donnington, Shaw Cum Donnington	Miller	1648	D/A1/45/037	MF465
BREYAN, Anthony	Reading St Laurence		1604	D/A1/175/183	MF96011
BREYMORE, Francis	Englefield		1711	D/A1/48/184	MF467
BREYMORE, Francis	Englefield	Yeoman	1763	D/A1/50/103	MF469
BREYMORE, Thomas	Englefield		1711	D/A1/48/180	MF467
BRIAN , Richard	Abingdon		1616	D/A1/176/048	MF96012
BRIAN, John	Marcham		1563	D/A1/167/118	MF96000
BRIAN, Richard	Abingdon		1616	D/A1/168/128	MF96001
BRIAN, Robert	Philberts, Hanney	Yeoman	1614	D/A1/42/117 D/A1/15/452	MF463 MF10065
BRIAND, Sarah	Yattendon		1745	D/A1/180/176	MF96020
BRIANT, Edmund	Fernham, Shrivenham	Yeoman	1632	D/A1/44/037	MF464
BRIANT, Elizabeth	Fernham, Shrivenham		1630	D/A1/43/191	MF464
BRIANT, John	Marcham		1560	D/A1/175/048	MF96010
BRIANT, Richard	Reading	Blacksmith	1724	D/A1/180/80	MF96019
BRIANT, William	Yattendon	Blacksmith	1772	D/A1/50/144	MF469
BRICE, Elizabeth	Kintbury		1661	D/A1/45/73	MF465
BRICE, Jane	Newbury		1751	D/A1/50/41	MF469
BRICE, John	Kintbury		1560	D/A1/6/019	MF10043B
BRICE, John	Kintbury		1560	D/A1/39/159	MF461
BRICE, John	Walcot Marsh, Kintbury	Yeoman	1662	D/A1/178/68	MF96015
BRICE, Margaret	Lambourn		1627	D/A1/43/136	MF464
BRICE, Nicholas	Cookham		1621	D/A1/168/166	MF96001
BRICE, Nicholas	Northtown, Cookham	Yeoman	1668	D/A1/178/111	MF96015
BRICE, Philip	Newbury	Victualler	1746	D/A1/50/11	MF469
BRICE, Richard	Kintbury-Amesbury, Kintbury	Husbandman	1641	D/A1/44/131	MF465
BRICE, Richard	Newbury	Grocer	1727	D/A1/49/111	MF468
BRICE, William	Maidenhead, Cookham	Yeoman	1621	D/A1/16/014	MF10066
BRICE, Winifred	Cookham		1680	D/A1/47/50	MF466
BRICKE, Edward	Long Wittenham	Clerk	1602	D/A1/41/179 D/A1/13/811	MF463 MF10049
BRICKELL, Sarah	Winterbourne, Chieveley		1820	D/A1/145/101	MF557
BRICKELTON, Michael	Reading	Brewer	1687	D/A1/179/50	MF96016
BRICKLAND, Thomas	Wootton	Labourer	1703	D/A1/48/109	MF467
BRICKLAND, Thomas Jnr	Wootton, Cumnor		1700	D/A1/48/67	MF467
BRICKLETON, Ann	Reading		1698	D/A1/179/127	MF96017
BRIDGE, John	Eastbury, Lambourn	Yeoman	1689	D/A1/47/140	MF467
BRIDGE, John	Eastbury, Lambourn	Husbandman	1743	D/A1/49/256	MF468
BRIDGE, Thomas	Eastbury, Lambourn	Husbandman	1694	D/A1/48/20	MF467
BRIDGEMAN, Francis	Lockinge	Husbandman	1710	D/A1/179/197	MF96018
BRIDGEMAN, John	Abingdon	Cooper	1829	D/A1/226/78	MF96123
BRIDGEMAN, Mary	Abingdon		1808	D/A1/145/43	MF557
BRIDGES, Elizabeth	Botley, Oxfordshire		1806	D/A1/145/30	MF557
BRIDGES, Gabriel	Letcombe Regis		1650	D/A1/178/42	MF96015
BRIDGES, Gabriel	Letcombe Bassett		1650	D/A1/178/042	MF96015
BRIDGEWATER, George Snr	Shinfield	Yeoman	1846	D/A1/146/85	MF558
BRIDGEWATER, Henry	Burghfield		1599	D/A1/13/432	MF10049
BRIDGEWATER, John	Shinfield	Servant	1841	D/A1/146/55	MF557
BRIDGEWATER, Thomas	Shinfield	Yeoman	1839	D/A1/226/100	MF96123
BRIDGMAN, Edward	Harwell	Yeoman	1687	D/A1/47/115	MF466
BRIDGMAN, John	Sutton Courtenay	Shopkeeper	1801	D/A1/145/1	MF557
BRIDGMAN, Mary	Harwell		1693	D/A1/48/18	MF467
BRIDGMAN, Mary	Wallingford St Mary		1775	D/A1/50/162	MF469
BRIDGMAN, Richard	Didcot	Yeoman	1699	D/A1/48/64	MF467
BRIDGWATER, George	Shinfield	Yeoman	1698	D/A1/48/59	MF467
BRIDGWATER, George	Shinfield	Yeoman	1730	D/A1/180/113	MF96020
BRIENT, Margaret	Marcham		1593	D/A1/41/035 D/A1/12/101	MF462 MF10048
BRIGGS, Culley	Uffington	Yeoman	1712	D/A1/180/11	MF96019
BRIGGS, Hugh	Remenham	Brickmaker	1677	D/A1/178/174	MF96015
BRIGHAM, Anne	Barkham		1640	D/A1/177/095	MF96014
BRIGHT, Isabel	Abingdon St Helen		1570	D/A1/39/248 D/A1/9/179 D/A1/9/186	MF462 MF10046 MF10046
BRIGHTWEL, Anne	Burghfield		1705	D/A1/48/129	MF467
BRIGHTWELL , William Snr	Burghfield	Yeoman	1719	D/A1/49/34	MF468
BRIGHTWELL, Alice	S. Stoke, Oxfordshire		1698	D/A1/48/56	MF467
BRIGHTWELL, Joan	Burghfield		1647	D/A1/178/030	MF96015
BRIGHTWELL, John	Midgham, Thatcham	Turner	1661	D/A1/214/91	MF96097
BRIGHTWELL, John	Burghfield	Yeoman	1686	D/A1/179/53	MF96016
BRIGHTWELL, John	Burghfield		1704	D/A1/48/121	MF467
BRIGHTWELL, Mary	Brimpton		1701	D/A1/48/83	MF467
BRIGHTWELL, Matthew	Burghfield	Yeoman	1682	D/A1/47/72	MF466
BRIGHTWELL, Nicholas	Brimpton (Admon.), Ufton Nervet	Yeoman	1663	D/A1/178/71	MF96015
BRIGHTWELL, Peter			1623	D/A1/221/095/2	MF96113
BRIGHTWELL, Reynold	Burghfield	Yeoman	1647	D/A1/45/019	MF466
BRIGHTWELL, Reynold Snr	Burghfield	Yeoman	1640	D/A1/44/128	MF465
BRIGHTWELL, Richard	Brimpton	Husbandman	1632	D/A1/177/037	MF96013
BRIGHTWELL, Richard	Brimpton		1632	D/A1/168/223	MF96001
BRIGS, Elizabeth	Uffington		1711	D/A1/48/183	MF467
BRILL, Alice	Hatford		1628	D/A1/43/164	MF464
BRILL, Richard	Hatford	Husbandman	1588	D/A1/40/164 D/A1/11/177	MF462 MF10047B
BRIMMER, Thomas	Reading St Giles	Weaver	1745	D/A1/180/174	MF96020
BRIMSON, John	Wallingford	Plumber	1854	D/A1/147/35	MF558
BRINCKELOWE, John	Anvilles, Inkpen		1582	D/A1/10/331	MF10047A
BRINCKHURST, Mary	Waltham St Lawrence		1631	D/A1/177/031	MF96013
BRINCKHURST, Mary	Waltham St Lawrence		1631	D/A1/16/237	MF10066
BRINCKHURST, Richard	Bisham		1612	D/A1/168/087	MF96001
BRINCKLEY, Thomas	Abingdon	Yeoman	1627	D/A1/177/003	MF96013
BRIND, Jane	Upper Lambourn, Lambourn		1646	D/A1/45/017	MF465

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