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
BERRY, William	Woolhampton		1578	D/A1/40/081	MF462
BERRY, William	Bucklebury	Husbandman	1727	D/A1/49/112	MF468
BERSTOE, Hugh	Reading		1575	D/A1/175/089	MF96010
BERTHELEMEW, Thomas	Hampstead	Husbandman	1548	D/A1/39/036	MF461
BERTTELYT, John	Lambourn		1530	D/A1/39/001	MF461
BERY, Christian	Shrivenham		1583	D/A1/40/114 D/A1/10/398	MF462 MF10047A
BERY, John	Shinfield		1784	D/A1/50/203	MF469
BERYNGTON, William	Reading St Laurence		1553	D/A1/7/001 D/A1/39/062	MF10040 MF461
BESHOP, John	Easthampstead		1557	D/A1/39/092 D/A1/7/283	MF461 MF10040
BESLEY, Elizabeth	Ashbury		1559	D/A1/39/110 D/A1/8/031	MF461 MF10043C
BESLEY, Francis	East Hendred	Wheelwright	1807	D/A1/145/35	MF557
BESLEY, George	East Hendred	Wheelwright	1847	D/A1/147/4	MF558
BESLEY, Henry Jnr	Ashbury		1635	D/A1/177/046	MF96013
BESLEY, John	East Hendred	Yeoman	1780	D/A1/50/179	MF469
BESLEY, William	East Hendred	Maltster	1835	D/A1/226/87	MF96123
BESLY, Henry	Ashbury	Yeoman	1635	D/A1/44/061	MF464
BESLY, Nicholas	Buckland	Husbandman	1700	D/A1/48/72	MF467
BESLY, Roger	Buckland	Husbandman	1706	D/A1/48/135	MF467
BESLYE, John	Ashbury	Husbandman	1556	D/A1/2/100	MF604
BESLYE, John	Ashbury	Husbandman	1558	D/A1/233/051	MF96132
BESSILL, Luce	North Hinksey		1661	D/A1/178/61	MF96015
BESSLY, George	Burgage, Hinton Waldrist	Husbandman	1691	D/A1/47/158	MF467
BEST , William Snr	Cumnor	Yeoman	1720	D/A1/49/47	MF468
BEST, John	Wallingford St Leonard	Freemason	1587	D/A1/40/152 D/A1/11/241	MF462 MF10047B
BEST, Matthew	Compton		1546	D/A1/5/028 D/A1/39/020	MF10043A MF461
BEST, Samuel	Kingston Bagpuize	Husbandman	1701	D/A1/48/90	MF467
BEST, Thomas	Reading St Mary		1532	D/A1/1/188	MF10042
BESTBRIDGE , James Snr	Reading	Twine Spinner	1805	D/A1/145/17	MF557
BESTLEY, Clement	Hinton Waldrist	Husbandman	1628	D/A1/177/009	MF96013
BESTLY, Anne	Burgage, Hinton Waldrist		1680	D/A1/47/45	MF466
BESTLY, John	Burgage, Hinton Waldrist	Yeoman	1661	D/A1/45/86	MF465
BESTLY, Richard	Hinton Waldrist	Yeoman	1705	D/A1/48/123	MF467
BET, John	Baulking, Uffington		1558	D/A1/39/097	MF461
BET, John	Uffington		1558	D/A1/167/101	MF96000
BETFORD , William	Baulking, Uffington		1544	D/A1/2/072	MF604
BETFORD, Elizabeth	Baulking, Uffington		1555	D/A1/39/074	MF461
BETFORD, Richard	Lambourn	Shepherd	1606	D/A1/41/198 D/A1/14/145	MF463 MF10064
BETFORD, Thomas	Stanford In The Vale		1591	D/A1/175/121 D/A1/175/132/2	MF96010 MF96010
BETFORDE, William	Uffington		1546	D/A1/2/058	MF603
BETFORDE, William	Lambourn	Yeoman	1600	D/A1/41/140 D/A1/13/545	MF463 MF10049
BETHAM, John	Ardington	Vicar	1581	D/A1/40/102 D/A1/10/317	MF462 MF10047A
BETT, William	Buscot	Yeoman	1607	D/A1/176/008	MF96012
BETT, William	Buscot		1607	D/A1/168/019	MF96001
BETTEREDGE, Robert	Sparsholt		1552	D/A1/5/165	MF10043A
BETTRIDGE, John	Kingston Lisle, Sparsholt	Husbandman	1619	D/A1/43/037	MF464
BETTRIDGE, John Snr	Kingston Lisle, Sparsholt	Husbandman	1614	D/A1/42/105 D/A1/15/407	MF463 MF10065
BETTRIDGE, Mary	East Hanney, West Hanney		1837	D/A1/226/90	MF96123
BETTRIDGE, William	Wantage	Victualler	1856	D/A1/147/53	MF558
BETTS, Thomas	Cumnor		1678	D/A1/47/31	MF466
BETTYE, Nicholas	Woolstone, Uffington	Glover	1625	D/A1/43/116	MF464
BEVAN, Alexander	Abingdon	Surgeon	1841	D/A1/146/59	MF557
BEVAR, Anthony	Clapton, Kintbury		1559	D/A1/39/143 D/A1/8/140	MF461 MF10043C
BEVER, Avis	Stratfield Mortimer		1609	D/A1/42/054 D/A1/14/603	MF463 MF10064
BEVER, John Snr	Aldermaston	Weaver	1567	D/A1/39/227 D/A1/9/083	MF462 MF10046
BEVER, Robert	Reading	Yeoman	1696	D/A1/48/42	MF467
BEVER, Samuel	Stratfield Mortimer		1740	D/A1/49/221	MF468
BEVERTON, Margaret	Burghfield		1558	D/A1/39/117	MF461
BEVERTON, Margaret	Burghfield		1559	D/A1/39/116 D/A1/8/087	MF461 MF10043C
BEVINGTON, George	Barkham	Husbandman	1615	D/A1/42/121 D/A1/15/505	MF463 MF10065
BEVINGTON, Jane	Sunninghill		1651	D/A1/45/050	MF465
BEVINGTON, Joseph	Sunninghill	Blacksmith	1650	D/A1/45/048	MF465
BEVIS, William	Strtfield Saye, Hampshire	Cordwinder	1707	D/A1/179/180	MF96018
BEW, Ann	Leckhampstead, Chieveley		1762	D/A1/50/101	MF469
BEW, Ann	Lambourn		1847	D/A1/226/122	MF96123
BEW, Anne	Oare, Chieveley		1746	D/A1/50/7	MF469
BEW, Edward	Kennington, Sunningwell	Yeoman	1600	D/A1/13/598 D/A1/41/074	MF10049 MF462
BEW, Elizabeth	Chieveley		1728	D/A1/180/100	MF96020
BEW, Hannah	Oare, Chieveley		1737	D/A1/49/192	MF468
BEW, John	N. Heath, Chieveley	Yeoman	1705	D/A1/48/128	MF467
BEW, John	Leckhampstead, Chieveley	Yeoman	1742	D/A1/49/241	MF468
BEW, John	Speen	Yeoman	1749	D/A1/180/187	MF96020
BEW, Mary	Chieveley		1730	D/A1/180/110	MF96020
BEW, Mary	Oare, Chieveley		1750	D/A1/50/34	MF469
BEW, Rachel	Bradfield		1755	D/A1/50/69	MF469
BEW, Richard	N. Heath, Chieveley	Yeoman	1704	D/A1/48/115	MF467
BEW, Richard	Chieveley	Schoolmaster	1780	D/A1/50/178	MF469
BEW, Richard	Thatcham	Surgeon	1823	D/A1/145/116	MF557
BEW, Robert	Speen		1844	D/A1/226/114	MF96123
BEW, Thomas	West Hagbourne, Hagbourne		1541	D/A1/39/007	MF461
BEW, Thomas	N. Heath, Chieveley		1708	D/A1/179/184	MF96018
BEW, William	Peasemore	Cooper	1807	D/A1/145/37	MF557
BEWDON, Agnes	Milton		1664	D/A1/45/140	MF465
BEWDON, Richard	Wallingford St Peter		1580	D/A1/10/236	MF10047A
BEWE, David	West Hagbourne, Hagbourne	Tailor	1620	D/A1/43/035	MF464
BEWE, John	North Heath, Chieveley	Husbandman	1648	D/A1/45/032	MF465
BEWE, Richard	Didcot		1557	D/A1/39/076 D/A1/7/137	MF461 MF10040
BEWE, Thomas	West Hagbourne, Hagbourne		1541	D/A1/1/209	MF10042
BEWE, Thomas	Kennington, Sunningwell		1610	D/A1/176/030	MF96012
BEZOR, John	Lambourn	Mason	1702	D/A1/48/98	MF467
BIDDELL, John Snr	Swallowfield	Clothier	1684	D/A1/47/102	MF466
BIDDELL, Roger	Binfield	Husbandman	1622	D/A1/43/077	MF464
BIDDIS, Anthony	Reading St Mary	Cooper	1690	D/A1/179/82	MF96017
BIDDIS, Anthony	Reading St Laurence	Cloth Worker	1710	D/A1/179/194	MF96018
BIDDLE, Edward	Swallowfield	Yeoman	1671	D/A1/46/76	MF466
BIDDLE, Edward	Reading	Bricklayer	1852	D/A1/147/27	MF558
BIDDLE, Elizabeth	New Windsor, Windsor		1609	D/A1/42/034 D/A1/14/509	MF463 MF10064
BIDDLE, Hannah	Swallowfield		1687	D/A1/179/58	MF96016
BIDDLE, John Snr	Swallowfield		1692	D/A1/48/4	MF467
BIDE, Christopher	Abingdon	Shoemaker	1595	D/A1/41/060 D/A1/12/302	MF462 MF10048
BIDE, Joan	Abingdon		1575	D/A1/175/076	MF96010

• ← Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• 18
• 19
• 20
• 21
• 22
• 23
• 24
• 25
• 26
• 27
• 28
• 29
• 30
• 31
• 32
• 33
• 34
• 35
• 36
• 37
• 38
• 39
• 40
• 41
• 42
• 43
• 44
• 45
• Next →