Wills index | The Royal Berkshire Archives

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.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Name	Place Name	Occupation	Year	BRO Ref	MF Copy
SMEWING, John	Radley	Yeoman	1771	D/A1/125/88	MF544
SMITCH, Thomas	Marlston, Bucklebury	Husbandman	1671	D/A1/121/19	MF542
SMITH , Barnard Snr	Bradfield	Yeoman	1762	D/A1/125/47	MF544
SMITH , Edward Snr	Newbury	Clothier	1718	D/A1/123/61	MF543
SMITH , James Snr	West Hanney	Yeoman, Mason	1726	D/A1/123/147	MF543
SMITH , John Jnr	Thatcham	Yeoman	1712	D/A1/123/13	MF543
SMITH , John Snr	Abingdon	Barber	1768	D/A1/125/73	MF544
SMITH , Joseph Snr	Goosey, Stanford In The Vale	Yeoman	1777	D/A1/125/113	MF544
SMITH , Richard Snr	West Shefford	Yeoman	1719	D/A1/123/68	MF543
SMITH , Richard Snr	Letcombe Regis	Yeoman	1741	D/A1/124/114	MF544
SMITH , Richard Snr	Reading	Schoolmaster	1797	D/A1/125/179	MF546
SMITH (ALIAS BAZING), Elizabeth	Chieveley		1738	D/A1/216/151	MF96101
SMITH (ALIAS FOSTER), John	Thatcham	Weaver	1729	D/A1/190/191	MF96038
SMITH,			1550	D/A1/114/121	MF537
SMITH, Agnes	Ashbury		1560	D/A1/8/188	MF10043C
SMITH, Agnes	Ashbury		1560	D/A1/167/113	MF96000
SMITH, Agnes	Denchworth		1583	D/A1/115/201 D/A1/10/410	MF538 MF10047A
SMITH, Agnes	Kintbury		1589	D/A1/212/144	MF96092
SMITH, Agnes	Kintbury		1589	D/A1/11/184	MF10047B
SMITH, Agnes	Didcot		1634	D/A1/119/037	MF540
SMITH, Agnes	Drayton, Abingdon St Helen		1642	D/A1/214/062 D/A1/169/083	MF96096 MF96002
SMITH, Alice	Chieveley		1571	D/A1/115/086 D/A1/9/305	MF538 MF10046
SMITH, Alice	Bisham		1610	D/A1/117/041 D/A1/15/043	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, Alice	Hamstead Marshall		1616	D/A1/168/135	MF96001
SMITH, Ann	Ardington		1688	D/A1/122/1	MF542
SMITH, Ann	Reading St Laurence		1714	D/A1/216/28	MF96100
SMITH, Ann	Bisham		1758	D/A1/125/24	MF544
SMITH, Ann	Hampstead Norreys		1775	D/A1/216/238	MF96102
SMITH, Anne	Bradfield		1672	D/A1/121/42	MF542
SMITH, Anthony	Theale, Tilehurst	Husbandman	1666	D/A1/214/123	MF96097
SMITH, Anthony	Bray		1686	D/A1/215/42	MF96098
SMITH, Anthony	Abingdon	Butcher	1741	D/A1/124/113	MF544
SMITH, Arabella	Stratfield Mortimer		1791	D/A1/125/155	MF546
SMITH, Avis	Sutton Courtenay		1726	D/A1/123/142	MF543
SMITH, Benjamin	Boxford	Yeoman	1731	D/A1/124/38	MF544
SMITH, Benjamin	East Lockinge		1802	D/A1/231/32	MF96129
SMITH, Catherine	Abingdon		1674	D/A1/214/166	MF96097
SMITH, Cecily	Chieveley		1601	D/A1/116/198 D/A1/13/664	MF539 MF10049
SMITH, Charity	Burghfield		1699	D/A1/122/91	MF542
SMITH, Charles	Ashbury	Labourer	1743	D/A1/216/170	MF96101
SMITH, Charles	Abingdon	Cordwainer	1853	D/A1/163/27	MF584
SMITH, Christian	Stratfield Mortimer		1586	D/A1/115/221 D/A1/11/109	MF538 MF10047B
SMITH, Christian	Kingston Bagpuize		1612	D/A1/117/068 D/A1/15/208	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, Christian	Hagbourne		1634	D/A1/119/030	MF540
SMITH, Christopher	Buckhurst, Sussex		1635	D/A1/16/443	MF10066
SMITH, Christopher	Hoe Benham, Welford	Husbandman	1667	D/A1/120/153	MF541
SMITH, Curtis	Greenham, Thatcham	Yeoman	1669	D/A1/120/173	MF541
SMITH, Daniel	North Hinksey	Yeoman	1692	D/A1/122/35	MF542
SMITH, Davy	Drayton, Abingdon St Helen	Labourer	1595	D/A1/116/102 D/A1/12/291	MF538 MF10048
SMITH, Dorothy	North Moreton		1712	D/A1/123/16	MF543
SMITH, Edith	Uffington		1619	D/A1/117/153 D/A1/15/879	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, Edith	Uffington		1632	D/A1/168/222	MF96001
SMITH, Edith	Uffington		1632	D/A1/119/001	MF540
SMITH, Edmund	Woolstone, Uffington	Yeoman	1633	D/A1/119/023 D/A1/118/154	MF540 MF540
SMITH, Edmund	Sutton Courtenay		1659	D/A1/120/139	MF541
SMITH, Edward	Kingston Bagpuize	Tailor	1598	D/A1/116/140 D/A1/13/246	MF539 MF10049
SMITH, Edward	Dunston, Thatcham		1632	D/A1/214/003	MF96096
SMITH, Edward	Thatcham		1632	D/A1/168/236	MF96001
SMITH, Edward	Winkfield	Husbandman	1638	D/A1/119/096	MF540
SMITH, Edward	Bourton, Shrivenham		1768	D/A1/125/75	MF544
SMITH, Edward	Shrivenham	Surveyor	1775	D/A1/125/100	MF544
SMITH, Edward	Newbury	Gardener	1785	D/A1/125/136	MF544
SMITH, Edward	Newbury	Gardener	1824	D/A1/162/57	MF583
SMITH, Edward	Newbury	Watchmaker, Silversmith	1833	D/A1/162/16	MF583
SMITH, Elizabeth	Waltham St Lawrence		1641	D/A1/119/147	MF541
SMITH, Elizabeth	Frilsham		1661	D/A1/120/80	MF541
SMITH, Elizabeth	Chieveley		1663	D/A1/214/107	MF96097
SMITH, Elizabeth	Pangbourne		1663	D/A1/120/123	MF541
SMITH, Elizabeth	Hoe Benham, Welford		1667	D/A1/214/128	MF96097
SMITH, Elizabeth	Drayton		1673	D/A1/121/51	MF542
SMITH, Elizabeth	Long Wittenham		1701	D/A1/122/111	MF542
SMITH, Elizabeth	Reading	Corn Chandler	1709	D/A1/190/166	MF96038
SMITH, Elizabeth	Uffington		1721	D/A1/123/89	MF543
SMITH, Elizabeth	Newbury		1721	D/A1/123/82	MF543
SMITH, Elizabeth	Abingdon		1725	D/A1/123/127	MF543
SMITH, Elizabeth	Reading St Giles		1736	D/A1/124/81	MF544
SMITH, Elizabeth	Caversham, Oxfordshire		1824	D/A1/162/56	MF583
SMITH, Elizabeth	Steventon		1833	D/A1/162/3	MF583
SMITH, Ellen	Frilford, Marcham		1662	D/A1/120/113	MF541
SMITH, Florence	Uffington		1588	D/A1/116/009 D/A1/11/173	MF538 MF10047B
SMITH, Francis	Henwick, Thatcham		1629	D/A1/16/152 D/A1/118/136	MF10066 MF540
SMITH, Francis	East Ilsley		1751	D/A1/124/181	MF544
SMITH, Francis	Bradfield	Labourer	1788	D/A1/125/142	MF544
SMITH, Francis	Reading	Grocer	1799	D/A1/125/185	MF546
SMITH, Francis	Thatcham		1830	D/A1/231/75	MF96129
SMITH, Francis	Coleshill	Farmer, Dairyman	1842	D/A1/162/88	MF583
SMITH, George	Abingdon		1567	D/A1/167/137	MF96000
SMITH, George	Finchampstead		1600	D/A1/13/441	MF10049
SMITH, George	Barton, Abingdon		1603	D/A1/213/022 D/A1/13/1018	MF96094 MF10049
SMITH, George	Bradfield	Yeoman	1737	D/A1/124/83	MF544
SMITH, George	Kintbury	Servant	1745	D/A1/124/144	MF544
SMITH, George	Enborne	Yeoman	1752	D/A1/124/186	MF544
SMITH, George	Long Wittenham		1754	D/A1/124/193	MF544
SMITH, George	Reading	Dealer, Chapman	1778	D/A1/125/115	MF544
SMITH, George	Tilehurst		1791	D/A1/216/267	MF96102
SMITH, George	Thatcham	Yeoman	1824	D/A1/161/105	MF583
SMITH, George	Abingdon	Cordwainer	1849	D/A1/163/8	MF584
SMITH, Giles	Chieveley	Husbandman	1575	D/A1/115/120 D/A1/10/017	MF538 MF10047A
SMITH, Gregory	Langley, Hampstead Norreys	Yeoman	1557	D/A1/4/139 D/A1/9/014 D/A1/233/405	MF604 MF10046 MF96132
SMITH, Gregory	Chieveley	Husbandman	1599	D/A1/212/187	MF96093

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