Wills Index
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COXHEDD, Richard | Bucklebury | 1559 | D/A1/8/021 | MF10043C | |
| COXHEDDE, Richard | Bucklebury | 1558 | D/A1/181/042/2 | MF96021 | |
| COXSETTER, William | Hurley | Husbandman | 1610 | D/A1/53/209 D/A1/15/053 | MF472 MF10065 |
| COXSETTER, William | Abingdon | Cordwainer | 1647 | D/A1/55/168 | MF474 |
| COYLES, Thomas Snr | Newbury | Mason | 1630 | D/A1/168/197 | MF96001 |
| COZENS, Hugh | Marcham | Blacksmith | 1640 | D/A1/55/116 | MF474 |
| COZENS, Hugh | Marcham | 1680 | D/A1/184/20 | MF96026 | |
| COZENS, John | Marcham | Blacksmith | 1672 | D/A1/183/120 | MF96025 |
| COZENS, Mary | Of Abingdon | Sackcloth Weaver | 1670 | D/A1/183/104 | MF96025 |
| COZENS, Thomas | Abingdon | Cordwainer | 1647 | D/A1/55/175 | MF474 |
| COZENS, William | Letcombe Bassett | Labourer | 1825 | D/A1/227/31 | MF96124 |
| CRAB, William | Newbury | Cloth Worker | 1698 | D/A1/58/35 | MF476 |
| CRACE, Arthur | Basildon | Husbandman | 1605 | D/A1/53/157 D/A1/13/1381 | MF472 MF10049 |
| CRACE, Edward | Haw Court, Hampstead Norris | Yeoman | 1707 | D/A1/58/107 | MF476 |
| CRACE, Eleanor | Basildon | 1559 | D/A1/8/017 | MF10043C | |
| CRACE, Joan | Basildon | 1604 | D/A1/53/159 D/A1/13/1291 | MF472 MF10049 | |
| CRACE, John | Basildon | Yeoman | 1599 | D/A1/53/103 D/A1/13/456 | MF472 MF10049 |
| CRACE, John | Basildon | Yeoman | 1629 | D/A1/54/152 | MF473 |
| CRACE, John | Hampstead Norris | Yeoman | 1664 | D/A1/56/64/2 | MF474 |
| CRACE, John | Whitley Park, Reading St Giles | Yeoman | 1694 | D/A1/58/15 | MF476 |
| CRACE, John | Bisham | Husbandman | 1768 | D/A1/60/67 | MF513 |
| CRACE, John Jnr | Whitley, Reading St Giles | Yeoman | 1693 | D/A1/184/74 | MF96026 |
| CRADOCK, Elizabeth | Abingdon | 1548 | D/A1/2/113 | MF604 | |
| CRAENE, John | North Fawley, Fawley | 1588 | D/A1/52/156 D/A1/11/274 | MF472 MF10047B | |
| CRAFORD, Thomas | Shinfield | Husbandman | 1639 | D/A1/55/090 | MF474 |
| CRAFTE, Robert | Marcham | 1596 | D/A1/53/067 D/A1/12/433 | MF472 MF10048 | |
| CRAFTE, William | Abingdon | Victualler | 1629 | D/A1/54/150 | MF473 |
| CRAFTON, William | Basildon | Tailor | 1607 | D/A1/53/177 D/A1/14/280 | MF472 MF10064 |
| CRAGG, Jenet | East Ilsley | 1597 | D/A1/181/149 | MF96022 | |
| CRAGG, Rowland | East Ilsley | 1578 | D/A1/181/086 | MF96021 | |
| CRAGGE, Jenet | East Ilsley | 1597 | D/A1/13/183 | MF10049 | |
| CRANADGE, Katherine | Speenhamland, Speen | 1606 | D/A1/168/011 | MF96001 | |
| CRANAGE, Henry | Speenhamland, Speen | Tapster | 1555 | D/A1/4/050 D/A1/233/356 D/A1/7/088 | MF604 MF96132 MF10040 |
| CRANAGE, Joan | Uffington | 1680 | D/A1/57/16 | MF475 | |
| CRANAGE, Richard | Reading St Laurence | Butcher | 1691 | D/A1/184/70 | MF96026 |
| CRANE, Frances | Lambourn | 1709 | D/A1/58/116 | MF476 | |
| CRANE, Henry | East Garston | Husbandman | 1630 | D/A1/54/164 | MF473 |
| CRANE, Joan | Fawler, Sparsholt | 1567 | D/A1/52/006 D/A1/9/084 | MF471 MF10046 | |
| CRANE, John | Fawley | 1566 | D/A1/51/182 D/A1/9/027 | MF470 MF10046 | |
| CRANE, John | Fawley | 1566 | D/A1/167/133 | MF96000 | |
| CRANE, Richard | Wallingford | 1548 | D/A1/233/061 | MF96132 | |
| CRANE, Richard | Wallingford | 1549 | D/A1/2/118 | MF604 | |
| CRANE, Thomas | East Hendred | Yeoman | 1619 | D/A1/54/051 | MF473 |
| CRANE, William | Fawler, Sparsholt | 1557 | D/A1/233/078 | MF96132 | |
| CRANE, William | Fawler, Sparsholt | Husbandman | 1557 | D/A1/2/143 | MF604 |
| CRANEDGE, William | Reading St Laurence | Butcher | 1629 | D/A1/54/156 | MF473 |
| CRANFORD, Robert | Swallowfield | Carpenter | 1669 | D/A1/56/112 | MF474 |
| CRANFORD, William | Swallowfield | Yeoman | 1686 | D/A1/184/52 | MF96026 |
| CRANFORD, William | Swallowfield | 1716 | D/A1/185/1 | MF96028 | |
| CRANIDGE, Francis | Speenhamland, Speen | Butcher | 1668 | D/A1/56/105 | MF474 |
| CRANIDGE, Richard | Reading St Laurence | 1683 | D/A1/57/43 | MF475 | |
| CRANK, John | Reading St Giles | 1745 | D/A1/59/219 | MF513 | |
| CRANKE, Elizabeth | Reading | 1727 | D/A1/59/86 | MF476 | |
| CRANMER, George | Oxford, Oxfordshire | 1564 | D/A1/167/123 | MF96000 | |
| CRANNAGE, Katherine | Speenhamland, Speen | 1606 | D/A1/181/196 | MF96022 | |
| CRANNAGE, Richard | Reading | 1711 | D/A1/184/173 | MF96027 | |
| CRANNEDGE, Humfrey | Newbury | Butcher | 1667 | D/A1/56/91 | MF474 |
| CRANNEDGE, John | Newbury | Butcher | 1676 | D/A1/184/3 | MF96026 |
| CRANNEDGE, Thomas Snr | Speenhamland, Speen | Butcher | 1606 | D/A1/53/167 D/A1/14/153 | MF472 MF10064 |
| CRANNOLE, Robert | Clewer | Yeoman | 1602 | D/A1/53/134 D/A1/53/136 D/A1/13/901 | MF472 MF472 MF10049 |
| CRANOLL, Roger | Bray | 1583 | D/A1/181/102 | MF96021 | |
| CRANOLL, Roger | Bray | 1583 | D/A1/10/416 | MF10047A | |
| CRANSHEW, Edward | Bray | Clerk, Vicar | 1621 | D/A1/54/068 | MF473 |
| CRANWELL, Thomas | Cookham | Waterman | 1626 | D/A1/182/052 | MF96023 |
| CRAPPER, Thomas | Abingdon St Helen | Parish Clerk | 1813 | D/A1/147/100 | MF558 |
| CRAPPER, Thomas | Abingdon | 1836 | D/A1/227/49 | MF96124 | |
| CRAS, Thomas | Basildon | 1542 | D/A1/233/064 | MF96132 | |
| CRAS, Thomas | Basildon | 1542 | D/A1/2/120 | MF604 | |
| CRASE, Eleanor | Basildon | 1558 | D/A1/51/147 | MF470 | |
| CRASTON, Richard | Basildon | Yeoman | 1671 | D/A1/56/133 | MF475 |
| CRASWELL, Joan | Newbury | 1611 | D/A1/15/170 D/A1/53/220 | MF10065 MF472 | |
| CRASWELL, Thomas | Stratfield Mortimer | Yeoman | 1825 | D/A1/148/25 | MF558 |
| CRATEN, Richard | Basildon | Yeoman | 1662 | D/A1/56/45 | MF474 |
| CRATON, Richard | Thatcham | Yeoman | 1731 | D/A1/185/76 | MF96028 |
| CRAWLEY, Christopher | Buscot | Labourer | 1640 | D/A1/183/006 | MF96025 |
| CRAWLEY, Francis | Cookham | Clerk | 1694 | D/A1/58/6 | MF476 |
| CRAWLEY, Martha | Reading | 1841 | D/A1/148/69 | MF558 | |
| CRAWLEY, Richard | Buscot | Labourer | 1641 | D/A1/183/002 | MF96025 |
| CRAY , Thomas Snr | Compton | Yeoman | 1712 | D/A1/58/134 | MF476 |
| CRAY, Abraham | Reading St Laurence | Clerk | 1604 | D/A1/191/098 | MF96041 |
| CRAY, Francis | Beedon | 1787 | D/A1/60/138 | MF513 | |
| CRAY, John | Compton | Blacksmith | 1724 | D/A1/59/60 | MF476 |
| CRAY, John | Bucklebury | Yeoman | 1758 | D/A1/60/30 | MF513 |
| CRAY, Richard | Beedon | Blacksmith | 1739 | D/A1/185/106 | MF96028 |
| CRAY, Robert | Pangbourne | Husbandman | 1599 | D/A1/13/475 D/A1/53/098 | MF10049 MF472 |
| CRAY, Thomas | Compton | Blacksmith | 1756 | D/A1/60/19 | MF513 |
| CRAYE, Abraham | Reading | Clerk | 1603 | D/A1/181/184 | MF96022 |
| CRAYER, William | Abingdon | Boatman | 1718 | D/A1/59/12 | MF476 |
| CRAYER, William Snr | Abingdon | Joiner | 1682 | D/A1/57/30 | MF475 |
| CRAYSE, John | Basildon | 1549 | D/A1/233/054 | MF96132 | |
| CRAYSE, John | Basildon | 1549 | D/A1/2/106 | MF604 | |
| CRECKWELL, William | Benham, Speen | Yeoman | 1659 | D/A1/56/5 | MF474 |
| CREECHER, Thomas | Swallowfield | Yeoman | 1748 | D/A1/185/135 | MF96028 |
| CREED, Edward | Reading, Reading St Laurence | Butcher | 1661 | D/A1/56/24 | MF474 |
| CREED, Esra | Reading | 1643 | D/A1/55/153 | MF474 | |
| CREED, Joane | Reading | 1712 | D/A1/58/139 | MF476 | |
| CREED, John | Reading | Baker | 1664 | D/A1/56/66 | MF474 |
| CREED, Lawrence | Reading St Laurence | Tailor | 1643 | D/A1/55/154 | MF474 |
| CREED, Robert | Reading | Butcher | 1668 | D/A1/183/92 | MF96025 |
| CREED, Robert Snr | Reading | 1669 | D/A1/56/109 | MF474 |