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
BROWNE, John	Winkfield	Yeoman	1613	D/A1/42/100 D/A1/15/352	MF463 MF10065
BROWNE, John	Old Windsor		1615	D/A1/42/115 D/A1/15/505	MF463 MF10065
BROWNE, John	Old Windsor		1615	D/A1/176/054	MF96012
BROWNE, John	Old Windsor		1615	D/A1/168/121	MF96001
BROWNE, John	Cholsey	Labourer	1632	D/A1/44/035	MF464
BROWNE, John	Harwell	Husbandman	1637	D/A1/177/068/1	MF96014
BROWNE, John	White Waltham	Servant	1648	D/A1/45/022	MF465
BROWNE, John	Oxford, Oxfordshire	Mercer	1650	D/A1/16/648	MF10066
BROWNE, John	East Ilsley	Husbandman	1662	D/A1/178/64	MF96015
BROWNE, John	Longworth	Husbandman	1663	D/A1/178/73	MF96015
BROWNE, John	Henwick, Thatcham	Yeoman	1673	D/A1/178/151	MF96015
BROWNE, John	Wallingford	Yeoman	1728	D/A1/49/123	MF468
BROWNE, John	Farnborough	Stillman	1758	D/A1/180/206	MF96020
BROWNE, John	Abingdon	Cooper	1548	D/A1/39/040	MF461
BROWNE, John	Bisham		1555	D/A1/7/091	MF10040
BROWNE, John	Bisham		1555	D/A1/39/072	MF461
BROWNE, John	Lambourn Woodlands, Lambourn		1559	D/A1/39/156	MF461
BROWNE, John	Lambourn Woodlands, Lambourn	Husbandman	1560	D/A1/8/170	MF10043C
BROWNE, John	Lambourn		1574	D/A1/40/039 D/A1/9/408	MF462 MF10046
BROWNE, John	Reading St Laurence	Shoemaker	1585	D/A1/40/127 D/A1/11/039	MF462 MF10047B
BROWNE, John	Bucklebury		1597	D/A1/41/081 D/A1/13/225	MF462 MF10049
BROWNE, John	Englefield	Gardener	1598	D/A1/41/089 D/A1/13/242	MF462 MF10049
BROWNE, John	East Hanney, Hanney		1609	D/A1/42/035 D/A1/14/512	MF463 MF10064
BROWNE, John Jnr	Reading St Laurence	Pinner	1581	D/A1/40/098 D/A1/10/286	MF462 MF10047A
BROWNE, John Snr	Reading St Laurence	Currier	1609	D/A1/42/047 D/A1/14/555	MF463 MF10064
BROWNE, Jonathan	Bradfield	Labourer	1720	D/A1/49/45	MF468
BROWNE, Leonard	Reading	Victualler	1687	D/A1/47/120	MF467
BROWNE, Lucy	New Windsor, Windsor		1664	D/A1/178/78	MF96015
BROWNE, Margaret	Henley On Thames, Oxfordshire		1611	D/A1/176/036 D/A1/168/075	MF96012 MF96001
BROWNE, Margery	Bucklebury		1611	D/A1/176/026	MF96012
BROWNE, Margery	Bucklebury		1611	D/A1/168/072	MF96001
BROWNE, Mary	Idstone, Ashbury		1612	D/A1/42/092 D/A1/15/272	MF463 MF10065
BROWNE, Mary	Coley, Reading St Mary		1665	D/A1/178/85	MF96015
BROWNE, Mary	Bradfield		1667	D/A1/46/29	MF466
BROWNE, Nicholas	Hagbourne		1533	D/A1/175/001	MF96010
BROWNE, Nicholas	Hagbourne		1563	D/A1/167/035	MF96000
BROWNE, Nicholas	Waltham St Lawrence		1569	D/A1/175/064	MF96010
BROWNE, Nicholas	Waltham St Lawrence		1569	D/A1/167/140	MF96000
BROWNE, Nicholas	Greenham, Thatcham	Sawyer	1618	D/A1/176/066	MF96012
BROWNE, Nicholas	Greenham, Thatcham		1618	D/A1/168/152	MF96001
BROWNE, Olive	Greenham, Thatcham		1681	D/A1/47/59	MF466
BROWNE, Prudence	Wallingford	Seamster	1580	D/A1/175/086	MF96010
BROWNE, Prudence	Wallingford		1580	D/A1/10/210	MF10047A
BROWNE, Richard	Newbury		1573	D/A1/175/071	MF96010
BROWNE, Richard	Henwick, Thatcham		1594	D/A1/41/055 D/A1/12/222	MF462 MF10048
BROWNE, Richard	Bucklebury		1597	D/A1/41/084 D/A1/13/100	MF462 MF10049
BROWNE, Richard	Bucklebury		1608	D/A1/42/031 D/A1/14/488	MF463 MF10064
BROWNE, Richard	Weston, Welford		1624	D/A1/43/104	MF464
BROWNE, Richard	Denford, Kintbury		1639	D/A1/16/602	MF10066
BROWNE, Richard	Henwick, Thatcham	Tailor	1661	D/A1/45/81	MF465
BROWNE, Richard	Reading St Mary	Chirurgeon	1661	D/A1/45/72	MF465
BROWNE, Richard	Boxford	Carpenter	1674	D/A1/178/155	MF96015
BROWNE, Robert	Idstone, Ashbury	Husbandman	1591	D/A1/41/015 D/A1/11/391	MF462 MF10047B
BROWNE, Robert	Boxford	Husbandman	1612	D/A1/42/077 D/A1/15/303	MF463 MF10065
BROWNE, Robert	Idstone, Ashbury	Husbandman	1680	D/A1/47/48	MF466
BROWNE, Roger	Winkfield	Yeoman	1572	D/A1/40/010 D/A1/9/333	MF462 MF10046
BROWNE, Rowland	Reading	Broad Weaver	1689	D/A1/179/76	MF96017
BROWNE, Samson	Hurley	Victualler	1715	D/A1/180/28	MF96019
BROWNE, Thomas	Turville, Compton		1553	D/A1/39/060 D/A1/5/211	MF461 MF10043A
BROWNE, Thomas	New Windsor, Windsor		1567	D/A1/167/136	MF96000
BROWNE, Thomas	New Windsor, Windsor		1567	D/A1/167/135	MF96000
BROWNE, Thomas	Bucklebury	Husbandman	1576	D/A1/40/054 D/A1/10/045	MF462 MF10047A
BROWNE, Thomas	Old Windsor		1578	D/A1/40/074 D/A1/10/141	MF462 MF10047A
BROWNE, Thomas	Warfield	Carpenter	1594	D/A1/41/047 D/A1/12/165	MF462 MF10048
BROWNE, Thomas	Bucklebury	Yeoman	1639	D/A1/44/111	MF465
BROWNE, Thomas	Bradfield	Yeoman	1666	D/A1/46/10	MF466
BROWNE, Thomas	Ashdown Park, Ashbury	Husbandman	1681	D/A1/47/67	MF466
BROWNE, Thomas	Shrivenham	Blacksmith	1685	D/A1/47/107	MF466
BROWNE, Thomas Snr	Midgham, Thatcham	Yeoman	1683	D/A1/47/87	MF466
BROWNE, William	Old Windsor		1513	D/A1/1/020	MF10041
BROWNE, William	Bisham		1568	D/A1/175/063	MF96010
BROWNE, William	Bisham		1568	D/A1/167/137	MF96000
BROWNE, William	Buscot		1599	D/A1/41/133 D/A1/13/404	MF463 MF10049
BROWNE, William	Newbury		1603	D/A1/175/196	MF96011
BROWNE, William	Newbury	Felt Maker	1624	D/A1/43/108	MF464
BROWNE, William	Sutton Wick, Sutton Courtenay	Carpenter	1624	D/A1/43/105	MF464
BROWNE, William	Tilehurst	Yeoman	1671	D/A1/46/73	MF466
BROWNE, William	Sunninghill	Yeoman	1691	D/A1/47/160	MF467
BROWNE, William	Boxford		1733	D/A1/49/166	MF468
BROWNE, William	Kintbury	Yeoman	1740	D/A1/180/156	MF96020
BROWNEJOHN, Francis	Hoe Benham, Welford	Yeoman	1610	D/A1/42/067 D/A1/15/089	MF463 MF10065
BROWNEJOHN, Laurence	Inglewood, Kintbury		1615	D/A1/42/128 D/A1/15/518	MF463 MF10065
BROWNESMITH, Alice	Swallowfield		1694	D/A1/179/107	MF96017
BROWNESMITH, John	Swallowfield	Yeoman	1681	D/A1/179/5	MF96016
BROWNING, Robert	Hurst	Yeoman	1666	D/A1/46/12	MF466
BROWNING, William	Enborne	Yeoman	1722	D/A1/180/67	MF96019
BROWNJOHN , Thomas	Hoe Benham, Welford		1700	D/A1/48/77	MF467
BROWNJOHN, John	Inglewood, Kintbury	Yeoman	1630	D/A1/16/193	MF10066
BROWNJOHN, John	Newbury	Brewer	1662	D/A1/45/113	MF465
BROWNJOHN, Mary	Boxford		1718	D/A1/49/21	MF468
BROWNJOHN, Richard	Hoe Benham, Welford		1651	D/A1/45/054	MF465
BROWNJOHN, Susanna	Welford		1721	D/A1/180/64	MF96019
BROWNROBYNS, Henry	Marcham		1560	D/A1/39/158 D/A1/6/189	MF461 MF10043B
BROWNSMETH, Francis	Swallowfield	Tanner	1629	D/A1/43/182	MF464
BROWNSMITHE, William	Swallowfield	Husbandman	1573	D/A1/175/070	MF96010
BROWNYNG, Elizabeth	Wallingford		1541	D/A1/2/081	MF604
BROWNYNG, Elizabeth	Wallingford		1542	D/A1/2/051	MF603
BROWNYNG, John	Wallingford St Mary		1521	D/A1/1/058	MF10041
BROWTON, Thomas			1548	D/A1/233/162	MF96132
BROWTON, Thomas	Cumnor		1549	D/A1/2/276	MF604

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