This record set includes the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Administrations, 1671 – 1700; the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Administrations 1620 – 1630; Prerogative Court of Canterbury probate indexes; and Wills in the York Registry, 1389 - 1688.
The collection offers exclusive online access to British Record Society (BRS) and other probate collections. The collection includes complementary probate index volumes, namely: Matthews volumes covering the Commonwealth period after the English Civil War, Morrison volumes covering missing gaps from the BRS collection in the 17th Century and the Yorkshire Archaeological Society probate index.
Many of the indexes have abbreviations. Below are three tables of abbreviated terms:
- General abbreviations and meanings
- Abbreviated place names
- Abbreviated first names
General abbreviations and meanings
| Abbreviation / Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Symbol | |
| & | indicates that the record next referred to is additional to other, usually routine items, in the same source. |
| [ ] | enclose document references, and any editorial notes, the latter being in italics |
| < > | enclose references to abstracts |
| A | |
| (a) | according to administration |
| a | administration |
| A | Administration bond |
| A4 | administration bond |
| A5 | administration act |
| AB | Act Book |
| Abb | Abbey |
| Abp | Archbishop |
| ABP 1 | Archdeaconry of Bedford Probate Records |
| Abs | Abstract |
| Acc | Account in Ely Diocesan Records [A/12]* |
| AccAP | Account in Administrations Packet |
| acc rend | account rendered |
| acct | administrator's account |
| AccVC | Account among records of Vice-Chancellor's Court |
| adj | adjoining |
| acct | account |
| ad bd | administration bond |
| adm | administration |
| admin | administer |
| admix | administratrix |
| Admon | administration bond |
| Admon act | administration act |
| admor | administrator |
| AEP | Archdeaconry of Ely Probate |
| affid | affidavit |
| Afft | affidavit |
| aldmn | alderman |
| alleg | allegation |
| als | alias |
| anon | anonymous |
| apost | apostolic |
| apoth | apothecary |
| app | apprentice |
| AR | Admon register (followed by date, register no. and folio no.) |
| Archbp | Archbishop |
| Archd | Archdeacon(ry) |
| arm | armiger |
| armor | armourer |
| arrowsm | arrowsmith |
| att | attached |
| AWP | Administration in Wills Packet |
| AWR | Administration in Will Register |
| B | |
| b | born |
| B | Blessed |
| BA | Bachelor of Arts |
| bach | bachelor |
| barber-surg | barber-surgeon |
| bart | baronet |
| Berks archd | Berkshire archdeaconry |
| bd | bond |
| bd | requiring burial at |
| BD | Bachelor of Divinity (often shewn in records as 'S.T.B.') |
| BHRS | Bedfordshire Historical Rccord Society |
| bk | book |
| BL | British Library |
| blacksm | blacksmith |
| bladesm | bladesmith |
| BM | British Library Manuscripts Department |
| boatm. | boatman |
| Bp, bp | bishop |
| bpric | bishopric |
| bro(s) | brother(s) |
| BRO | Bedfordshire Record Office |
| BRS | British Record Society |
| bt | baronet or bought |
| bur | buried, request to be buried at |
| Bw | Biggleswade Peculiar |
| C | |
| CA | Original Consistory Administration (with date) |
| Cal. | Calendar |
| carp. | carpenter |
| CAP | Caveat in Administrations Packet |
| cath(s) | cathedral(s) |
| CCAL | Cathedral Archives and Library, Canterbury |
| Cert, of grant of admon. | certificate of grant of administration |
| cert, of poverty | certificate of poverty |
| CG | Caveat in Ely Diocesan Records [G/2/18-22]; see GV below |
| ch. | leaving benefactions to church at |
| ch. | church |
| chap. | chapter |
| cheesem. | cheesmonger |
| chir. | chirurgeon |
| chn. | children |
| chwdn. | churchwarden |
| chyd. | churchyard |
| cit. | citizen |
| Citn. | citation, citation clerk |
| clk. | clerk |
| clothwkr | clothworker |
| CM | Incomplete or copy will, or other variant item in Will Packet |
| Co | County or Company |
| cod. | codicil |
| coll. | college |
| Com, comm | commission |
| Comm | Commisary |
| cons | consent |
| Consist | Consistory |
| cop | copy |
| coppersm | coppersmith |
| cordw. | corawainer |
| cornch. | cornchandler |
| Coy. | Company |
| CR | Entry in Ely Diocesan Records: register of caveats [A/7/5] |
| CP | Complete Peerage |
| cred | creditor |
| Ct. | Court |
| Ct-act | court act |
| Ct. ppr. | court paper |
| CUL | Cambridge University Library |
| curatn | curation |
| CW | Original Consistory Court Will (with date) |
| CWP | Caveat in Wills Packet |
| D | |
| d | date or dated |
| d | died |
| d | dorso (for folio numbers or registers) |
| da(s) | daughter(s) |
| dat | date or dated |
| dau | daughter |
| decln | declaration |
| dee'd | deceased |
| Depn | deposition |
| DD | Doctor of Divinity (often shewn in records as 'S.T.P.') |
| dioc | diocese |
| disch | discharged |
| Doc | Docker, Peculiar of, near Kendal |
| d of g | deed of gift |
| dur mn | during minority |
| E | |
| E. | East |
| EA | Administration in Ely Diocesan Records [A/7/1]* |
| EDR | Ely Diocesan Records |
| EI | Inventory in Ely Diocesan Records [A/7/1]* |
| EIC | East India Company |
| end | endorsed |
| erron | erroneous |
| esq | esquire |
| EW | Will in Ely Diocesan Records [A/7/1] |
| Exc | Excommunication |
| exhib | exhibited |
| Exch | Exchange |
| exix(s) | executrix(-trices) |
| exor(s) | executor(s) |
| F | |
| (f) | formerly |
| f | father |
| Fac | Facsimile (BRO reference for copies) |
| Fel. | Fellow (of a college) |
| fellm | fellmonger |
| FFHS | Federation of Family History Societies |
| fisherm | fisherman |
| fishm | fishmonger |
| fmly | formerly |
| frag | fragment |
| frat | fraternity |
| fruit | fruiterer |
| G | |
| GAP | Guardianship papers in Bonds and Inventories |
| GAR | Records of guardianship in Consistory Administrations Register |
| gen. | general |
| gent. | gentleman |
| gentw. | gentlewoman |
| GG | Guardianship records in EDR G/2/18-22 (see GV below) |
| GL | Guildhall Library |
| Gldh. | Guildhall |
| GMR | Guildford Muniment Room |
| gnt. | grant |
| goldsm. | goldsmith |
| Gov. | Governor |
| GR | Entry in Ely Diocesan Records: register of tuitions [A/7/4] |
| grdchn | grandchildren |
| grdda | grand-daughter |
| grdf | grandfather |
| grds | grands |
| Gt | Great |
| gtgrds | great grandson |
| guard | guardianship |
| GV | Entry in Ely Diocesan registers of administrations, caveats and grants of tuition included in the general licence registers, 1563-1620, 1660-1694; [EDR G/2/18-22] |
| GWP | Guardianship papers in Wills Packet |
| GWR | Records of guardianship in Consistory Wills Register |
| H | |
| h. | husband |
| haberdr. | haberdasher |
| HALS | Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies |
| haymgr. | haymakaer |
| Hosp. | Hospital |
| HRO | Hampshire Record Office |
| husb. | husbandman |
| I | |
| (i) | according to inventory |
| I+ | More than one such document |
| I | Document, other than administration bond or inventory, boxed with Bonds and Administrations |
| I | Inventory |
| In | Inventory |
| In+ | Inventory and other document (as above) |
| inf | infant |
| innh. | innholder |
| intest. | intestate |
| Inv | inventory |
| iromn. | ironmonger |
| ironsm. | ironsmith |
| ironwkr. | ironworker |
| IT; InT | As I and 'In' above, but filed with Thorney Bonds and Inventories |
| IWP | Inventory in Wills Packet |
| IWR | Inventory in Will Register PCC Prerogative Court of Canterbury |
| J | |
| juris. Lond. | in the jurisdiction of London |
| jun. | junior |
| K | |
| K. | King |
| k('s) | kinsman, kinswoman |
| Kt. | knight |
| L | |
| lab | labourer |
| Letters of admon. | letters of administration |
| la | lane |
| lab | labourer |
| Lambt | Lambert |
| LB | Leighton Buzzard Peculiar |
| LBLAD | London Borough of Lambeth Archives Department |
| l/c | list of contents |
| Ld | Lord |
| leathers | leatherseller |
| leg | legatee |
| let | letter |
| lic | licentiate |
| lighterm | lighterman |
| LLD | Doctor of Laws |
| LPL | Lambeth Palace Library |
| Lt | Litle |
| (Ltd) | limited |
| ltd admon | limited administration |
| M | |
| m | mother |
| MA | Master of Arts |
| maltm | maltman |
| mar | mariner |
| mat | maternal |
| mcht | merchant |
| MD | Doctor of Medicine |
| Mem | Memorandum |
| Memo | Memorandum |
| -mgr | -monger |
| -mkr | -maker |
| Mkt. | Market |
| mn | minority |
| Mon | monition |
| monast | monastery |
| monitn | monition |
| mr | master |
| N | |
| n. | name |
| N. | North |
| (N) | nuncupative will |
| n. d. | no date |
| (ns) | signs as |
| n. y. | no year |
| neph | nephew |
| n of k | next of kin |
| not pub | notary public |
| nr | near |
| nuncup | nuncupative |
| nunc w | nuncupative will |
| O | |
| opp. | opposite |
| O W | Original Will |
| P | |
| p. | page |
| (p) | according to record of probate |
| P A B | Probate Act Book |
| par. | parish |
| pat. | paternal |
| PCC | Prerogative Court Canterbury |
| pd. | paid |
| perpet. | perpetual |
| petn | petition |
| pewt. | pewterer |
| PGR | Probate in EDR G/2/18-22 (see GV above) |
| physn. | physician |
| plast. | plasterer |
| poult. | poulter (poulterer) |
| pr | prove(ed) |
| prerog | prerogative |
| prev. | previous |
| Pri | Priory |
| PRO | Public Record Office |
| prob | probate |
| prob act | probate act |
| prof | professor |
| prop'y | property |
| PWR | Probate (only) in Will Register |
| Q | |
| Q | Queen |
| R | |
| r | river |
| R | Register of wills or admons. (followed by date, register no., and folio no.) |
| R | registered copy of will |
| RAP | Renunciation in Administrations Packet |
| Rav | Ravenstonedale, Peculiar of |
| RE | Royal Exchange |
| recv'd | receivede |
| ref | reference |
| reg | register(ed) |
| rel | relict |
| ren | renounced, renunciation |
| Renun | renunciation |
| Ret | receipt |
| Revoc. of cav. | revocation of caveat |
| Revoc. of renun. | revocation of renunciation |
| rn | renounced, renunciation |
| RO | Record Office (so BRO is Bedfordshire Record Office) |
| RWP | Renunciation in Wills Packet |
| S | |
| s | son |
| S | South |
| SAC | Surrey Archaeological Collections |
| Sarum. | court of the Bishop of Salisbury |
| sched | schedule |
| schoolm. | schoolmaster |
| scriv. | scrivener |
| sen. | senior |
| sent | sentence |
| seq'd. | sequestered |
| servt. | servant |
| sig | signed/signature |
| sjt. | sister |
| soc. | society |
| spin. | spinster |
| SRO | Surrey Record Office |
| sub | suburbs (of London) |
| Swk | Southwark |
| swn. | sworn |
| T | |
| (t) | bequeathes unpaid tithes to |
| T | Tuition bond |
| tallowch. | tallowchandler |
| ten(s). | tenement(s) |
| Tern | Temple Sowerby, Peculiar of |
| test. | Testament or Testamentary |
| testor. | testator |
| timberm. | timbermonger |
| ThA | Original Thorney Administration bond |
| Tn. act | tuition act |
| Tn. bond | tuition bond |
| ThR | Registers of Thorney Peculiar (with page). Note that the Thorney registers contain copies of both wills and administrations |
| ThW | Original Thorney Will |
| V | |
| VAC | Consistory Administrations Register (with no. and folio or page no.) |
| valuatn | valuation |
| VC | Consistory Court Will Register (with no. of register, and of folio or page) |
| W | |
| W | see CM |
| W | West |
| W | original will |
| w | wife |
| war | warrant |
| Warrant for admon | warrant for administration |
| waxch | waxchandler |
| wid | widow(er) |
| widr | widower |
| woodm | woodmonger |
| woolm | woolman |
| woolmgr | woolmonger |
| Y | |
| yeo | yeoman |
Abbreviated placenames
| Abbreviations | Place |
|---|---|
| A | |
| A H Bark | All Hallows Barking by the Tower of London |
| A H Brd | All Hallows, Bread St. |
| A H Gt | All Hallows the Great |
| A H H La | All Hallows, Honey Lane |
| A H Ldn W | All Hallows London Wall |
| A H Ls | All Hallows the Less |
| A H L St | All Hallows, Lombard St. |
| A H Sta | All Hallows Staining |
| Ald | Aldgate |
| A Sts | All Saints |
| B | |
| Beds | Bedfordshire |
| Berks | Berkshire |
| BL | British Library |
| Bpg, Bpsgate | Bishopsgate |
| Br. Bdge | Bridge |
| Bucks | Buckingshamshire |
| C | |
| Camb | Cambridge |
| Cambs | Cambridgeshire |
| Cards | Cardiganshire |
| Carms | Carmarthenshire |
| C I | Channel Islands |
| Ches | Cheshire |
| Chch | Christchurch |
| Cle | Clerkenwell |
| Cornw | Cornwall |
| Cov | Coventry |
| CUL | Cambridge University Library |
| Cumb | Cumberland |
| D | |
| Debhs | Denbighshire |
| Derbs | Derbyshire |
| Dur, Durh | Durham |
| Du | Dutch |
| E | |
| E | East |
| E I | East India |
| Eng | England |
| F | |
| Flem | Flemish |
| Fr | French |
| G | |
| Glos | Gloucestershire |
| Gldh | Guildhall |
| Gn | Green |
| Gt | Great |
| H | |
| Hants | Hampshire |
| Herefs | Herefordshire |
| Herts | Hertfordshire |
| H T Pri | Holy Trinity Priory |
| H T Gt | Holy Trinity the Great |
| Hunts | Huntingdonshire |
| Hunts | Huntingdonshire |
| I | |
| It | Italian |
| J | |
| Jerus | Jerusalem |
| L | |
| la | lane |
| Lancs | Lancashire |
| Ldn, Lond | London |
| Leics | Leicestershire |
| Lich | Lichfield |
| Linc | Lincoln |
| Lincs | Lincolnshire |
| LPL | Lambeth Palace Library |
| Lt | Little |
| M | |
| Mdx | Middlesex |
| Monm | Monmouthshire |
| Mont | Montgomeryshire |
| N | |
| N | North |
| N'hants | Northamptonshire |
| N'humb | Northumberland |
| Norf | Norfolk |
| Notts | Nottinghamshire |
| O | |
| Oxon | Oxfordshire |
| P | |
| Pemb | Pembrokeshire |
| R | |
| Radnors | Radnorshire |
| S | |
| S | South |
| Salop | Shropshire |
| St | Saint |
| St Alb | St Alban Wood St |
| St Alph | St Alphage |
| St And | Saint Andrew |
| St And Bn | St. Andrew Baynard or St. Andrew by the Wardrobe |
| St And Hol | St Andrew Holbom |
| St And Hub | St. Andrew Hubbard |
| St And Und | St Andrew Undershaft |
| St An St Ag | St Anne & St Agnes, Aldersgate |
| St Ant | St Antholin |
| St Aug | St. Augustine |
| St Aug Pap | St. Augustine Papey |
| St Bt R E | St Bartholomew, Royal Exchange |
| St Bt Hosp | St. Bartholomew's Hospital |
| St Bt Pr | St. Bartholomew's Priory |
| St Bnt F | St. Benet Fink |
| St Bnt Gr | St. Benet Gracechurch St. |
| St Bnt P W | St. Benet Paul's Wharf |
| St Bnt Sh | St. Benet Shetehog |
| St Bot Alders | St. Botolph, Aldersgate |
| St Bot Ald | St. Botolph, Aldgate |
| St Bot Bil | St. Botolph, Billingsgate |
| St Bot Bpg | St. Botolph, Bishopgate |
| St Bri | St. Bride, Fleet St. |
| St Chr | St. Christopher |
| St Cle D | St. Clement Danes |
| St Cle E | St. Clement, Eastcheap |
| St Di Bk | St. Dionis Backchurch |
| St Dun | St. Dunstan |
| St D E | St. Dunstan in the East |
| St D W | St. Dunstan in the West |
| St Ed K | St. Edmund the King |
| St. Eth | St. Ethelburga |
| St F V | St. Faith the Virgin by St. Paul |
| St Gab | St. Gabriel |
| St Geo | St. George, Botolph Lane |
| St Gi | St. Giles, Cripplegate |
| St Gi F | St. Giles in the Fields |
| St Gre | St. Gregory |
| St Hel | St. Helen, Bishopgate |
| St Jas Clerk | St. James Clerkenwell |
| St Jas Ga | St. James Garlickhithe |
| St Jn B | St. John the Baptist |
| St Jn Fri | St. John the Evangelist Friday St |
| St Jn Hosp | St. John's Hospital |
| St Jn Wa | St. John, Walbrook |
| St Jn Zr | St. John Zachary |
| St Ka Co | St. Katherine Coleman, Fenchurch St |
| St Ka Cr | St. Katherine Cree |
| St Ka To | St. Katherine by the Tower |
| St Law Je | St. Lawrence Jewry |
| St Law Po | St. Lawrence Pountney |
| St Leo Ea | St. Leonard, Bastcheap |
| St Leo Fo | St. Leonard, Foster Lane |
| St Leo Sh | St. Leonard, Shoreditch |
| St Mag M | St. Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge |
| St Marg F St Hill | St. Margaret, Fish St. Hill |
| St Marg L | St. Margaret, Lothbury |
| St Marg M | St. Margaret Moses |
| St Marg Pa | St. Margaret Pattens |
| St Mart Fields | St. Martin in the Fields |
| St Mart le G | St. Martin le Grand |
| St Mart Lu | St. Martin, Ludgate |
| St Mart Org | St. Martin Orgar |
| St Mart Out | St. Martin Outwich |
| St Mart Pom | St. Martin Pomeroy |
| St Mart V | St. Martin Vintry |
| St M | St. Mary |
| St Mary Ab | St. Mary Abchurch |
| St Mary Alb | St. Mary Aldermanbury |
| St Mary Alm | St. Mary Aldermary |
| St Mary Ax | St. Mary Axe |
| St Mary Bot | St. Mary Bothaw |
| St Mary Clerk | St. Mary Clerkenwell |
| St Mary Col | St. Mary Colechurch |
| St Mary H | St. Mary at Hill |
| St M M | St. Mary Magdalen |
| St M M Mi | St. Mary Magdalen, Milk St. |
| St M M O F | St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish St. |
| St Mary Mat | St. Mary Matfellon (Whitechapel) |
| St M Mo | St. Mary Mounthaw |
| St M So | St. Mary Somerset |
| St Mary St | St. Mary Staining |
| St Mary Wch | St. Mary Woolchurch |
| St Mary Wln | St. Mary Woolnoth |
| St Mat | St. Matthew, Friday St |
| St Mich Bas | St. Michael Bassishaw |
| St Mich Cor | St. Michael, Cornhill |
| St Mich Cro | St. Michael, Crooked Lane |
| St Mich le Q | St. Michael le Queue |
| St Mich Pat | St. Michael, Paternoster Royal |
| St Mich Qh | St. Michael, Queenhithe |
| St Mich W | St. Michael, Wood St. |
| St Mil Bre | St. Mildred, Bread St. |
| St Mil Po | St. Mildred, Poultry |
| St Nich Ac | St. Nicholas Acon |
| St Nich Co | St. Hichdas Cole Abbey |
| St Nich Ol | St. Nicholas Olave |
| St Nich Sh | St. Nicholas Shambles |
| St Ol Ha | St. Olave, Hart St. |
| St 01 Je | St. Olave, Old Jewry |
| St Ol Si | St. Olave, Silver St. |
| St P | St. Paul's Cathedral |
| St Pan | St. Pancras, Mdx. |
| St Pan So | St. Pancras, Soper Lane |
| St Pet Cor | St. Peter, Cornhill |
| St Pet P W | St. Peter, Paul's Wharf |
| St Pet Vinc | St. Peter sa Vincula |
| St Pet le P | St. Peter la Poer |
| St Pet Wp | St. Peter le Cheap or Westcheap |
| Str | Street |
| St Sep | St. Sepulchre, Newgate |
| St Ste Co | St. Stephen, Coleman St. |
| St Ste Wa | St. Stephen, Walbrook |
| St Swi | St. Swithin by London |
| St Tho Ac | St. Thomas of Acon |
| St Tho Ap | St. Thomas the Apostle |
| St.Ved | St. Vedast, Foster Lane |
| Som | Somerset |
| Staffs | Staffordshire |
| Suff | Suffolk |
| Suss | Sussex |
| W | |
| W | West |
| Warws | Warwickshire |
| Westm | Westminster |
| Westmld | Westmorland |
| Wilts | Wiltshire |
| Worc | Worcester |
| Worcs | Worcestershire |
| Y | |
| Yorks | Yorkshire |
Abbreviated first names
| Abbreviations | Name |
|---|---|
| A | |
| Albt. | Albert |
| Alex. | Alexander |
| And. | Andrew |
| Anth. | Anthony |
| B | |
| Barth. | Bartholomew |
| C | |
| Cath. | Catherine |
| Chas. | Charles, Cristofer |
| Chris. | Christopher, Cristofer |
| D | |
| Dthy. | Dorothy |
| E | |
| Edm. | Edmund |
| Edw. | Edward |
| Eliz. | Elizabeth |
| G | |
| Geoff. | Geoffrey |
| Geo. | George |
| Gilbt. | Gilbert |
| Greg. | Gregory |
| H | |
| Hy. | Henry |
| J | |
| Jas. | James |
| Jn. | John |
| Jos. | Joseph |
| K | |
| Kath. | Katherine |
| L | |
| Lau., Law. | Laurence, Lawrence |
| M | |
| Mgt., Margt. | Margaret |
| Mart. | Martin |
| Matt. | Matthew |
| Mich. | Michael |
| N | |
| Nath. | Nathaniel |
| Nic., Nich., Nych. | Nicolas, Nicholas, Nycholas |
| P | |
| Per. | Pers(c)ival |
| Pet. | Peter |
| R | |
| Reg. | Reginald |
| Rd. | Richard |
| Robt. | Robert |
| S | |
| Sam. | Samuel |
| Steph. or Stev. | Stephen or Steven |
| T | |
| Thos., Tho. | Thomas |
| W | |
| Wm. | William |