Find your ancestors in Victoria wills & probate

What can these records tell me?

The wills and probate index includes the names of those deceased persons whose estates passed probate through the Supreme Court of Victoria. Each result will provide a transcript of important fields. Some results will also include an image of the original probate documents. Records cover the years 1841 to 1989.

Transcripts will provide you with the following details:

  • First name(s)
  • Last name
  • Sex
  • Occupation
  • Residence
  • Death year
  • Death date
  • Grant year
  • Grant date
  • Nature of grant
  • To whom committed
  • File number
  • Order link – this will open a new tab in your browser that will take you to the catalogue record for the file on the website for Public Record Office Victoria.
  • State
  • Country

The original documents are held at Public Record Office Victoria.

Please keep in mind that the majority of this index was created by volunteers at the Genealogical Society of Utah. As such, there are some errors in transcription. Where images are provided, be sure to confirm all pertinent details, particularly where the grant year predates the death year. The more recent entries in this index were compiled by the staff of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

There may be several images attached to a transcript, covering the will and probate process.

Discover more about these records

Wills and probate records are invaluable in family research. Such documentation can provide details of next of kin, property owned, and significant dates.

Images may provide the last will and testament of your ancestor and an inventory of your ancestor’s estate (which may include an itemised list of assets and liabilities). These would provide not only insight into your ancestor’s economic standing, but also into your ancestor’s relationships with other family members, friends, and institutions. If you have a family heirloom, inventories can provide details of its acquisition and worth.