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
SMITH, John	Didcot	Farmer	1850	D/A1/231/112	MF96130
SMITH, John	Reading St Giles		1855	D/A1/163/38	MF584
SMITH, John	Benham Valence, Speen		1547	D/A1/233/247	MF96132
SMITH, John	Bourton, Shrivenham		1550	D/A1/212/019	MF96092
SMITH, John	Hamstead Marshall		1556	D/A1/3/184	MF604
SMITH, John	Hamstead Park, Hamstead Marshall		1559	D/A1/212/045	MF96092
SMITH, John	Bussock, Chieveley		1560	D/A1/167/112 D/A1/167/114	MF96000 MF96000
SMITH, John	Hamstead Marshall		1560	D/A1/167/110	MF96000
SMITH, John	Ashampstead		1569	D/A1/167/140	MF96000
SMITH, John	Thatcham	Tailor	1583	D/A1/115/197 D/A1/10/371	MF538 MF10047A
SMITH, John	Snelsmore, Chieveley	Husbandman	1587	D/A1/115/235 D/A1/11/260	MF538 MF10047B
SMITH, John	Drayton, Abingdon St Helen		1589	D/A1/212/146	MF96092
SMITH, John	Steventon	Blacksmith	1589	D/A1/212/135	MF96092
SMITH, John	Steventon		1589	D/A1/11/191	MF10047B
SMITH, John	Turville, Compton		1590	D/A1/212/154	MF96092
SMITH, John	Reading St Laurence	Clerk, Vicar	1597	D/A1/212/180 D/A1/13/185	MF96093 MF10049
SMITH, John	Turville, Compton		1597	D/A1/13/318	MF10049
SMITH, John	The Parsonage, Uffington	Parson, Husbandman	1597	D/A1/116/123 D/A1/13/075	MF538 MF10049
SMITH, John	Holt, Kintbury		1598	D/A1/116/156 D/A1/13/336	MF539 MF10049
SMITH, John	Buckland	Husbandman	1600	D/A1/116/190 D/A1/13/580	MF539 MF10049
SMITH, John	Sunninghill	Yeoman	1603	D/A1/116/226 D/A1/13/1107	MF539 MF10049
SMITH, John	West Hanney, Hanney	Carpenter	1608	D/A1/117/020 D/A1/14/501	MF539 MF10064
SMITH, John	West Ilsley	Yeoman	1610	D/A1/117/037 D/A1/15/020	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, John	Letcombe Regis	Husbandman	1612	D/A1/117/076 D/A1/15/258	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, John	Newbury		1613	D/A1/168/100	MF96001
SMITH, John	Langley, Hampstead Norreys	Yeoman	1617	D/A1/16/148	MF10066
SMITH, John	Beedon	Yeoman	1617	D/A1/117/138 D/A1/15/699	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, John	Hampstead Norreys	Husbandman	1619	D/A1/117/156 D/A1/15/898	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, John	Bussock, Chieveley	Yeoman	1620	D/A1/213/114	MF96095
SMITH, John	Bussock, Chieveley		1621	D/A1/168/166	MF96001
SMITH, John	East Lockinge		1623	D/A1/213/131	MF96095
SMITH, John	Turville, Compton	Yeoman	1624	D/A1/213/135	MF96095
SMITH, John	Kintbury	Yeoman	1625	D/A1/118/079	MF540
SMITH, John	Eling, Hampstead Norreys	Yeoman	1625	D/A1/118/076	MF540
SMITH, John	Stocks, West Compton, Compton	Yeoman	1629	D/A1/118/126	MF540
SMITH, John	South Fawley, Fawley	Husbandman	1636	D/A1/119/068	MF540
SMITH, John	Drayton, Abingdon St Helen	Weaver	1636	D/A1/119/051	MF540
SMITH, John	Beenham	Weaver	1640	D/A1/119/137	MF541
SMITH, John	Swallowfield	Yeoman	1641	D/A1/214/053 D/A1/169/083	MF96096 MF96002
SMITH, John	Thatcham		1645	D/A1/214/075	MF96096
SMITH, John	Bothampstead, Hampstead Norreys	Yeoman	1648	D/A1/120/037	MF541
SMITH, John	Wargrave	Yeoman	1648	D/A1/120/036	MF541
SMITH, John Jnr	Uffington	Husbandman	1609	D/A1/117/024 D/A1/14/538	MF539 MF10064
SMITH, John Jnr	?		1624	D/A1/15/841	MF10065
SMITH, John Snr	Hamstead Marshall		1559	D/A1/233/278	MF96132
SMITH, John Snr	Uffington		1568	D/A1/167/137	MF96000
SMITH, John Snr	Uffington	Husbandman	1596	D/A1/212/178 D/A1/12/405	MF96093 MF10048
SMITH, John Snr	Turville, Compton		1598	D/A1/212/191	MF96093
SMITH, John Snr	Kennington, Radley	Yeoman	1618	D/A1/117/168	MF539
SMITH, John Snr			1624	D/A1/15/843	MF10065
SMITH, John Snr	Hawkridge, Bucklebury	Husbandman	1661	D/A1/120/81	MF541
SMITH, John Snr	Burchetts Green, Hurley	Yeoman	1662	D/A1/214/98	MF96097
SMITH, John Snr	Bucklebury	Carpenter	1663	D/A1/214/108	MF96097
SMITH, John Snr	Binfield	Yeoman	1676	D/A1/121/75	MF542
SMITH, John Snr	Frilford, Marcham	Yeoman	1677	D/A1/121/83	MF542
SMITH, John Snr	Stratfield Mortimer	Yeoman	1685	D/A1/215/34	MF96098
SMITH, John Snr	Reading St Giles	Husbandman, Scavenger	1699	D/A1/122/87	MF542
SMITH, Jonathan	Reading St Giles	Cooper	1731	D/A1/124/29	MF544
SMITH, Joseph	Waltham St. Lawrence	Husbandman	1681	D/A1/215/1	MF96098
SMITH, Joseph	North Moreton		1703	D/A1/215/142	MF96099
SMITH, Joseph	Lockinge	Yeoman	1705	D/A1/215/163	MF96099
SMITH, Joseph	Newbury	Tailor	1740	D/A1/124/104	MF544
SMITH, Joseph	East Challow, Letcombe Regis	Yeoman	1827	D/A1/162/44	MF583
SMITH, Joshua	Abingdon	Grocer	1694	D/A1/215/89	MF96098
SMITH, Josiah	Faringdon	Victualler	1815	D/A1/161/87	MF583
SMITH, Katherine	Stanford Dingley		1636	D/A1/119/061	MF540
SMITH, Katherine	Reading		1709	D/A1/122/176	MF543
SMITH, Katherine	Ashbury		1748	D/A1/124/166	MF544
SMITH, Lawrence	Abingdon St Helen	Freemason	1630	D/A1/118/139	MF540
SMITH, Letitia	Shaw Cum Donnington		1848	D/A1/163/1	MF584
SMITH, Lettice	Great Milton, Oxfordshire		1743	D/A1/124/133	MF544
SMITH, Luke	Chilton	Yeoman	1691	D/A1/122/33	MF542
SMITH, Margaret	Bussock, Chieveley		1614	D/A1/117/092 D/A1/15/434	MF539 MF10065
SMITH, Margaret	Titcomb, Kintbury		1672	D/A1/121/39	MF542
SMITH, Margaret	Oare, Chieveley		1673	D/A1/121/50	MF542
SMITH, Margaret	Chilton		1693	D/A1/122/49	MF542
SMITH, Margaret	Abingdon		1701	D/A1/122/110	MF542
SMITH, Margaret	Hurley		1740	D/A1/124/105	MF544
SMITH, Margery	Uffington		1604	D/A1/116/243 D/A1/13/1340	MF539 MF10049
SMITH, Margery	East Lockinge		1607	D/A1/117/002 D/A1/14/266	MF539 MF10064
SMITH, Margery	Sutton Courtenay		1634	D/A1/214/004	MF96096
SMITH, Margery	Sutton Courtenay		1634	D/A1/168/259	MF96001
SMITH, Margery	Stanford In The Vale	Weaver	1677	D/A1/214/177	MF96097
SMITH, Maria	Tadley, Hampshire		1853	D/A1/231/118	MF96130
SMITH, Martha	Eling, Hampstead Norris		1685	D/A1/121/156	MF542
SMITH, Mary	Bisham		1577	D/A1/212/097	MF96092
SMITH, Mary	Didcot		1631	D/A1/118/149	MF540
SMITH, Mary	Wytham		1663	D/A1/120/126	MF541
SMITH, Mary	Hawkridge, Bucklebury		1670	D/A1/121/8	MF542
SMITH, Mary	Northcourt, Abingdon St Helen		1685	D/A1/215/37	MF96098
SMITH, Mary	Sunningwell		1706	D/A1/215/174	MF96099
SMITH, Mary	Clapton, Kintbury		1709	D/A1/122/178	MF543
SMITH, Mary	Newbury		1723	D/A1/123/107	MF543
SMITH, Mary	Hampstead Norreys		1730	D/A1/216/101	MF96101
SMITH, Mary	East Hanney, Hanney		1755	D/A1/125/3	MF544
SMITH, Mary	Hamstead Marshall		1797	D/A1/216/269	MF96102
SMITH, Mary	Moulsford		1797	D/A1/125/183	MF546
SMITH, Mary	Reading		1809	D/A1/161/114	MF583
SMITH, Mary	Goosey, Stanford In The Vale		1813	D/A1/161/103	MF583
SMITH, Mary	East Garston		1833	D/A1/162/17	MF583

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