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
BENNETT, Thomas	Leckhampstead, Chieveley	Cordwainer	1721	D/A1/49/61	MF468
BENNETT, Thomas	Tubney	Yeoman	1857	D/A1/147/56	MF558
BENNETT, William	Kingston Bagpuize	Butcher	1587	D/A1/11/146	MF10047B
BENNETT, William	Bray	Yeoman	1615	D/A1/176/052	MF96012
BENNETT, William	Reading St Giles	Yeoman	1661	D/A1/45/80	MF465
BENNETT, William	Thatcham	Husbandman	1682	D/A1/47/71	MF466
BENNETT, William	Reading	Tailor	1687	D/A1/47/124	MF467
BENNETT, William	Bray		1693	D/A1/179/98	MF96017
BENNETT, William	Harwell	Bodice Maker	1730	D/A1/49/145	MF468
BENNETT, William	Harwell	Yeoman	1840	D/A1/226/105	MF96123
BENNETT, William Jnr	Moulsford, Cholsey	Husbandman	1634	D/A1/44/063	MF464
BENNETT, William Snr	Shinfield	Yeoman	1636	D/A1/44/089	MF464
BENNIT, Edward	Newbury	Cordwainer	1635	D/A1/44/069	MF464
BENSKIN, Charles	Inkpen	Labourer	1847	D/A1/147/8	MF558
BENSKIN, Samuel	Inkpen		1819	D/A1/226/56	MF96123
BENSON, Thomas	Hatford	Parson	1579	D/A1/175/088	MF96010
BENSON, Thomas	Hatford	Clerk, Rector	1579	D/A1/10/182	MF10047A
BENSON, William Snr	Hurley (W.), Shottesbrooke	Yeoman	1682	D/A1/47/76	MF466
BENT, Henry	White Waltham	Husbandman	1633	D/A1/44/047	MF464
BENT, Jane	Sparsholt		1746	D/A1/180/179	MF96020
BENT, Joan	West Ilsley		1576	D/A1/40/061 D/A1/10/054	MF462 MF10047A
BENT, John	West Ilsley	Husbandman	1568	D/A1/39/233 D/A1/9/125	MF462 MF10046
BENT, John	Church Speen, Speen	Husbandman	1618	D/A1/43/019 D/A1/15/833	MF464 MF10065
BENT, John	Burghfield	Yeoman	1634	D/A1/44/060	MF464
BENT, Richard	Shurlock Row? (Surley Crow), Waltham St. Lawrence		1706	D/A1/179/166	MF96017
BENT, Thomas	Bisham	Yeoman	1688	D/A1/179/64	MF96017
BENTE, Thomas	Fawley		1590	D/A1/41/003 D/A1/11/319	MF462 MF10047B
BENTLEY, Elizabeth	Reading St Laurence		1834	D/A1/226/82	MF96123
BENTLEY, Joseph	East Hagbourne, Hagbourne	Cordwainer	1718	D/A1/49/29	MF468
BENTLEY, William	Winkfield	Husbandman	1641	D/A1/44/146	MF465
BENTLY, Elizabeth	Wallingford		1774	D/A1/50/150	MF469
BENTLY, Mary	Stratfield Mortimer		1692	D/A1/179/93	MF96017
BENWELL, Alice	Bucklebury		1616	D/A1/42/151 D/A1/15/589	MF463 MF10065
BENWELL, Bartholomew	Reading St Giles	Tailor	1588	D/A1/40/163 D/A1/11/300	MF462 MF10047B
BENWELL, Bridget	Bucklebury		1615	D/A1/176/049	MF96012
BENWELL, Bridget	Bucklebury		1615	D/A1/168/116	MF96001
BENWELL, James	Bucklebury	Husbandman	1631	D/A1/44/013	MF464
BENWELL, James	Bucklebury		1691	D/A1/47/164	MF467
BENWELL, John	Bucklebury	Turner	1556	D/A1/2/089	MF604
BENWELL, John	Tidmarsh		1560	D/A1/39/142 D/A1/6/186	MF461 MF10043B
BENWELL, John	Bucklebury	Husbandman	1589	D/A1/175/116	MF96010
BENWELL, John	Bucklebury		1589	D/A1/11/368	MF10047B
BENWELL, John	Stratfield Mortimer	Tailor	1768	D/A1/50/119	MF469
BENWELL, John Snr	Bucklebury		1556	D/A1/233/045	MF96132
BENWELL, John Snr	Bucklebury	Husbandman	1628	D/A1/43/165	MF464
BENWELL, John Snr	Bucklebury	Cooper	1631	D/A1/44/001	MF464
BENWELL, Richard	Bucklebury	Tailor	1612	D/A1/42/087 D/A1/15/218	MF463 MF10065
BENWELL, Robert	Wallingford	Gardener	1757	D/A1/180/201	MF96020
BENWELL, Thomas	Newbury	Fuller	1565	D/A1/39/214 D/A1/8/351	MF462 MF10043C
BENWELL, William	Bucklebury		1564	D/A1/39/021/1 D/A1/8/328	MF461 MF10043C
BENWELL, William	Tidmarsh		1598	D/A1/13/425	MF10049
BENWELL, William	Shinfield	Yeoman	1648	D/A1/178/035	MF96015
BERD, Humphrey	Warfield		1549	D/A1/39/041	MF461
BERD, Humphrey	Warfield		1561	D/A1/7/344	MF10040
BERD, John	Donnington, Shaw Cum Donnington		1610	D/A1/176/032	MF96012
BERD, John	Donnington, Shaw Cum Donnington		1610	D/A1/168/067	MF96001
BERD, Roger	Newbury		1601	D/A1/175/170	MF96011
BERD, Roger	Newbury		1601	D/A1/13/717	MF10049
BERD, William	Warfield		1538	D/A1/233/037	MF96132
BERD, William	Warfield	Husbandman	1539	D/A1/2/073	MF604
BERDAT, Robert	Cumnor		1591	D/A1/41/017 D/A1/12/014	MF462 MF10048
BERDE, Humphrey	Warfield	Husbandman	1549	D/A1/5/083	MF10043A
BERELL, Maude	Stanford In The Vale		1585	D/A1/175/100 D/A1/11/022	MF96010 MF10047B
BERELL, Robert	Stanford In The Vale	Husbandman	1578	D/A1/40/073 D/A1/10/124	MF462 MF10047A
BERKESHER, John	Winkfield		1557	D/A1/4/013	MF604
BERKSHERE, John	Winkfield		1556	D/A1/233/334	MF96132
BERKSHIRE, John	Winkfield		1557	D/A1/9/313	MF10046
BERMAN, Richard	New Windsor, Windsor	Tailor	1588	D/A1/175/113	MF96010
BERNARD, Beatrice	Shottesbrooke		1532	D/A1/1/265	MF10042
BERNARD, Giles	Leckhampstead, Chieveley	Husbandman	1660	D/A1/45/65	MF465
BERNARD, John	Speenhamland, Speen	Drugget Maker	1727	D/A1/180/98	MF96019
BERNARD, Richard	Warfield	Husbandman	1633	D/A1/44/054	MF464
BERNARD, Richard	Farnborough	Yeoman	1664	D/A1/45/139	MF465
BERNARD, Robert	Wargrave	Turner	1621	D/A1/43/059	MF464
BERNARD, Robert	Woodhill, Letcombe Regis	Yeoman	1709	D/A1/48/158	MF467
BERNARD, Simon	Bray	Yeoman	1691	D/A1/37/122	MF460
BERNARD, Simon Snr	Bray	Yeoman	1662	D/A1/174/39	MF96007
BERNARDE, John	Warfield	Yeoman	1621	D/A1/43/054	MF464
BERNETT, Anne	Abingdon		1705	D/A1/48/126	MF467
BERREY, Anne	Reading St Laurence		1624	D/A1/43/113	MF464
BERREY, Avery	Reading	Butcher	1626	D/A1/43/147	MF464
BERREY, William	Woolhampton	Butcher	1578	D/A1/10/142	MF10047A
BERRIE, Alice	Woolhampton		1582	D/A1/10/334	MF10047A
BERRIE, Avery	Reading St Laurence	Butcher	1589	D/A1/40/169 D/A1/11/303	MF462 MF10047B
BERRIE, John	Woolhampton	Yeoman	1579	D/A1/40/085 D/A1/10/188	MF462 MF10047A
BERRIMAN, Robert	Speen	Wheeler	1755	D/A1/50/68	MF469
BERRIMAN, Robert	Speen		1822	D/A1/226/62	MF96123
BERRIMAN, Roger	Shaw Cum Donnington	Wheelwright	1778	D/A1/50/169	MF469
BERRIS, John	Reading St Mary	Horse Dealer	1807	D/A1/145/33	MF557
BERRY, Benjamin	Bucklebury		1787	D/A1/180/249	MF96020
BERRY, Elizabeth	Bucklebury		1782	D/A1/50/190	MF469
BERRY, Francis	Kintbury	Yeoman	1737	D/A1/180/145	MF96020
BERRY, James	Bucklebury	Yeoman	1745	D/A1/50/4	MF469
BERRY, James	Brimpton	Yeoman	1830	D/A1/226/80	MF96123
BERRY, Jane	Bucklebury		1709	D/A1/48/154	MF467
BERRY, John	Lambourn	Carpenter	1623	D/A1/43/085	MF464
BERRY, John	New Windsor, Windsor	Barber Surgeon	1707	D/A1/179/174	MF96018
BERRY, John	Bucklebury	Yeoman	1739	D/A1/180/150	MF96020
BERRY, Richard	Bucklebury	Yeoman	1698	D/A1/48/46	MF467
BERRY, Sarah	Reading St Giles		1785	D/A1/180/244	MF96020

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