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
BOWLE, Henry Snr	Longcot, Shrivenham	Husbandman	1604	D/A1/41/185/1 D/A1/13/1320	MF463 MF10049
BOWLE, Joan	Longcot, Shrivenham		1621	D/A1/43/067	MF464
BOWLE, John	East Hanney, Hanney	Husbandman	1646	D/A1/45/014	MF465
BOWLE, John	Longcot, Shrivenham	Yeoman	1668	D/A1/178/115	MF96015
BOWLE, Richard	Shrivenham	Husbandman	1569	D/A1/39/241 D/A1/9/167	MF462 MF10046
BOWLE, Robert	Wytham	Yeoman	1671	D/A1/178/143	MF96015
BOWLE, Thomas	Stanford In The Vale	Yeoman	1701	D/A1/48/81	MF467
BOWLE, William	West Hanney, Hanney	Husbandman	1575	D/A1/40/040 D/A1/9/443	MF462 MF10046
BOWLE, William	Longcot, Shrivenham	Husbandman	1626	D/A1/43/139	MF464
BOWLE, William Snr	West Hanney, Hanney	Yeoman	1643	D/A1/44/172	MF465
BOWLER , Henry Snr	Faringdon	Retailer Of Beer	1855	D/A1/147/48	MF558
BOWLER, Ann	Wallingford		1766	D/A1/50/115	MF469
BOWLER, Ann	Appleton		1768	D/A1/50/120	MF469
BOWLER, Joan	Bisham		1593	D/A1/41/039 D/A1/12/122	MF462 MF10048
BOWLER, Richard	Long Wittenham		1769	D/A1/180/224	MF96020
BOWLER, Robert	Bisham		1571	D/A1/175/067/1	MF96010
BOWLER, Robert	Bisham		1571	D/A1/167/146	MF96000
BOWLER, Thomas	Reading St Mary	Bricklayer	1857	D/A1/147/61	MF558
BOWLER, Winsmore	Long Wittenham		1813	D/A1/226/46	MF96123
BOWLES , Catherine	Kingston Lisle, Sparsholt		1674	D/A1/178/158	MF96015
BOWLES , Edward Snr	West Hanney	Yeoman	1667	D/A1/178/89	MF96015
BOWLES , Edward Snr	Childrey	Cordwainer	1769	D/A1/50/128	MF469
BOWLES , John	Marcham	Labourer	1671	D/A1/178/124	MF96015
BOWLES , John	Marcham		1673	D/A1/46/98	MF466
BOWLES , John Snr	Charney Bassett, Longworth	Yeoman	1724	D/A1/49/81	MF468
BOWLES , Thomas	Enborne	Labourer	1708	D/A1/179/187	MF96018
BOWLES , William	Charney Bassett, Longworth	Husbandman	1686	D/A1/179/39	MF96016
BOWLES , William Snr	West Hanney	Yeoman	1749	D/A1/50/19	MF469
BOWLES, Ann	Pusey		1719	D/A1/49/33	MF468
BOWLES, Bostock	New Windsor, Windsor	Yeoman	1631	D/A1/16/634	MF10066
BOWLES, Edward	Speenhamland, Speen	Maltster	1644	D/A1/178/016	MF96015
BOWLES, Edward	East Hanney, West Hanney	Husbandman	1664	D/A1/45/134	MF465
BOWLES, Edward	West Hanney		1764	D/A1/50/104	MF469
BOWLES, Francis	Sutton Courtenay	Husbandman	1625	D/A1/176/102	MF96012
BOWLES, George	Longcot, Shrivenham	Yeoman	1857	D/A1/147/61	MF558
BOWLES, Henry	Longcot, Shrivenham	Yeoman	1730	D/A1/49/131	MF468
BOWLES, Henry	Burghclere, Hampshire		1846	D/A1/226/121	MF96123
BOWLES, John	Boxford	Yeoman	1645	D/A1/178/019	MF96015
BOWLES, John	Longcot, Shrivenham		1715	D/A1/48/224	MF468
BOWLES, John	Abingdon	Farmer	1725	D/A1/49/88	MF468
BOWLES, John Jnr	Boxford	Husbandman	1645	D/A1/178/021	MF96015
BOWLES, Margaret	East Hanney, Hanney		1628	D/A1/43/172	MF464
BOWLES, Martha	East Hanney, West Hanney		1742	D/A1/49/247	MF468
BOWLES, Richard	Abingdon	Yeoman	1608	D/A1/176/015	MF96012
BOWLES, Richard	Abingdon		1608	D/A1/168/034	MF96001
BOWLES, Susanna	Longcott, Shrivenham		1755	D/A1/50/66	MF469
BOWLES, Thomas	Longcot, Shrivenham	Yeoman	1775	D/A1/50/160	MF469
BOWLES, William	West Hanney		1733	D/A1/49/169	MF468
BOWLES, William	West Hanney		1768	D/A1/180/223	MF96020
BOWLTER, Richard	Didcot		1557	D/A1/6/052	MF10043B
BOWLTER, Richard	Didcot		1557	D/A1/39/089	MF461
BOWLTERE, Christian	Aston Tirrold		1578	D/A1/40/070 D/A1/10/116	MF462 MF10047A
BOWLTON, William	Fawler, Sparsholt		1591	D/A1/41/020 D/A1/11/404	MF462 MF10047B
BOWLY, Thomas	Cholsey		1559	D/A1/167/109	MF96000
BOWNCE, Joan	Ashbury		1545	D/A1/233/038	MF96132
BOWNCE, Joan	Ashbury		1545	D/A1/2/075	MF604
BOWNCE, Walter	Ashbury		1545	D/A1/6/166 D/A1/6/037	MF10043B MF10043B
BOWNE, Walter	Ashbury		1545	D/A1/39/029	MF461
BOWSHER , Roger Snr	Lambourn Woodlands, Lambourn	Yeoman	1736	D/A1/49/184	MF468
BOWSHER, Eliza	Reading		1841	D/A1/146/60	MF557
BOWSHER, Elizabeth	Norcot, Tilehurst		1812	D/A1/145/56	MF557
BOWSHER, Francis	Lambourn Woodlands, Lambourn	Yeoman	1783	D/A1/50/202	MF469
BOWSHER, John	Lambourn	Cordwainer	1740	D/A1/49/229	MF468
BOWSHER, John	Sotwell	Yeoman	1771	D/A1/50/130	MF469
BOWSHER, Stephen Snr	Eastbury (Isbury), Lambourn		1752	D/A1/50/47	MF469
BOWTHE, Charles	Swallowfield		1544	D/A1/39/016 D/A1/6/170	MF461 MF10043B
BOWTHE, Francis	Barkham		1592	D/A1/41/029 D/A1/12/043	MF462 MF10048
BOWYER (ALIAS LYFORD) (ALIAS BADGER), Jane	Winkfield		1712	D/A1/203/73	MF96066
BOWYER, Agnes	Warfield		1632	D/A1/44/038	MF464
BOWYER, Avis	Warfield		1716	D/A1/49/4	MF468
BOWYER, Benjamin	Easthampstead	Yeoman	1749	D/A1/50/23	MF469
BOWYER, Catherine	Winkfield		1690	D/A1/179/83	MF96017
BOWYER, Elizabeth	Easthampstead		1695	D/A1/190/141	MF96038
BOWYER, Hugh	Warfield	Yeoman	1623	D/A1/43/091	MF464
BOWYER, Humphrey	Waltham St Lawrence	Mercer	1613	D/A1/42/103 D/A1/15/379	MF463 MF10065
BOWYER, Joan	Warfield		1590	D/A1/11/370	MF10047B
BOWYER, John			1580	D/A1/10/422	MF10047A
BOWYER, John	Bray	Yeoman	1589	D/A1/175/115	MF96010
BOWYER, John	Bray		1589	D/A1/11/191	MF10047B
BOWYER, John	Cookham	Shoemaker	1683	D/A1/47/82	MF466
BOWYER, Katherine	Bray		1681	D/A1/47/54	MF466
BOWYER, Margaret	Bray		1598	D/A1/175/156	MF96010
BOWYER, Richard	Bray		1548	D/A1/175/015	MF96010
BOWYER, Richard	Warfield		1571	D/A1/40/111/2	MF462
BOWYER, Richard	Nuptown, Warfield	Yeoman	1624	D/A1/43/119	MF464
BOWYER, Richard	Warfield	Yeoman	1681	D/A1/47/57	MF466
BOWYER, Robert	Reading	Butcher	1592	D/A1/175/131	MF96010
BOWYER, Robert	Reading		1592	D/A1/12/071	MF10048
BOWYER, Robert	North Moreton	Yeoman	1593	D/A1/41/048 D/A1/12/022 D/A1/12/203	MF462 MF10048 MF10048
BOWYER, Robert	Bray	Fisherman	1648	D/A1/45/030	MF465
BOWYER, Robert	Bray	Yeoman	1667	D/A1/178/103	MF96015
BOWYER, Robert	Cookham	Sawyer	1682	D/A1/179/13	MF96016
BOWYER, Simon	Wallingford St Mary	Yeoman, Butcher	1580	D/A1/40/090 D/A1/10/215 D/A1/10/214	MF462 MF10047A MF10047A
BOWYER, Stephen	Bray	Yeoman	1700	D/A1/179/135	MF96017
BOWYER, Thomas	Bray	Yeoman	1616	D/A1/42/155 D/A1/15/625	MF463 MF10065
BOWYER, William	Easthampstead		1606	D/A1/42/002 D/A1/14/208	MF463 MF10064
BOWYER, William	Warfield	Tailor	1609	D/A1/42/053 D/A1/14/595	MF463 MF10064
BOWYER, William	Warfield	Labourer	1727	D/A1/180/92	MF96019
BOX, Francis	Finchampstead	Husbandman	1713	D/A1/48/201	MF467
BOXLEY, Elizabeth	Abingdon St Helen		1594	D/A1/41/049 D/A1/12/201	MF462 MF10048

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