This index only includes records at the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin. It also only includes records where there is a surviving document, like an original will, administration or grant of probate, a certified copy, a transcripts, or even abstracts and extracts. This means there is more information to be found on the original records. The index only deals with surviving records up to 1858 when the testamentary system was removed from Church control, and taken over by civil authorities.
This index only includes records at the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin. It also only includes records where there is a surviving document, like an original will, administration or grant of probate, a certified copy, a transcripts, or even abstracts and extracts.
This means there is more information to be found on the original records. The index only deals with surviving records up to 1858 when the testamentary system was removed from Church control, and taken over by civil authorities.
Card Catalogues:
Several NAI catalogues and lists were used in compiling this index, as well as two significant contemporary indexes, as follows:
Testamentary
Charitable Donations and Bequests Will Extracts
Crossle Abstracts
Jennings Abstracts
Thrift Abstracts
Contemporary Indexes:
Inland Revenue Administration Registers 1828-1839
Inland Revenue Will Registers 1828-1839
Users should consult the explanations of NAI Reference Numbers to find out more about what collections are dealt with in these finding aids.
What types of documents are listed?
There are several types of documents indexed here. Most are wills or other testamentary records (wills, probate, administrations, etc.), but around 10% are not. Marriage licences/bonds and miscellaneous genealogical abstracts make up the majority of these additional records. This material was often included in the NAI testamentary card catalogues because it was genealogically useful, and we saw no good reason to leave them out!
The most common records are:
Type
Explanation
Will
55% the documents listed in this dataset are wills. A will is a legal document drawn up to determine the inheritance of a person's property after their death.
Grant of Probate
Wills had to be proved (authenticated) in court before they came into effect. This happened in the relevant Diocesan Court, except when a testator owned property worth more than £5 in more than one diocese. In those cases it was dealt with in the Prerogative Court in Dublin. Once a will was proved, the courts issued a grant of probate. Around 6% of these records are Grants of Probate.
Administration
If there was no will, or the will could not be proved, the courts would grant an Administration on an estate.
Marriage License Bond/Grant
Marriage licences were generally only requested by those who had property, or desired privacy from the publication of Banns. Banns were a public notice of an intended marriage in order to inform those who
may have known of an impediment to lodge an objection.
Please consult our detailed list of the various types of documents to find out more.
What information is included in this index?
For every entry in the dataset there is an original document worth looking at. This original record is at the NAI and can be requested by using the NAI Reference number. Alternatively a copy can be ordered online.
Each index entry contains:
This index includes all the information recorded in the NAI catalogues and lists.
Acknowledgements & Credits
With special thanks to the Archivists and Staff at the National Archives of Ireland