| Acknowledgements | p. 4 |
| Using the National Archives | p. 7 |
| Introduction | p. 10 |
| Understanding Wills | p. 12 |
| Why Wills Matter | |
| What is a Will? | |
| The Origin of Wills | |
| Some Key Terms | |
| The Probate Process | |
| Which Probate Court? | |
| Case Study | |
| Wills and Administrations from 1858 | p. 20 |
| The Probate Act 1857 | |
| Wills Proved in England and Wales | |
| Obtaining a Copy of a Will | |
| The Court of Probate | |
| Location of Records | |
| Estates without Next of Kin | |
| Resealing in London of Scottish and Irish Wills | |
| Wills of the Royal Family | |
| Case Study | |
| Finding a Will Before 1858 | p. 28 |
| Online Search Strategies | |
| Records Held Locally | |
| Ecclesiastical Courts | |
| Which Ecclesiastical Court? | |
| Prerogative Court of York | |
| Prerogative Court of Canterbury | |
| Types of Records | |
| Other Prerogative Court of Canterbury Sources | |
| Interregnum | |
| Other Testamentary Jurisdictions | |
| Non-Anglican Wills | |
| Extending your Search | |
| Case Studies | |
| Administrations Before 1858 | p. 47 |
| Intestacy | |
| The Records | |
| Finding an Administration | |
| Additional Information from Administrations | |
| Administration Bonds | |
| Special or Limited Administrations | |
| Administrations Granted as Part of Probate | |
| Interpreting Wills | p. 59 |
| Drafting a Will | |
| How were Wills Recorded? | |
| Likely Contents of a Will | |
| Validity | |
| People Unable to Leave a Valid Will | |
| Reading Wills | |
| Inventories and Accounts | p. 71 |
| What are Inventories? | |
| What are Accounts? | |
| Litigation | |
| Debt | |
| Finding Inventories and Accounts | |
| Reading Inventories | |
| Death Duty Registers, 1796-1903 | p. 82 |
| Introduction to 'Death Duties' | |
| Short Cuts to Wills and Administrations | |
| Death Duty Registers as Sources | |
| Legacy Duty (from 1796) | |
| Succession Duty (from 1853) | |
| Estate Duty (from 1894) | |
| The Layout of the Registers | |
| Related Records at the National Archives | |
| Case Study | |
| Litigation | p. 98 |
| People at their Worst, Records at their Best | |
| Disputes brought before Church, Equity and Common-Law Courts | |
| Disputes in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury | |
| Signs of a Probate Dispute or Problem | |
| Contentious and Non-Contentious Business | |
| Appeals | |
| Disputes in Courts of Equity and Common Law | |
| Additional Sources for Research | |
| Records of the Courts of York | |
| Litigation after 1858 | |
| Criminal Trials for Fraud over Wills and Administrations | |
| Non-Contentious Business | |
| Children and the Appointment of Guardians | |
| Dormant Funds or Money in Chancery | |
| Case Studies | |
| Other Probate Records | p. 124 |
| Military Wills and Powers of Attorney | |
| Deeds | |
| Overseas Probate Courts | |
| Royal Wills | |
| Miscellaneous Series at the National Archives | |
| Other Major Probate Collections | |
| Case Studies | |
| Scotland, Ireland, The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands | p. 135 |
| Scottish Probate Records | |
| Irish Probate Records | |
| Isle of Man Wills | |
| Channel Island Wills | |
| Research Techniques | p. 141 |
| Wills before 1858 | |
| Wills after 1858 | |
| Death Duties | |
| Intestacy | |
| The National Archives' Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PROB) Series | p. 145 |
| Glossary | p. 147 |
| Useful Addresses and Websites | p. 152 |
| Further Reading | p. 155 |
| Index | p. 157 |