| | 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 |