Wills and testaments are an excellent way to find out more information about your ancestors. They can tell you about the types of belongings that people owned such as tools from their job, furniture, savings etc. Depending on the time period, it might also list property that is owned.
So in Scotland, what is a will and what is a testament?
A testament is basically a list of all the person's property and may also include a valuation of these items.
A will is the statement made before a person dies explaining how they wish their goods to be disposed of once they have died.
- If someone dies and has a will, it is know as a testament testamentar.
- If there is no will then it is known as a testament dative.
Where do we find testaments in Scotland?
Testaments made from 1514-1925 have been digitally imaged and they are available to see online at Scotland's People. They also give a good explanation and examples of testaments. You can search for free i.e. you do not pay 1 credit to look at the summary of your search results in the way you do for some of their other records. If you want to look at the detail of a specific record, then you will be charged to look at the record. Records often have several pages of information but there is a standard charge to look at the whole document no matter how many pages. If you visit a Scotland's People Centre then you will be able to look at these images too.
From 1926 up until records from 10 years ago, you need to visit the National Records of Scotland search rooms in Edinburgh. Before visiting, it is worth checking their website for all the details that you will need to know to be able to perform a search. It is also advisable to contact them prior to your visit to check the availability of records.
From 1926 up until records from 10 years ago, you need to visit the National Records of Scotland search rooms in Edinburgh. Before visiting, it is worth checking their website for all the details that you will need to know to be able to perform a search. It is also advisable to contact them prior to your visit to check the availability of records.
If you are looking for a testament that is less than 10 years old then you need to contact the Commissary Department, Edinburgh Sheriff Court, 27 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LB.
For more advice on wills and testaments contact us at kintree@ymail.com.
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