Northampton (NTH)

The Archdeaconry of Northampton came under the Diocese of Lincoln until 1541, at which time the Diocese of Peterborough was created. Northampton and Peterborough shared concurrent jurisdiction in this county until 1598. Probates for the county of Rutland may be found in either court, but after 1598 they should be mainly in the records of the Consistory Court of Peterborough. The Reverend H.I. Longden played an invaluable role in indexing and abstracting many of the probates of Northamptonshire.

Jurisdictions

1. Jurisdiction for the majority of parishes in both the counties of Northampton and Rutland came under (A) the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton or (B) the Consistory Court of Peterborough. The parish map in The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers shows the division of original jurisdictions by parish for each court. It is accurate except for the parishes of Braybrooke, Desborough and Rushton which came first under the Archdeaconry of Northampton rather than the Consistory of Peterborough.
2. The exceptions to the above included the places listed below that came under (C) the Prebendal Courts of Gretton and Nassington and (D) the Peculiar Court of Banbury in Oxford.

3. A few wills concerning the property of citizens of Higham Ferrers were registered in the Rolls of the Burgess Court of Higham Ferrers. Some 30 wills, 1390-1632, are listed in the Historical Manuscripts Commission Report, 12, Appendix 9, pages 530-537. This listing includes extracts from 8 of those wills. (FHL fiche 6021919)

Decision Table

For those who lived in (A) the Archdeaconry of Northampton, search:

1. Archdeaconry Court of Northampton and for 1541-1598, the Consistory Court of Peterborough
2. Pre-1541, the Consistory Court of Lincoln (Lincoln) and post-1541, the Consistory Court of Peterborough
3. Prerogative Court of Canterbury (London: PCC)
4. Court of Arches, 1660- (London: Arches)
5. Court of Delegates, 1636- (London: Delegates)

For those who lived in (B) the Consistory of Peterborough, search:

1. Consistory Court of Peterborough and for 1469-1598, the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton
2. Pre-1541, the Consistory Court of Lincoln (Lincoln)
3. Prerogative Court of Canterbury (London: PCC)
4. Court of Arches, 1660- (London: Arches)
5. Court of Delegates, 1636- (London: Delegates)

For those who lived in (C) the Prebendals of Gretton and Nassington, search:

1. The respective Prebendal Court (Records for Nassington may also be found in the Archdeaconry Court of Huntingdon, which see.)
2. Dean and Chapter Court of Lincoln (Lincoln)
3. Do 3-5 under (A-B) above.

For those who lived in (D) the Peculiar of Banbury, search:

1. Peculiar Court of Banbury (Oxford)

For those who lived anywhere in the county between 1653-1660, search:

1. Prerogative Court of Canterbury (London: PCC)

For those who lived anywhere in the county between 1812-1857, regardless of what is found in the probate records of any of the above courts, consider searching also the estate duty registers. (London: Estate Duty)

Online Indexes for the County of Northampton

It is easier and more efficient to search the following indexes online at FindMyPast. This is a fee site but available free to those using the computers at the FHL and in the family history section of the BYU library. This online site entitled "Northampton and Rutland Probate Index 1462-1857" includes:"

• Archdeaconry of Northampton Wills, 1469-1857, including some listed as missing in BRS 1; Administrations/Inventories, 1545-1857; and Accounts, 1668-1685.
• Consistory of Peterborough Wills, 1541-1857; Administrations/Inventories, 1683-1857.
• Gretton, All Records, 1657-1832
• Nassington, All Records, 1654-1839
• Northampton Wills at the Huntingdon Record Office
• Banbury Court Wills

Printed/Filmed Indexes for the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton

• 1467-1506, Registered Wills (Longden's N1 index on FHL film 919263, item 1)
• 1510-1652, Original/Registered Wills (FHL 942 B4b and BYU CS 434 .B7) volume 1
  Images are also available at FamilySearch.
• 1652-1675, Original Wills (Longden's N3 index on FHL film 919263, item 3)
  This index was filmed 3 times. The easiest version to read is volume 18, pages 1-55 on FHL film 451773, item 1.
• 1676-1850, All Probate Documents
  This is a card index arranged alphabetically by name on 13 rolls of film. The initial film is FHL 1951680 at FamilySearch.
• 1851-1857, Wills (Longden's N6 index on FHL film 919263, item 6)
  This appears to be the same as volume 5 of the manuscript calendar, 1752-1858, on FHL/BYU film 187571, item 7. Longden's version is easier to read.
• 1858-1930, Civil Wills proven at the Northampton District Probate Registry
  The initial film number of this card index is FHL 1951751 at FamilySearch.
• 1545-1676, Longden's Abstracts/Index of Administrations (FHL 942.55 S2)
  See the Miscellaneous Section for additional printed abstracts.
• 1676-1850 (See the entry above for the card index that includes Administrations.)
• 1851-1857 (See the entry above for Longden's N6 index.)

Microfilmed Records for the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton

All of the probate records of this court were microfilmed, except for some registered wills and act books, which were partially filmed as described below. The original wills before 1725 are filed in 6 series and by book or volumes that start with a letter of the alphabet and/or a number. Thereafter, they were filed in boxes by year and month. The registered wills are filed in one series and by volumes labeled A-Z, XYZ, AE, AV and EV. There are no registered wills for 1640-1845, and those for 1846-1857 were not filmed. Put 187572 into the Film/Fiche box of the main menu of the FHL catalog at FamilySearch to see the call numbers for all of these records.

The inventories are either with the wills and administration bonds or in a separate series for 1660-1797 on FHL films 187658-187661. Film 187658 starts with Administration Accounts for 1665-1685. (See the Miscellaneous Section for more details.) Volume A (1663-1676) and Volume B (1676-1685) of the Act Books are on FHL/BYU film 94955.

Volume A includes marriage licenses. There is an index to them on page 36 of film 451777. Volume C (1686-1691) was not filmed, but abstracts of the administrations therein are on pages 84-112 of Longden's volume 19 on FHL film 451773, item 2.

Microfilmed Indexes for the Consistory Court of Peterborough

• 1541-1646, Registered Wills (Longden's P1 index on FHL film 919264, item 1)
  An easier to read format is on FHL/BYU film 174829.
• 1604-1719, Original Wills, A-J (Longden's P2 index on FHL film 919264, item 2)
  An easier to read format is on FHL/BYU film 174830, item 1.
• 1604-1719, Original Wills, K-Z (Longden's P3 index on FHL film 919264, item 3)
  An easier to read format is on FHL/BYU film 174830, item 2.
• 1719-1858, All Probate Records
  This is a card index arranged alphabetically by name on 5 rolls of film. The initial film is FHL 1951972 and this name index is followed by indexes to parishes and occupations.
• 1858-1941, Civil Wills proven at the Peterborough District Probate Registry
  The initial film number of this card index is FHL 1952014.

NOTE: Where an initial film number is given, use either version of the FHL catalog to see all of the films in that collection. The previous version at FamilySearch may be a little easier to use for that purpose.

Microfilmed Records for the Consistory Court of Peterborough

All of the probate records of this court have been microfilmed except for the original wills, 1820-1858, and the administration bonds. The original wills before 1719 are filed in books labeled A-Z. Thereafter, they were filed in boxes by year. The registered wills are in volumes 1-14 for 1541-1646. There is another volume covering 1660-1662. Thereafter, there are none until 1820. Then there are 5 volumes covering 1820-1858. The act books cover the administrations through 1819. The administrations are also filed with the original wills, 1719-1819, and the registered wills, 1820-1833. The initial call number for all of these records is 174832. Abstracts of the administration inventories, 1670-1719, are available on FHL film 1952231, items 6-7. There is also a volume of sentences on FHL film 187572, item 2. These sentences were delivered in some 70 ecclesiastical cases, 1598-1625. The subject index in the back of the volume reveals that about 10 of the cases refer to probates and 2 to marriages.

Printed Index for the Prebendal Courts(FHL 942 B4b & BYU CS434 .B7)

Volume 57 of the Index Library (BRS) includes these two courts. Pages 379-381 cover Gretton for 1657-1832. Pages 408-412 are for Nassington, 1702-1844. Volume 57 is also in the Ancestry.com system under Lincoln.

Microfilmed Records for the Prebendal Court of Gretton

(All of the records for this court are available on FHL film 200101.)

Microfilmed Records for the Prebendal Court of Nassington

The surviving records have been filmed twice. The first filming is on FHL 189824-189825, but does not include records before 1746. The second filming covers 1702-1844 on FHL films 200121-200122. Registered copy wills are also found in the Archdeaconry Court of Huntingdon, which see. There is an index to Nassington wills, 1748-1844, and administrations, 1753-1838, on FHL/BYU film 187854, item 3.

Miscellaneous Section

1. 1462-1509, Transcriptions of Wills (FHL 942.55 B4n) volume 42
   This collection is the work of Dorothy Edwards that was published by the Northamptonshire Record Society in 2005.
2. 1515-1516, Abstracts of Registered Wills (FHL 942.55 P2w, parts 1-2)
   A collection of abstracts made by Paul Alexander from volume A, folios 505-593.
3. 1677-1710, Abstracts of Administrations/Inventories for the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton (FHL 942 B4b and BYU CS 434 .B7) volume 70.
   This volume was printed for the Index Library (BRS) from Longden's abstracts. It includes an index, 1660-1710, to the inventories on film 187659. Images also available at FamilySearch.
4. 1711-1800, Abstracts of Administrations/Inventories for the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton (FHL 942 B4b and BYU CS 434 .B7) volume 92
   Another volume of the Index Library (BRS) based on Longden's abstracts. It includes an index to Administration Accounts, 1665-1685. The listing of inventories, 1711-1797, forms an index to the original inventories on films 187660-187661. The place index in this volume is useful for migration studies. Included is an administration for John Marriott of Jamaica granted to Elizabeth Marriott, widow of Daventry, in 1786.
5. The Longden Collection of parish and probate records is found on 19 rolls of film, 451762-451779. FHL films 451773-451774 for the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton include references to some marriage licenses and abstracts accompanied by sketches of coats of arms. Item 3 on film 451774 contains indexed abstracts of administrations, 1787-1821.
6. B.W.T. Norman extracted many wills from the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton for the period before 1724. The extracts are on FHL film 496788, item 2. Facing page 434 is an index apparently to the entire manuscript.
7. 1383-1700, PCC Wills for Northamptonshire and Rutland
   This is a filmed card index arranged as follows: