Searching Bank of England Will Extracts Index
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The index records can be searched by Last name, First name and Year range.
Name conventions
Forenames are generally unabbreviated, ie. if there is a Charles Smith you should find him if you enter SMITH and CHARLES.

Surnames with prefixes, eg. De La Rue, enter the root part of the name, ie. RUE. If the prefix has become attached, enter the full name, eg. DELARUE. If you are not sure whether a prefix has been attached, try both ways.

Hyphenated surnames, eg. Baker-Woods, enter either part of the name, ie. BAKER or WOODS.
Date ranges
Between 1717-1807 index records contain date ranges rather than specific years, so you may find records whose date range includes the year searched for, ie. searching for 1755, you may find records with date ranges 1746-1756. The ranges vary with each register book and several register books may cover overlapping periods. The first name field will usually help narrow the search.

Index record format
The Index records are in two formats depending on whether the extract was from 1717-1807 or 1807-1845. The differences apply to the identification of the extract and are only relevant if you intend to view the original books at the Society of Genealogists Library.
  • Personal details gives forenames and descriptions of condition, profession, address etc
  • Year gives year of the first and last entries in the relevant volume. It is a rough guide to the date when the will was entered in the register, and hence to when the person died.
  • Book is an identifier for the relevant register volume found on a label affixed to its spine.
  • Reg. No. is the number of the entry in the volume.
  • Film shows the microfilm reel number for the pre-1807 registers. The number after the oblique stroke is the part of the reel on which the relevant volume is to be found. Reel numbers for the 1807-1845 registers are yet to be incorporated into the index.
NameX
NameX is a proprietary name-matching tool which allows you to find family records for names which have common variations in spelling or which may have been spelled incorrectly on some records.
Click here for more help.

Ordering Originals
Order hard copies by clicking the Add to cart button at the side of the index record. The item will be added to your Shopping Cart.
Click View Cart to view or delete items.
Click the Checkout button to pay for items in your Cart. You will be asked for a credit/debit card number and delivery details. Orders are processed by the Society of Genealogists and hard copies will be sent by post (airmail outside the UK).
Hard copy documents cost £10 GBP (approx US$15).


See also:  About Bank of England Will Extracts Index
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