Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
Also see solicitors and barristers' records. See Barristers, Solicitors and Conveyancers.
If a person died leaving a will or property then a probate or administration file for the person may be created. A probate file is generated when a person leaves a will and a grant of probate is made to the executors named in the will by the Supreme Court of Victoria. An administration file is created when a person with property dies without leaving a will and a grant of administration is made to an administrator by the Supreme Court of Victoria.
If the person owned a property as a joint proprietor (for example with a spouse) this property will not appear in these records as the other joint proprietor/s will receive the deceased person's share of the property at their death. See Land Records.
If the person held property through adverse possession and had not yet claimed title, and it is not included in the probate or administration records then it may be seen in Rate Records by Region or Rate Records (A-Z).
MUSEUMS OF HISTORY NEW SOUTH WALES, STATE ARCHIVES COLLECTION - PROBATE FILES 1817-1976
New South Wales probate files from 1817 to 1976 are indexed through the catalogue on the New South Wales State Archives website. Victorian probate records are included with those of New South Wales from 1836 to 1841.
https://mhnsw.au/guides/probate-packets-wills-guide/
There is also a Probate Records - Supplementary Index from 1790 to 1875 on the website. This is not currently operational.
https://mhnsw.au/indexes/probates-and-wills/probate-records-supplementary-index/
FINDMYPAST - NEW SOUTH WALES WILL BOOKS 1800-1952
These are books in which copies of wills have been transcribed. There are also summaries of administered estates. The name, occupation, place of residence, date of death, the name of the executor/s or administrator and the value of the estate are included. Victorian probate records are included with those of New South Wales from 1836 to 1841.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/new-south-wales-will-books-1800-1952
MUSEUMS OF HISTORY NEW SOUTH WALES, STATE ARCHIVES COLLECTION - INTESTATE ESTATES INDEX 1821-1913
Victorian intestate estates case papers are included with those of New South Wales from 1836 to 1841.
https://mhnsw.au/indexes/intestates/intestate-estates-index/
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION FILES 1841-2019 (VPRS 28, 17379, 7591, 7592, 7933)
Probate and administration files from 1841 to 1925 can be viewed online at the Public Record Office Victoria website. They are indexed through the catalogue. Probate and administration files from 1926 to 2019 are indexed through the catalogue on the Public Record Office Victoria website. Death certificates are included in probate and administration files from 1995.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/wills-and-probates
FAMILYSEARCH - VICTORIA, PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION FILES, 1845-1926
Original records are at Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. These are searchable and images may be browsed.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2207846
FAMILYSEARCH - VICTORIA, WILLS 1853-1951 (VPRS 7591)
Original records are housed at Public Record Office Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. Images may be browsed.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1393344?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - VICTORIA, PROBATE FILES, 1925-1950 (VPRS 28)
Original records are at Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. Images may be browsed.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2361714?availability=Family%20History%20Library
FAMILYSEARCH - AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA, INDEX TO PROBATE REGISTERS, 1841-1989
These are digital images of originals housed at Public Records Office Victoria.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1393345
ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, WILLS AND PROBATE RECORDS, 1841-2009
The records include wills and probate records from 1841 to 2009. Wills and probate records created between 1841 and 1925 have been indexed and have digitized images available. Wills and probate records created between 1926 and 2009 have been indexed. The index heading “death place” should read “place of residence”.
https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=61315
FINDMYPAST - VICTORIA WILLS AND PROBATE 1841-2009
The records include wills and probate records from 1841 to 2009. Wills and probate records created between 1841 and 1925 have been indexed and have digitized images available. Wills and probate records created between 1926 and 2009 have been indexed.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/victoria-wills-and-probate
MYHERITAGE - AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA, WILL AND PROBATE INDEX 1850-2009
The collection consists of an index to probate registers for Victoria located in Melbourne, Australia. This is searchable.
SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA - APPLICATION, CAVEAT AND WILL INDEXES 1970-PRESENT
There are Application, Caveat and Will Indexes for grants of representation made after 1970. The application index includes the following information: type of application, date of death, date of grant and file numbers.
http://www.scvprobate.com.au/probate/
SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA - PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION FILES 2020-PRESENT
Probate and administration files for 2020 to the present may be obtained from the Probate Office at the Supreme Court of Victoria.
https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/wills-and-probate
STATE TRUSTEES
Where there are no executors left alive or willing and able to act or where there is no next of kin willing or able to take on the role of administrator the State Trustees will administer the estate. The State Trustees also deals with the situation where a legal will has not sufficiently described beneficiaries for them to be located by the appointed executors. There are no records online.
https://www.statetrustees.com.au/
A file was created when a person died leaving a will and there was an application for probate but the process of applying for a grant was aborted and probate was not granted.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - NON-ISSUED PROBATE APPLICATIONS 1868-1988 (VPRS 7933)
These are not online.
PROBATE OFFICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA - NON-ISSUED PROBATE APPLICATION INDEX 1868-1988
This is not online.
FAMILYSEARCH - NON-ISSUED PROBATE APPLICATIONS 1868-1937
Original records are at Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Australia. Images may be browsed.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2568893?availability=Family%20History%20Library
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - NON-ISSUED PROBATE APPLICATION INDEX 1851-1952
This has been indexed in the Genealogical Index of Names (GIN) on the Genealogical Society of Victoria website.
https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection
It is a legal requirement to advertise an applicant’s intention to apply for probate or administration. Prior to 2009 all probate and administration advertisements were published in the law notices section in metropolitan and regional newspapers. See Newspapers, Magazines and Journals. They can also be seen in government gazettes. See Government Gazettes.
SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA - PROBATE ONLINE ADVERTISING SYSTEM
From 2009 advertisements of an applicant's intention to apply for probate and administration must be published online.
https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/poas/searchadvert.doj
Victoria was defended using British military forces until 1870.
GOV.UK - FIND A WILL SOLDIERS' WILLS 1850-1986
The database is searchable and associated images may be seen on a pay-to-view basis.
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#soldiers
FINDMYPAST - BRITISH ARMED FORCES SOLDIERS' WILLS INDEX 1850-1986
The index is searchable.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-records/british-armed-forces-soldiers-wills-1850-1986
ANCESTRY - UK, BRITISH ARMY AND NAVY BIRTH, MARRIAGE AND DEATH RECORDS, 1730-1960
The records were collected by the various armed services of the British forces. Many are from registers kept by the chaplains of the various services and include births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. Also included in this collection are British Navy reports of deaths as well as British Officer births, wills and personal records. The records are searchable and may be browsed.
https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/60931/
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES (ENGLAND) - WILLS OF ROYAL NAVAL SEAMEN, 1786-1882
This database includes the wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel. It is searchable and associated images may be seen on a pay-to-view basis.
ANCESTRY - WEB: UK, WILLS OF ROYAL NAVAL SEAMEN INDEX, 1786-1882
The index is searchable.
https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/60377/
If armed forces personnel died leaving a will or property then a probate or administration file for the person may be created; these can be seen in the Victorian probate and administration records. Wills and inventories of effects may also be seen in their military service records. See Military Service Records.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - WILLS OF DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY FORCES-WORLD WAR 1 (MT297/14)
These are indexed into the catalogue.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - WILLS OF DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY FORCES-WORLD WAR 2 (MT441/4)
These are indexed into the catalogue.
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