Tuesday 20th January 2015

People will be able to find out more about their family histories as millions of Wills are made available to the public through a searchable online database.

The project will also help people research the last wishes of some of the most influential people of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The database is the result of an innovative project conducted by H M Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and a storage information management company and will enable access to the Government’s archive of 41 million Wills dating back to 1858.

The most significant benefit will be that requests can be conducted remotely without people needing to search archives in person.

Opening up the archive of Wills is part of an ongoing drive to modernise HMCTS, creating an efficient and digital service.

Statistics suggest that there have been more than 2 million searches since 2013 which highlights the significant interest in this fascinating part of our history. Did you know that A. A. Milne left a share of future royalties and copyright to his favourite London club and Westminster School while Beatrix Potter left a long and generous Will that reflected her passion for natural science and conservation?

To start searching go to https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/searching-for-probate-records