UK Probate Genealogy

UK Probate Genealogy Obtaining european passports for people with european ancestry. 56 Irish passports and many others achieved already.

Helping families prepare family trees and family histories. The history of your house and assisting with probate questions.

"The UK's Best-Kept Secret for Probate Solicitors"Trusted by solicitors across the UK for probate genealogy research.We ...
06/05/2026

"The UK's Best-Kept Secret for Probate Solicitors"

Trusted by solicitors across the UK for probate genealogy research.

We locate missing beneficiaries, verify family connections, and deliver legally sound reports — helping you close estates efficiently and compliantly.

Based in the UK. Researching worldwide. Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation.
35 years experience and over 200 cases completed in the last 5 years
07725 993 400 - www.ukprobgen.co.uk

"Stop Letting Estates Sit Unsolved — There's an Easier Way"Are you a solicitor dealing with an estate where beneficiarie...
05/05/2026

"Stop Letting Estates Sit Unsolved — There's an Easier Way"

Are you a solicitor dealing with an estate where beneficiaries are unknown or hard to find? 🔍

We do the detective work for you. From tracing living relatives to producing fully documented heir reports, UK Probate Genealogy handles the research so you can focus on the law.

35 years experience and over 200 cases completed in the last 5 years

Quick turnarounds. Clear reports.

Drop us a message or visit our website to find out more! 👇
07725 993 400 - www.ukprobgen.co.uk

"They Didn't Know He Existed. He Inherited Everything."📜 Behind every probate case is a family story.Sometimes that stor...
30/04/2026

"They Didn't Know He Existed. He Inherited Everything."

📜 Behind every probate case is a family story.
Sometimes that story has missing chapters — relatives who emigrated, changed their names, or simply lost touch over generations.

We piece those chapters back together. For solicitors, for families, and for people who deserve to know they were remembered.

UK Probate Genealogy — finding the people who matter. - 35 years experience and over 200 cases completed in the last 5 years

07725 993 400 - www.ukprobgen.co.uk

"The Estate Nobody Could Solve — Until They Called Us"Did you know? When a person dies without a will and no known relat...
29/04/2026

"The Estate Nobody Could Solve — Until They Called Us"

Did you know? When a person dies without a will and no known relatives, their estate doesn't automatically go to the Crown.

A thorough genealogical search can often uncover legitimate heirs — sometimes across multiple countries.

We work quietly in the background so you can deliver results for your clients. 35 years experience and over 200 cases completed in the last 5 years

07725 993 400 - www.ukprobgen.co.uk

"Your Probate Case Is Stuck. We Know Why."Probate cases stall when beneficiaries can't be located. That's where we come ...
28/04/2026

"Your Probate Case Is Stuck. We Know Why."

Probate cases stall when beneficiaries can't be located. That's where we come in.
At UK Probate Genealogy, we specialise in tracing missing heirs, verifying family relationships, and producing court-ready reports — so your cases move forward with confidence.

Working on a complex estate? Let's talk. 35 years experience and over 200 cases completed in the last 5 years

07725 993 400 - www.ukprobgen.co.uk

You’ve picked your relatives’ brains, visited archives and libraries, used free trials — and still want more! Here’s a l...
23/04/2026

You’ve picked your relatives’ brains, visited archives and libraries, used free trials — and still want more! Here’s a list of free UK genealogy resources, including the long‑awaited Irish 1926 census: nationalarchives.ie/collections/search-the-1926-census
FREE
- freebmd.org.uk — Birth, death and marriage indices (1837–1989, England & Wales). Gives registration district, volume and page for ordering certificates from the GRO.
- familysearch.org — LDS site with access to the 1881 census.
- thegazette.co.uk — London, Edinburgh & Belfast Gazettes: bankruptcies, probate, military, government and company notices since 1665.
- lan‑opc.org.uk — Lancashire parish records.
- cprdb.csc.liv.ac.uk — Cheshire parish records.
- cheshirearchives.org.uk — Cheshire Archives.
All counties have their own archives, often volunteer‑run and digitised to varying degrees.
7. dustydocs.com — County‑by‑county resource list.
8. census.nationalarchives.ie — 1901 & 1911 Irish censuses.
9. freeukgenealogy.org.uk — Free UK Genealogy.
10. irishgenealogy.ie — Free Irish records.
11. findagrave.com — Locate ancestors’ gravestones.
12. registers.nli.ie — Catholic parish records in Ireland.
13. library.wales — Excellent Welsh resource.
14. archives.gov/research — US censuses and records.
15. library‑archives.canada.ca/eng — Canadian censuses and records.
FREE to search (downloads paid):
- scotlandspeople.gov.uk — Main Scottish database for censuses, BDM and more.
- rootsireland.ie — Irish equivalent.
- maps.nls.uk — Old maps of ancestral areas.
- gov.uk/search‑will‑probate — Check for wills and download probate records.
- discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk — The National Archives at Kew: vast record repository, not all online. Book ahead for visits.
This list isn’t exhaustive — new records appear almost daily as digitisation continues.

This is a rant…There a few things more irritating than the ubiquitous “Road ahead closed” sign1. Where is it closed? 2....
22/04/2026

This is a rant…

There a few things more irritating than the ubiquitous “Road ahead closed” sign

1. Where is it closed?
2. How far down the road?
3. It is just a side road that is closed?
4. Is it really closed?
5. It’s not really closed is it?
6. OK, I took the gamble and it is closed after all…

All I ask is “Give us a clue”!

That and doors in public conveniences that don’t have a hook for your bag and coat...

Do******ix or testatrix – which would you prefer…A will writing friend recently shared a letter concerning the will of a...
21/04/2026

Do******ix or testatrix – which would you prefer…

A will writing friend recently shared a letter concerning the will of a mutual client who was indignant about the (in her eyes) small size of her inheritance from her aunt. The letter was couched in all sorts of flowery and quasi legal language culminating in:

“The do******ix always told me that she would leave me the land near her house”

Do******ix/testatrix – a mistake we all make...

Bigamy and geraniums in suburbiaSome family trees are mundane affairs and, as Chris Moyles found out, too boring to appe...
03/04/2026

Bigamy and geraniums in suburbia

Some family trees are mundane affairs and, as Chris Moyles found out, too boring to appear on “Who do you think you are?”

Occasionally we get a juicy one where a few titbits of history that have been handed down the generations turn out to have a kernel of truth at the centre.

The brief was to prepare a family tree and outline history for the Fortescues (name changed to protect the innocent) whom the family thought were all from deepest darkest Cornwall.

Our researches soon unearthed a black sheep of the family – a certain Edwin Fortescue who was forced to leave the county of cream teas, surfing and Rick Stein, after first serving nine months at her majesty’s pleasure in the 1870’s for criminal damage and theft and then, having clearly not learned his lesson, was sent down again for the theft of some geraniums (one month only this time)

We then followed him to London (Islington to be precise) where he married firstly an Ann Waters and, after having five children, moved onto and married an Emily Hand which whom he had a further six children but at the same time having a further three children with Mrs Ann Fortescue. No trace of any divorce but presumably at least two of the ladies were happy with the arrangement as they carried on living next door to each other with Edwin flitting between the two.

Any family skeletons in your family?

At UKPG we can help with your family history, probate research

Picture of Edwin's possible accomplices!

Were you adopted or hoping to trace an adopted relative?At UK Probate Genealogy, we’ve helped many adopted individuals r...
02/04/2026

Were you adopted or hoping to trace an adopted relative?
At UK Probate Genealogy, we’ve helped many adopted individuals reconnect with birth families (and vice versa). It’s often a joyful process, though it can bring challenges too.
Caveat - there are no certainties and adoptees don't always get the answers they were looking for.
In the UK, adoption tracing is governed by the Adoption and Children Act 2002, balancing the right to information with the right to privacy.
1. Rights for Adopted People
• Original Birth Certificate: At 18+, you can apply for your original birth certificate.
• Before 12 Nov 1975: A counselling session with an approved advisor is required before receiving identifying information.
• After 12 Nov 1975: Counselling is optional but recommended.
• Adoption Records: You can request access to your adoption file from the agency that arranged the adoption.
• Adoption Contact Register (ACR): Add your name to the GRO register to be matched with birth relatives who have also registered.
2. Rights for Birth Relatives
• Intermediary Services: Birth relatives must use an approved intermediary agency to contact an adopted adult.
• ACR Registration: Birth relatives can join the register (Form CR Part 2, £30 fee).
• Consent Required: If a match is found, the adopted adult must give consent before any information is shared.
• Prescribed Relatives: Since 2014, descendants (e.g., children or grandchildren of an adopted person) may request information.
3. Legal Considerations
• Privacy: Adoption records are confidential, especially to protect adopted children under 18.
• Veto Register: Adopted adults can place a veto preventing contact or restricting what information can be released.
4. Starting the Process
• England & Wales: Contact the GRO or a registered Adoption Support Agency.
• Scotland: Contact Birthlink.
• Northern Ireland: Contact the GRO NI Adoption Section.
At UKPG, we can guide you through the process and support your journey toward answers and reconnection.

1926 Irish censusI’m as giddy as a kipper!Exciting times in the wonderful world of genealogy – the 1926 Irish census is ...
01/04/2026

1926 Irish census
I’m as giddy as a kipper!
Exciting times in the wonderful world of genealogy – the 1926 Irish census is nearly here!
Yes, I hear you say, what a bunch of nerds! But there are few things more exciting for genealogists than the release of a new census and on 18th April the Irish Nation Archive releases the 1926 state census free of charge
The 1926 Census was the first census conducted after the establishment of the Irish Free State. Taken on 18 April 1926, it provides a detailed snapshot of life in Ireland on that day.
The census recorded a population of 2,971,992, a decrease of 5.3% from the 1911 census. In 2024 it was over 5 million, however, in the 1841 census it was over 8 million. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_population_of_Ireland
What does the census contain?
1. Name and surname
2. Relationship to head of household
3. Age (in years and months)
4. S*x
5. Marriage or orphanhood
6. Birthplace (including name of townland or town)
7. Irish language
8. Religion
9. Occupation and employment: personal occupation
10. Occupation and employment: employment/name and business of employer
11. Information regarding present marriage required from married women: number of completed years and months of present marriage and number of children born alive to present marriage
12. Information regarding present and previous marriages required from married men, widowers and widows: the number of living sons, daughters, step-sons and step-daughters under 16 years of age, whether residing as members of this household or elsewhere
13. The total area in statute acres of all agricultural holdings (if any) situated in the Irish Free State of which persons usually resident in this household are the rated occupiers
What’s involved? Facts and figures
• 2,496 volumes stored in 1,299 archival boxes
• Forms repaired: 70,708 (approx. 10%)
• Duration: 1,526 days (10,582 hours)
• Pages digitised: 734,462
• Approx. 3 million rows of data

Word of the Day – Commorientes: Who Died First?When two people die together and own joint assets, it’s crucial to determ...
31/03/2026

Word of the Day – Commorientes: Who Died First?
When two people die together and own joint assets, it’s crucial to determine who died first. If this can’t be established, English and Welsh law assumes they died in age order – the oldest is deemed to have died first.
The Commorientes Rule
This is called the commorientes rule, Latin for “simultaneous death”. It can spark disputes, as it affects who inherits.
Imagine a couple who jointly own a property. Each has a daughter from a previous relationship. They die at the same time. The husband is older, so he’s legally treated as having died first. His share passes to his wife under the Rule of Survivorship. Her estate then passes everything to her daughter. The husband’s daughter receives nothing – disinherited simply because her father was older.
Scarle v Scarle
This mirrors Scarle v Scarle. An elderly couple died of hypothermia, and the order of death was unclear. The commorientes rule applied: Mrs Scarle was presumed to have survived her husband. Her daughter inherited the jointly owned assets; Mr Scarle’s daughter received nothing.
She challenged the decision, arguing for a higher standard of proof. The judge disagreed. The burden lies with the person disputing the rule. She tried to prove her father survived longer, but the evidence wasn’t strong enough. The rule stood.
Avoiding Accidental Disinheritance
If you own assets jointly but have different beneficiaries, plan carefully. A professionally drafted Will can prevent accidental disinheritance.
One option is a survivorship clause requiring a joint owner to outlive the other by a set period. If not, the gift fails and passes to the next named beneficiary. However, this can increase Inheritance Tax.
Alternatively, joint owners can update their Wills to reflect shared intentions. For example, the Scarles could have directed that after the second death, joint assets be split equally between their daughters. In a simultaneous death, both children would have inherited fairly – and avoided litigation.
Summarised from an article by Breens Solicitors, Southport and Waterloo, Liverpool.

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