Value of wills

Wills form one of the most important sources of information for family and local history and can shed light on many aspects of the social and economic history of Northern Ireland. They also act as a substitute for the destroyed 19th century census returns. They will give: the name, address and occupation of the testator; the names of the beneficiaries and sometimes their address and occupation (all of the members of the immediate family may be named as well as other relatives); details of the property and goods of the testator; the names of the executors and witnesses to the will who may also be related to the testator; and the date when the will was made. Wills can therefore give a complete picture of a family, how they lived and evidence of their wealth and social status.