Ancestry adds Prerogative Court and Exchequer Court of York wills

This blog tends to concentrate on genealogy resources relevant to Scotland and Ireland these days, but occasionally there are developments down south of the border worth noting. The English and Welsh 'probate' system - the equivalent of Scotland's confirmation system - had two high-tier ecclesiastical courts running the show until 1858. One of these, the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC Court), has had wills for the southern half of England available for some time, but there was also a Preogative Court for York (PCY Court), for the northern half, although the PCC Court remained superior to the PCY Court. Whilst some records for the PCY Court have been available on FindmyPast for a while, Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has also now added them as a collection. Ancestry's collection also includes wills form the lower Exchequer Court in York:

England, Prerogative and Exchequer Court of York Wills, 1389-1858
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/63000/
Source: Yorkshire Wills and Probate, 1383-1858. York, England: Borthwick Institute for Archives.

This collection contains images of wills filed in Yorkshire, England, between 1389 and 1858. A will is a document that specifies how a person’s property should be distributed after their death.

Records in this collection may include the following information:

• Name
• Place of residence
• Relationship to head of household
• Will date
• Probate date

The indexed information may help you confirm important dates regarding your ancestor’s death and estate processing. You may find additional information by looking at your ancestor’s record image. Your ancestor’s will may include names of family members that you can add to your family tree, and they can help to sort out how your ancestors were related. A will may also include an inventory of an estate’s assets, which may provide some insights into your ancestor’s financial status and lifestyle.

If the will doesn’t have the information you are looking for, you may be able to find related probate records, such as property inventories, petitions to begin the probate process, guardianship and orphans’ court records, and estate bonds.

The majority of the wills in this collection are written in Latin. Ancestry’s Latin genealogy guide may help you read the documents. Some of the records are handwritten in English, but old handwriting can be difficult to read. This article may help you decipher your ancestor’s record. 

For further details, consult the link above. 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

FindmyPast Easter subscription sale

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk): 

Save up to 30% with Findmypast’s unmissable Easter sale 

Delve deeper into your family story this Easter with up to 30% off selected subscriptions* from 1st – 13th April 2026 

Easter is the perfect moment to delve deeper into the people and stories in your family tree and Findmypast is making it easier than ever with a limited‑time sale, offering up to 30% off subscriptions. 

Between 1st – 13th April 2026, enjoy 20% off 1-month (was £24.49, now £19.59) and 3-month (was £59.99, now £47.99) Everything subscriptions and 30% off 12-month Everything annual subscriptions (was £169.99, now £118.99). The discount will be automatically applied at checkout. 

The Everything subscription is Findmypast’s top tier subscription, offering full access to the platform’s rich archive of historical records and newspapers, as well as the simple-to-use family tree builder, millions of family trees, innovative tools and smart features to help users delve deeper into their family history.

Whether you’re just beginning your family history journey or you’re deep into long-standing research, this unmissable offer makes it easier than ever to uncover the details of your ancestors’ lives and the world in which they lived. From grandparents’ wedding announcements to handwritten census entries, quickly uncover names, places, milestones, photographs, occupation histories, and vibrant stories that bring ancestors’ lives into focus. 

As the home of British and Irish family history, Findmypast is the UK’s leading genealogy company, built on long-standing collaborations with archives, cultural institutions and publishers across the UK and beyond. Unique partnerships with the British Library, The National Archives, county record offices, family history societies, and major publishers including Reach PLC and National World ensure unrivalled access to rich resources tracing back over 1,000 years of history. Thousands of records are digitised at Findmypast’s dedicated scanning facility in Yorkshire and added to the site every week, creating one of the richest and most varied online archives available for researching British and Irish roots.

Jen Baldwin, Research Specialist at Findmypast said: “Easter is a moment when many of us come together with family, making it the perfect opportunity to explore our shared stories. Whether you’re discovering your ancestors for the very first time or building on years of research, our Easter sale opens the door to millions of records and intuitive tools that help bring your family history to life. There’s no better time to delve deeper into your family tree and see what new discoveries are waiting for you.”

*Code applied automatically at checkout. Subscriptions included in the offer are 20% off 1m Everything and 3m Everything, and 30% off 12m Everything annual subscriptions. Offer period runs from 9am BST on 1st April 2026 to 11.59pm BST on 13th April 2026. UK only. Ts&Cs apply.

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Easter - certificate ordering disruption from ScotlandsPeople

From ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk):

Please note: Certificate Priority Ordering will be unavailable from 1 p.m. on Thursday 2nd April 2026 with all Certificate Ordering unavailable from 4 p.m. on Thursday 2nd April 2026.

All Certificate Ordering will re-commence from 9 a.m. Tuesday 7th April 2026.

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

MyHeritage's ScribeAI tool

From MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com):

We’re excited to introduce Scribe AI, a powerful new feature that transcribes, translates, and interprets historical documents and photos. Released just a few weeks ago, the first users who tried it have already given it rave reviews and told us about breakthroughs they were able to make with it.

Upload a scanned family letter or historical document, or a photo, and Scribe AI will generate a clear transcription, explain symbols and context, and suggest next steps for your research. For photos, it will estimate the place and date and provide a full historical context. It can also be applied directly to historical records on MyHeritage that include images, and to photos you’ve already uploaded to MyHeritage.

Powered by advanced AI technology trained on historical records and photos, it reveals insights you may never have uncovered otherwise.

You can find out more about this new tool at https://blog.myheritage.com/2026/03/introducing-scribe-ai/.

Comment: I am personally allergic to anything that has AI in its title, but let me know what you think of it!

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Ulster Historical Foundation is hiring genealogical researchers

From the Ulster Historical Foundation:

GENEALOGICAL RESEARCHERS REQUIRED

 

Ulster Historical Foundation would like to broaden its pool of genealogical researchers and is compiling a register of individuals interested in part-time research work and assisting delegates during our family history conferences. The work also offers the possibility of data input and validation as part of the Foundation’s role in compiling databases of genealogical records for our members and the general public.

 

To find out more: https://ulsterhistoricalfoundation.com/about/researcher-post

 

Application Deadline: Friday 17 April, 2026.

Good luck if applying!

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

FindmyPast adds medical professions records

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has added two medical professions collections sets that may be of interest:

Britain, The Medical Registers

Did your ancestor work in the medical field during the Victorian era? Following the landmark Medical Act of 1858, which sought to distinguish qualified practitioners from "quacks," these registers provide a definitive annual account of every person legally entitled to practice medicine, surgery, and midwifery in the United Kingdom.

Explore this brand-new set of 393,288 records to uncover more about their qualifications and career, and find out more about the world of medicine in Victorian Britain. The records span 1859-1895.

London (and Provincial) Medical Directory 1847-1869

This new set of fascinating medical directories, comprising 511,311 records, contains the names, addresses, qualifications, and appointments of every surgeon, physician, and general practitioner residing in London and its immediate vicinity.

For relevant links, please visit https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/medical-registers-ucl

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Easter closures for the NRS and PRONI

The National Records of Scotland (www.nrscotland.gov.uk) and the ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh will be closed on Friday 3 April and Monday 6 April for Easter.  

Belfast based PRONI (https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/public-record-office-northern-ireland-proni), however, will be closed on Monday 6 April and Tuesday 7 April for Easter, as well as on Saturday 4 April as part of the Easter holidays. Their extended opening hours will resume with a late-night opening on Thursday 16 April.

 

Please take note, no-one likes to make a long journey only to find the door closed! 

 

 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

British Newspaper Archive passes 101,000,000 pages with massive Irish newspaper upload

The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) has passed 101,000 pages, now sitting at 101,001,747 pages. The recent releases over the last 30 days are exclusively Irish:

Ireland:
Irish Weekly and Ulster Examiner 
1966

World (Dublin) 
1840-1851

Westmeath Guardian and Longford News-Letter 
1835-1840

Waterford News 
1872-1880, 1882, 1884, 1886-1896

Waterford Mirror and Tramore Visitor 
1808-1809, 1813, 1827-1836, 1841-1843

Waterford Mail 
1870, 1886, 1888-1893, 1895-1896

Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail 
1902-1909

Tuam Herald 
1873-1878, 1883-1909, 1911

Skibbereen & West Carbery Eagle 
1870, 1872-1874, 1876-1882, 1884-1885, 1887-1921

Saturday Record (Ennis) 
1899, 1901, 1903-1904, 1907-1908, 1911

PAT (Dublin) 
1881-1882

Northern Standard 
1872-1880, 1882-1884, 1887-1890, 1892-1896, 1914, 1916-1919

North Antrim Standard 
1890-1906, 1908-1920, 1922

Nenagh Guardian 
1878-1879, 1885-1899

Morning Mail (Dublin) 
1871-1879, 1896

Magee's Weekly Packet 
1777-1785, 1787-1790, 1792-1793

Larne Reporter and Northern Counties Advertiser 
1885

Kilkenny People 
1895, 1898, 1905-1919

Irish Textile Journal 
1886-1892, 1895-1896

Irish Field 
1870-1880, 1888-1896, 1911

Galway Weekly Advertiser 
1830-1839

Evening News (Dublin) 
1863-1864

Evening Irish Times 
1918

Eastern Post 
1926

Dublin Hospital Gazette 
1845-1846, 1854

Dublin Evening Telegraph 
1883-1885

Cork Weekly Herald 
1874-1881, 1883-1884, 1887-1896

Cork Free Press 
1914

Catholic Standard 
1963

Blarney 
1886

Belfast Telegraph 
2017-2018

Belfast Linen Trade Circular 
1855-1856, 1858

Anglo-Celt 
1850-1857, 1871-1873, 1890-1896

Western People 
1913-1920 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Learn with Lorna - 250th lecture

Highland Archive (https://www.highlifehighland.com/archives/highland-archive-centre) has released its 250th Learn with Lorna lecture online on YouTube. This lecture, with archivist Lorna Steele-McGinn, looks at street names, and is all the more remarkable because Lorna is a wee bit unwell, but still persevering with it like a complete hero! 

You can view the lecture at https://youtu.be/c1r4HZMT5_Y?si=RgeGEHjKGCZ9Aevj, or below for convenience.

Well done Lorna, agus cùm a' dol! (And get well soon!)

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Ancestry adds 1659 Irish census

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added a database version of the 1659 Irish census, sometimes referred to as Pender's Census, following its publication by Séamus Pender in 1939:

Ireland Census, 1659
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/63257/

Collection in context
The images in this collection were taken from A Census Of Ireland, Circa 1659 with Supplementary Material From The Poll Money Ordinances (1660-1661) edited by Séamus Pender and published in 1939. The book is a secondary historical source that presents information taken from census records that are primary historical sources.

The 1659 Irish Census was directed by Sir William Petty as a side project to the Down Survey, which mapped all the baronies where land was forfeited following the English Commonwealth’s invasion of Ireland between 1649 and 1653. These lands were to be given as rewards to soldiers who fought for England. The census reflected the devastation of a war that led to the deaths of one fourth of Ireland’s population from famine and disease. Because the census was a side project of a larger endeavor, errors in both names and numbers were made during the information collection process. Petty kept the census records for his personal library, and the records were discovered among his family papers in the late 1800s.

For further details visit the link. 

Comment: The records are largely statistical in nature for the most part, providing the names of parishes and their townlands, a total of the number of people within that townland, how many of them were English and Scottish, and how many were Irish. The only names given are those of the 'titualadoes', the definition of which is given in the published volume as follows (Introduction, page v):

The term "Titulado", which appears throughout the returns, is best explained as referring to the principal person or persosn of standing in any particular locality; such a person could have been of either sex, a nobleman, baronet, gentleman, esquire, military officer or adventurer; that from other sources we learn of a particular Titulado, being also a landowner need not surprise us: the landowner is normally the person of standing in a district. Still, it miust not be forgotten that "Titulado" and "Landowner" are not necessarily synonymous terms.  

There are indexes of places and of persons named at the end of the book. The book itself can also be browsed, rather than searched.  

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.