Search British Columbia estate files 1859-1949

This collection is browse only. There are no transcripts. To find your ancestor, you will need to browse through the images. You can narrow results by year, document, court, and district. Probate estate records are a valuable resource for family history research, providing vital details such as dates, names, and locations to help grow your family tree.

The information you may be able to find in these files include the following:

• Name of deceased
• Sex
• Age
• Birth place
• Date of death
• Place died
• Certified cause of death and duration of illness
• Name of physician
• Rank or profession
• Religious denomination
• Signature, description, and residence of informant
• When registered
• Signature of registrar
• Remarks
• Registration district

In some instances, full probate records may be available, including details of next of kin and the deceased’s estate. Estate details may involve an inventory and valuation list. Additional biographical information may also be recorded such as occupations.

These probate estate files pertain to the judicial districts of British Columbia. Two courts were responsible for creating these records: the County Court and the Supreme Court. Depending on the court and the location, the years covered in the records will vary.

Included in this collection is a probate index for the district of Vancouver, sorted alphabetically by last name.