The following is a press release written by the folks at:  TheGenealogist 

TheGenealogist has just added a substantial new release to its growing collection of historical records, making over 330,000 names available from a variety of wills and probate sources across England and Scotland. These valuable records are great for historians trying to push their tree back, with records spanning 500 years from the 14th century up to the 19th century. They provide a remarkable glimpse into the lives, legacies, and legal affairs of past generations.

Among the notable figures in this collection is George Buchanan (1506–1582), the Scottish historian, humanist scholar, and tutor to King James VI. His testament appears in the Commissariot Record of Edinburgh (1514–1600), offering researchers a direct connection to one of the great minds of the Scottish Renaissance.

[ George Buchanan shown in the new records on TheGenealogist ]

Read more about George Buchanan’s fascinating life in our latest article, “The Scholar Who Tutored a King and Defied a Queen”: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2025/george-buchanan-8698/

The new collections now available to search on TheGenealogist include:

• Archdeaconry of Cornwall Wills and Administrations 1569-1699

• A Calendar of Wills, Gloucestershire 1541-1650

• Calendars of Lincoln Wills 1320-1600 (covering Lincoln, Leicester, Rutland, Northampton, Huntingdon, Bedford, Buckingham, Hertford, and Oxford)

• Wills and Administrations Preserved in the District Probate Court of Lewes 1541-1652 (covering East Sussex)

• Dougal's Index Register to Next of Kin, Heirs at Law, and Cases of Unclaimed Money

• Commissariot Record of Edinburgh, Register of Testaments, 1514-1600

• Commissariot of Inverness, Hamilton & Campsie Testaments, 1630-1800

• Abstracts of Probates and Sentences in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury 1620-1624

• Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills Index 1653-1656
  
  

These records are fully searchable and form part of TheGenealogist’s ongoing effort to bring hard-to-access historical documents into the hands of family historians, academic researchers, and local history enthusiasts.

Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content at TheGenealogist, said:
"These records span centuries of history, from the 1300s through to the early modern era. Whether you're uncovering humble tradespeople or historical figures like George Buchanan, this collection can help you push your tree back before the time of parish records."

Available now to all Standard and Diamond subscribers, these wills and probate collections are part of TheGenealogist’s commitment to preserving and sharing the stories of the past through original records, expertly indexed and easily searchable online.

Don’t miss out! For a limited time, you can subscribe to TheGenealogist for just £139.95 - Save Over £100

Not only will you save £30 with our Lifetime Discount, but you'll also get a research pack worth over £70!*

• 12-Month Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors Online Magazine

• Seven Generation Research Logbook

• Researching and Locating Your Ancestors by Celia Heritage

• 10 Generation Relationship Chart

• Birth Date Calculator

• Ticket to The Family History Show London, Midlands or Liverpool

• Ticket to The Family History Show Online

Explore these new records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist by claiming this offer here:https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBWLP725

Offer expires 31st October 2025.

*UK delivery only, overseas customers will receive a digital equivalent.

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.