Essex County Surrogate Court Records
Surrogate Court Records Available on Interloan
To View the Microfilm
Use the listings below to identify the reel of microfilm that contains the information that you need. You may then:
Consult the appropriate reel at our reading room 134 Ian Macdonald Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M7A 2C5
or
Borrow the reel through the Interlibrary Loan Department of your public library. Quote GS 1, GS 2 or MS 887 and the appropriate reel #. These reels cannot leave the borrowing library, so make sure to request them from a library that has a microfilm reader.
or
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Purchase the appropriate microfilm reel directly from the Archives of Ontario. Quote GS 1, GS 2 or MS 887 and the appropriate reel #. For purchasing details, write the Archives of Ontario, 134 Ian Macdonald Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M7A 2C5 (put "Attention: Customer Services - Micrographics" on the envelope), telephone 416-327-1600 (call toll-free 1-800-668-9933 in Ontario only), or email reference@ontario.ca. For pricing information consult Customer Service Guide 105: Reproduction Services and Fees - Word, PDF.
Indexes - 1785 to 1969
The Indexes are organized by surname initial, then by the date that the deceased's estate was dispersed. Most indexes will provide the number of the deceased's estate file. However, some indexes will only list the register and page number where the estate file number is recorded (in these cases, you must next order the appropriate register for the date when the deceased's estate was probated).
In the table below, determine the reel of microfilm that you need and note the Microfilm Reference code. Please note that many estates were not dispersed until the spouse had died. Once you have the microfilm, search for the name alphabetically, then record the estate file number found in the NUMBER column to the left of the name (this should be a duplicate of the NCB number).
- 1785-1869: This is the "Old Series". Use the "Supplementary Index" on microfilm GS 2, reel 34. For 1783-1858 you may also wish to consult RG 22 Appendix A 25.
- 1870-1930: This is the "New Series". Use the File Number in the NCB column. Note the date when the numbers repeat annually starting in 1904.
Go to Estate Files to determine what microfilm to order to see the estate file.
| Indexes | Year(s) | Archives of Ontario Microfilm Reference Number |
|---|---|---|
| Index | 1785-1969 | GS 2, Reel 34 |
Registers - 1785 to 1930
The registers, also known as Probate and Administration books, contain the courthouse's copy of the grants of Letters of Probate (for estates with wills) and of Administration (for estates without wills). Information about registers is normally only included in this list if they serve as the only index to the estate file or if they contain the only copy of the wills.
In the table below, identify the volume that covers the time period relevant to your search and note the Microfilm Reference code. Once you have received the microfilm, look up the relevant entry using the volume and page number found in the index.
| Registers | Year(s) | Archives of Ontario Microfilm Reference Number |
|---|---|---|
| Vols. A-D | 1785-1856 | GS 2, Reel 35 |
| Vols. E-G | 1855-1883 | GS 2, Reel 36 |
| Vols. H-I | 1883-1893 | GS 2, Reel 37 |
| Vols. J-K | 1893-1900 | GS 2, Reel 38 |
| Vols. L | 1900-1903 | GS 2, Reel 39 |
| Vols. M-O | 1903-1909 | MS 887, Reel 1076 |
| Vols. O (cont.)-Q | 1910-1913 | MS 887, Reel 1077 |
| Vols. R-S | 1913-1916 | MS 887, Reel 1078 |
| Vols. T-U | 1916-1919 | MS 887, Reel 1079 |
| Vols. V-W | 1919-1922 | MS 887, Reel 1080 |
| Vols. W (cont.)-Y | 1922-1924 | MS 887, Reel 1081 |
| Vols. Y (cont.) - Z Vol. 1 |
1923-1926 | MS 887, Reel 1082 |
| Vols. 2-3 | 1927-1928 | MS 887, Reel 1083 |
| Vols. 3 (cont.) - 5 | 1928-1930 | MS 887, Reel 1084 |
| Vol. 5 (cont.) | 1930 | MS 887, Reel 1085 |
Estate Files - 1785 to 1930
Estate files contain all the documents needed to grant Letters Probate or Letters of Administration, including the petition for probate or administration, the original signed Will, oaths of executors or administrators, tally of assets, and related evidence.
In the table below, identify the microfilm which covers the time period and estate file number relevant to your search. Use the indexes to determine the estate file number. Order the appropriate microfilm, citing the Microfilm Reference code. Once you have the microfilm, look for the estate file number, which usually appears at the beginning of each file on the docket wrapper, and may appear elsewhere throughout the file.
| Estate Files | Year(s) | Archives of Ontario Microfilm Reference Number |
|---|---|---|
| 0001-0047 | 1785-1805 | GS 1, Reel 717 |
| 0048-0217 | 1805-1823 | GS 1, Reel 718 |
| 0219-0404 | 1823-1834 | GS 1, Reel 719 |
| 0405-0596 | 1834-1843 | GS 1, Reel 720 |
| 0597-0781 | 1843-1851 | GS 1, Reel 721 |
| 0782-0937 | 1851-1857 | GS 1, Reel 722 |
| 0938-1055 | 1857-1863 | GS 1, Reel 723 |
| 1056-1179 | 1863-1869 | GS 1, Reel 724 |
| 0189-0328 | 1870-1874 | GS 1, Reel 725 |
| 0329-0465 | 1874-1878 | GS 1, Reel 726 |
| 0466-0587 | 1878-1882 | GS 1, Reel 727 |
| 0588-0713 | 1882-1885 | GS 1, Reel 728 |
| 0714-0855 | 1885-1887 | GS 1, Reel 729 |
| 0856-0976 | 1887-1889 | GS 1, Reel 730 |
| 0977-1080 | 1889-1890 | GS 1, Reel 731 |
| 1081-1176 | 1890-1892 | GS 1, Reel 732 |
| 1177-1279 | 1892-1893 | GS 1, Reel 733 |
| 1280-1366 | 1893-1894 | GS 1, Reel 734 |
| 1367-1468 | 1894-1895 | GS 1, Reel 735 |
| 1469-1577 | 1895-1896 | GS 1, Reel 736 |
| 1578-1687 | 1896-1897 | GS 1, Reel 737 |
| 1688-1790 | 1897-1898 | GS 1, Reel 738 |
| 1791-1895 | 1898-1899 | GS 1, Reel 739 |
| 1896-2003 | 1899-1900 | GS 1, Reel 740 |
| 2004-2035 | 1900 | GS 1, Reel 741 |
| 2036-3040 | 1901 | MS 887, Reel 466 |
| 3041-3189 | 1901-1902 | MS 887, Reel 467 |
| 3190-3295 | 1902-1903 | MS 887, Reel 468 |
| 3296-3321, | 1903-1904 | MS 887, Reel 469 |
| #1-77 | 1904 | |
| #77-118, | 1904 | MS 887, Reel 470 |
| #1-71 | 1905 | |
| #72-118, | 1905 | MS 887, Reel 471 |
| #1-54 | 1906 | |
| #55-131, | 1906 | MS 887, Reel 472 |
| #1-21 | 1907 | |
| #21-127 | 1907 | MS 887, Reel 473 |
| #128-139, | 1907 | MS 887, Reel 474 |
| #1-91 | 1908 | |
| #92-162, | 1908 | MS 887, Reel 475 |
| #1-40 | 1909 | |
| #41-104 | 1909 | MS 887, Reel 476 |
| #105-179, | 1909 | MS 887, Reel 477 |
| #1-22 | 1910 | |
| #23-132 | 1910 | MS 887, Reel 478 |
| #133-192, | 1910 | MS 887, Reel 479 |
| #1-62 | 1911 | |
| #63-170 | 1911 | MS 887, Reel 480 |
| #171-188, | 1911 | MS 887, Reel 481 |
| #1-100 | 1912 | |
| #101-205 | 1912 | MS 887, Reel 482 |
| #206-211, | 1912 | MS 887, Reel 483 |
| #1-111 | 1913 | |
| #112-204, | 1913 | MS 887, Reel 484 |
| #1-31 | 1914 | |
| #32-156 | 1914 | MS 887, Reel 485 |
| #157-248 | 1914 | MS 887, Reel 486 |
| #1-27 | 1915 | |
| #28-145 | 1915 | MS 887, Reel 487 |
| #146-180, | 1915 | MS 887, Reel 488 |
| #1-86 | 1916 | |
| #181-205, | 1915 | MS 887, Reel 489 |
| #87-117 | 1916 | |
| #118-223, | 1916 | MS 887, Reel 490 |
| #1-11 | 1917 | |
| #12-129 | 1917 | MS 887, Reel 491 |
| #130-205, | 1917 | MS 887, Reel 492 |
| #1-37 | 1918 | |
| #38-154 | 1918 | MS 887, Reel 493 |
| #154-253 | 1918 | MS 887, Reel 494 |
| #1-10 | 1919 | |
| #11-128 | 1919 | MS 887, Reel 495 |
| #129-242 | 1919 | MS 887, Reel 496 |
| #243-275 | 1919 | MS 887, Reel 497 |
| #1-67 | 1920 | |
| #276-314 | 1919 | MS 887, Reel 498 |
| #68-149 [exc.88] | 1920 | |
| #150-268 | 1920 | MS 887, Reel 499 |
| #269-334 | 1920 | MS 887, Reel 500 |
| #1-40 | 1921 | |
| #41-154 | 1921 | MS 887, Reel 501 |
| #88 | 1920 | MS 887, Reel 502 |
| #155-263 | 1921 | |
| #264-299 | 1921 | MS 887, Reel 503 |
| #1-73 | 1922 | |
| #74-183 | 1922 | MS 887, Reel 504 |
| #184-302 | 1922 | MS 887, Reel 505 |
| #303-308 | 1922 | MS 887, Reel 506 |
| #1-27 | 1923 | |
| #28-125 | 1923 | MS 887, Reel 507 |
| #126-243 | 1923 | MS 887, Reel 508 |
| #244-337 | 1923 | MS 887, Reel 509 |
| #1-10 | 1924 | |
| #11-127 | 1924 | MS 887, Reel 510 |
| #128-239 | 1924 | MS 887, Reel 511 |
| #240-311 | 1924 | MS 887, Reel 512 |
| #312-370 | 1924 | MS 887, Reel 513 |
| #1-42 | 1925 | |
| #43-160 | 1925 | MS 887, Reel 514 |
| #161-266 | 1925 | MS 887, Reel 515 |
| #267-348 | 1925 | MS 887, Reel 516 |
| #1-32 | 1926 | |
| #33-142 | 1926 | MS 887, Reel 517 |
| #142-255 | 1926 | MS 887, Reel 518 |
| #256-359 | 1926 | MS 887, Reel 519 |
| #360-407 | 1926 | MS 887, Reel 520 |
| #1-66 | 1927 | |
| #67-173 | 1927 | MS 887, Reel 521 |
| #174-279 | 1927 | MS 887, Reel 522 |
| #280-379 | 1927 | MS 887, Reel 523 |
| #380-413 | 1927 | MS 887, Reel 524 |
| #1-59 | 1928 | |
| #60-157 | 1928 | MS 887, Reel 525 |
| #158-247 | 1928 | MS 887, Reel 526 |
| #248-346 | 1928 | MS 887, Reel 527 |
| #347-432 | 1928 | MS 887, Reel 528 |
| #1-8 | 1929 | |
| #9-99 | 1929 | MS 887, Reel 529 |
| #100-195 | 1929 | MS 887, Reel 530 |
| #196-274 | 1929 | MS 887, Reel 531 |
| #275-359 | 1929 | MS 887, Reel 532 |
| #360-447 | 1929 | MS 887, Reel 533 |
| #1-90 | 1930 | MS 887, Reel 534 |
| #91-175 | 1930 | MS 887, Reel 535 |
| #176-269 | 1930 | MS 887, Reel 536 |
| #270-356 | 1930 | MS 887, Reel 537 |
| #357-401 | 1930 | MS 887, Reel 538 |
Estate Files - 1931-1970
Estate Files processed between 1931 and 1970 are with the Archives of Ontario; they have not yet been microfilmed. To order a copy of all or part of an estate file please contact us with: the estate file number; year; name of county/district; and name of the deceased. Please include: your name; address; telephone number; and a brief description of what documents you would like copied (eg. the entire file, only the will, etc.). Also, please indicate if you need the copies to be certified.
Archives of Ontario
134 Ian Macdonald Blvd.
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2C5
reference@ontario.ca
For details on photocopy charges, please see our Customer Service Guide 105: Reproduction Services and Fees - Word, PDF .
Estate files - after 1970
The estate files processed after 1970 have not yet been transferred to the Archives of Ontario. You must contact the courthouse listed below which originally dealt with that court matter.
Superior Court of Justice - Estates Division
245 Windsor Avenue
Windsor, Ontario
N9A 1J2
519-973-6620