Add "Beneficiary" to Other Relationships

Keith Hendricks

I found some probate records that list additional beneficiaries who are not showing up as blood relatives. My hunch is that they may be in-laws, but I wanted to link the record to another relationship so that I don't loose track of it while I went on searching. But "Beneficiary" is not a listed possible relationship.

Paul W

If you are referring to the FamilySearch collection relating to England & Wales probate records, "Beneficiary" is a made-up term (by FamilySearch) that usually refers to the executor(s) of the will - or administrator, if the person died intestate. (An executor does not necessarily have to be a beneficiary in a will, of course.)

So, in this case, it would not necessarily be correct to use "Beneficiary" as a relationship type. In broader terms, if you actually do know who the beneficiaries of a will are, then I guess you are making a reasonable request.

(Sorry if this sounds confusing, but it is the FamilySearch team, who has put this collection online, who has caused the confusion - by using incorrect terminology.)