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Cape May County - Surrogate's Office


The court in Cape May was established in the Province of West Jersey in 1685; the county's boundaries were established 12 November 1692.

Recording of wills and estate inventories at the county level began in 1804. Orphans Courts were established in 1785. Consult the Secretary of State page linked below for original estate records for the 1660s-1900 period.

The State Archives' holdings vary from county to county. Consult the Collecting Policy for additional information about our accessioning guidelines.


See also: Secretary of State - Genealogical and Colonial Records (including state censuses)

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Index to Estate Papers, 1804-1980
Control #:
CCPSU001
Format:
2 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
By surname first letter, then chrono.
Notes:
Indexes loose estate papers and 20th-century record books at the Cape May County Surrogate's Office.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Dockets, 1917-1980
Control #:
CCPSU002
Format:
5 reels (35-mm)
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Orphans Court Minutes and Record Books, 1786-1905
Control #:
CCPSU003
Format:
4 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes minute books, 1786-1863, and "Record Books," 1855-1905 (in which the minutes are continued in Volume 1, 1864.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Divisions of Land, 1802-1924
Control #:
CCPSU004
Format:
2 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Notes:
Identified on film (and on binding) as "Book of Reports".
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Will Books, 1804-1922 and Index, 1804-1970
Control #:
CCPSU005
Format:
8 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Receipts and Releases, 1812-1914
Control #:
CCPSU006
Format:
2 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Guardians' Inventories and Accounts, 1832-1857
Control #:
CCPSU007
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Letters Testamentary and of Administration and Guardianship, 1852-1902
Control #:
CCPSU008
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Administration Bonds, 1863-1902
Control #:
CCPSU009
Format:
2 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Record Books, 1863-1916
Control #:
CCPSU010
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Notes:
Contains primarily rules to limit creditors and appointments of appraisers.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Final Settlements, 1870-1908
Control #:
CCPSU011
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes accounts of executors and administrators.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Petitions, 1871-1915
Control #:
CCPSU012
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Notes:
Includes petitions for dower rights, guardianship, sale of land, lunacy decrees and inquisitions, etc.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Renunciations, 1871-1916
Control #:
CCPSU013
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Notes:
Includes renunciations of executors and administrators.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Reports of Sales, Volume 1, 1871-1919
Control #:
CCPSU014
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Applications for Letters of Administration, 1878-1908
Control #:
CCPSU015
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Cape May County
Surrogate's Office
Record of Collateral Inheritance Tax, Volume 1, 1885-1910
Control #:
CCPSU016
Format:
1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!


~ The collections listed on this page represent 34 reels of microfilm ~

To contact the New Jersey State Archives about research, reference services, records transfers or donations, please email us at njarchives@sos.nj.gov

For additional and/or more recent records relating to this topic, contact:

Cape May County Surrogate's Office, 4 Moore Road, DN 207, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210, tel. 609-463-6666, website: www.capemaycountygov.net/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=5&TPID=478


This page last updated 04/22/2013