Surrogate Court (Estates and Guardianships)

In New York State it is the Surrogate Court that handles estates and guardianships. When Yates County was organized in 1823 a Surrogate was appointed for this county. Before that time, the Surrogate for Ontario County oversaw the probate of estates and the appointment of guardianships.

The Yates County Office of Public History houses the early surrogate court files in packets lettered A through E. These papers document the estates of deceased persons and the appointment of guardians for orphans up through about the 1920s.


Please see below for name indices for these records.


To search our Estate Index please click on the link below to open the searchable pdf document. Once open,  press "Ctrl f" to use the find tool.

  1. Estates Every Name Index 1823-1924 (PDF)
  2. Estates 1925 forward (PDF)