Devisee
A devisee is the person who receives land or other real estate under a will.
The devisee is the person named in a will to receive real property. If a will says I devise my lands to my wife Ann, Ann is the devisee.
A person who receives money or goods is usually called a legatee instead. Later deeds in which devisees sell or divide inherited land often name every child and spouse, which makes them valuable for genealogy.
As seen in a recordDeed recorded in a county deed book, 1800s
Deed from Wm. Hart and Sarah his wife, devisees of Thos. Hart decd.
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Devisee." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/devisee. Last checked 2026-10-01.