Daily AncestorTestate
Testate means dying with a valid will; the person who made the will is the testator, and the estate goes through probate.
Someone who died testate left a valid will. The will-maker is the testator, or testatrix for a woman in older records.
A testate estate is handled by the executor named in the will once the court accepts the will through probate. Compare intestate, which means no valid will existed.
As seen in a recordCounty probate court record, 1800s
The said Robt. Gill having died testate, his will was proved by the oaths of two witnesses.
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Daily Ancestor. "Testate." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/testate. Last checked 2026-10-01.