Daily AncestorWidow's third
Widow's third is the common name for a widow's dower share, a life interest in one third of her late husband's lands.
Widow's third, or the widow's thirds, refers to the usual size of dower: one third of the real estate her husband held during the marriage, for her lifetime.
The phrase appears in wills, deeds and court orders dividing an estate. It tells you a widow survived her husband and held a life interest, which can help date her death when the land later passes to the children.
As seen in a recordWill recorded in a county will book, 1800s
To my wife Hannah her thirds of my lands during her natural life.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Widow's third." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/widows-third. Last checked 2026-10-01.