If you have one of these 9 unusual surnames, you could inherit an entire Scottish estate
If you have an unusual Scottish surname, one of 435 empty Scottish estates worth up to £370,000 each could be yours. All you have to do is prove your relationship to someone on the unclaimed estates list.
According to Scottish Law, when a person dies in Scotland without leaving a will, any unclaimed assets automatically fall into the care of the Crown. They are overseen by the The Office of Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. This means that, if you have the same surname as the previous owner and can prove you're related to them, you may be able to inherit what they have left behind.
Some of the Scottish surnames that are linked to unclaimed properties include...
Carlin
Hunniball
Malone-Philban
Raube
Wyllie
Cochrane
Chisolm
Gaja
Stelfox
The issue of unclaimed estates doesn't just affect Scotland and, recently, the government has posted a list of all the ownerless properties around the UK where the inhabitant has passed away without leaving a will or next of kin. There are thought to be around 8,000 unclaimed estates around England and Wales. Grand castles, mansions, land and even cash is waiting to be inherited by someone who matches the criteria.
In the last few days, names and estates added to the unclaimed estates list include:
Paul Robert Anderson (died in April 2016, in North Yorkshire)
Anita Anderson (died on Christmas Day in 2018. Born in the US but died in Wales)
Denis Armstrong (died in Blyth, Northumberland in October 2017)
Audrey Aida Britten (died in November 2015 at St Pancras, London)
Back in June this year, one lady inherited more than £300,000 from a half sister she never knew she had, after she was contacted by a law firm.
"It is always worth getting in touch with a respected probate genealogy firm if you want to prove your relationship to anyone on the unclaimed estates list," Unclaimed Estates explain.
"In our experience, there is no such thing as an estate without a rightful claimant somewhere in the world. Families may scatter far and wide, but we have found heirs in Europe, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and more, thanks to the global reach of our partners and researchers."
To see if you are entitled to an estate, you can apply via the website below.
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