Thousands of estates across England and Wales, including property, savings, and valuables, remain unclaimed, with the latest Government data from May 19 showing over 6,000 estates waiting for rightful heirs to come forward. Among them, common surnames like Smith, Jones, and Taylor top the list. These estates are awaiting legal claims from living relatives, provided they step forward before it’s too late.
In 2023, it was reportedly estimated that more than £1 billion remained unclaimed after individuals passed away without a will or any known relatives. In England and Wales, an estate must be worth at least £500 to be added to the Government’s list of unclaimed estates.
This list is managed by the Government Legal Department’s Bona Vacantia Division, which details estates where no known relatives or beneficiaries have come forward to claim them.
Darren Gallagher, property expert and founder of Elite Realty Invest, said: “Most people don’t know they could be the rightful heir to an estate, especially if a distant relative died without a will.
“We see this time and time again – properties, cash, assets – all left in limbo because nobody thought to check.”
He added: “This isn’t just a legal loophole – it’s people’s legacy. We help individuals identify legitimate claims and take the pressure off what can feel like a complex system.”
The UK Government publishes a daily-updated list which can be searched by surname and region.
If you find a match, you may need to provide evidence of your relationship to the deceased.
Here is the full list of the top 10 British surnames with unclaimed estates in 2025, according to Elite Realty Invest:
- Smith – 129 unclaimed estates
- Jones – 86 unclaimed estates
- Taylor – 54 unclaimed estates
- Brown – 50 unclaimed estates
- Williams – 45 unclaimed estates
- Johnson – 40 unclaimed estates
- Davies – 38 unclaimed estates
- Evans – 35 unclaimed estates
- Thomas – 33 unclaimed estates
- Roberts – 30 unclaimed estates
Discover more from PressNewsAgency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.