Is Your Surname on the List? Thousands of Unclaimed UK Estates Just Went Public
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 21: A view of Alexandra Palace from Priory Park on May 21, 2014 in London, England. Alexandra Palace situated in the London Borough of Haringey First opened as "The PeopleÕs Palace" in 1873. Just 16 days later a fire broke out in the Palace, burning it down in its entirety. On 2 November the world's first regular high-definition public television broadcast took place from the BBC studios at Alexandra Palace. In 1980 fire again burned a large part of the building, the Palace reopened in 1988. Recently awarded a Round 1 pass from The Heritage Lottery Fund the Palace plans to renovate parts of the derelict building including the BBC Studios and Victorian Theatre. (Photo by Miles Willis/Getty Images)
Thousands of estates across England and Wales are currently sitting unclaimed, with the UK Government’s latest data (updated 19 May 2025) revealing over 6,000 names listed by the Bona Vacantia Division. These estates, many of which include property, savings, and valuables, are now waiting to be legally claimed by living relatives – if they come forward in time.
Darren Gallagher, property expert and founder of Elite Realty Invest, is urging Brits to check whether their family name appears, particularly as many people remain unaware that they may be entitled to an inheritance.
“Most people don’t know they could be the rightful heir to an estate, especially if a distant relative died without a will,” says Gallagher. “We see this time and time again – properties, cash, assets – all left in limbo because nobody thought to check.”
The team at Elite Realty Invest have dug into the data and listed the top 10 British surnames with unclaimed estates in 2025
Most Common Surnames with Unclaimed Estates (2025 data):
Rank
Surname
Approx. Number of Unclaimed Estates
1
Smith
129
2
Jones
86
3
Taylor
54
4
Brown
50
5
Williams
45
6
Johnson
40
7
Davies
38
8
Evans
35
9
Thomas
33
10
Roberts
30
These numbers reflect just a portion of the full list, which spans thousands of names across the UK. If a person dies without leaving a will – and no known next of kin – their estate is held by the Crown for up to 30 years. During that time, relatives can legally claim what’s rightfully theirs.
How to Check If You’re Eligible:
The Government publishes a free daily-updated list at:
www.gov.uk
You can search by surname and region.
If you spot a match, you may need to provide evidence of your relationship to the deceased.
Professional help can make the process easier and faster.
Gallagher adds:
“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.”
