You may want to check if your name is on a new list that has just been released, shwoing a number of estates in England and Wales that are unclaimed. According to the UK Government鈥檚 latest update on May 19, 2025, there are over 6,000 names on the Bona Vacantia Division鈥檚 register. These estates often have savings, property and other assets which can be legally claimed by living relatives. However, this can only happen if the family comes forward in time. Because of this time-sensitive deadline, Darren Gallagher, property expert and founder of Elite Realty Invest , is encouraging the public to check whether their family name appears on the list. He stresses that many people are unaware they could be entitled to an inheritance saying: 鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 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 鈥 all left in limbo because nobody thought to check.鈥 The team at Elite Realty Invest have dug into the data and listed the top 10 British surnames with unclaimed estates in 2025 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 This table represents just a small number of people on the list – and there are many more that could be sitting on an unclaimed estate and not know it. The property expert explained that when someone passes away and they do not have will and no known next of kin, their estate is held by the Crown for up to 30 years and during this period, eligible relatives have the legal right to claim their inheritance. Gallagher concludes: “This isn鈥檛 just a legal loophole – it鈥檚 people鈥檚 legacy. We help individuals identify legitimate claims and take the pressure off what can feel like a complex system.”