Terminology, Meanings and Descriptions of Genealogical Abbreviations

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The following abbreviations are those most commonly used in genealogical records. It is not unusual to find, within the pages of one record, different variations used, but care should be taken to ensure that in these instances, it is a variation and not meant to indicate something else.

Select the first letter of the word from the list above to jump to appropriate section of the glossary

- A -

a. - about, age, acre, ante
a.a.r. - against all risks
AASP - American Antiquarian Society Proceedings
ab. - about; abbey
abbr. - abbreviation
abd. - abdicated
Abp. - Archbishop
abr. - abridged; abridgment
abs. or abstr. - abstract
abt. - about
AC - Ante Christum; ancestor chart
a.c. - attested copy; account current
acad. - academy
acc. - according to; account; accompanied
acco. - account
accu. - accurate
ackd. - acknowledged
actg. - acting
AD - [Latin] Anno Domini
adj. - adjoining; adjutant; adjourned
adm. - admission; admitted
admin. - administration; administrator
Admon. - letters of administration
admr. - administration
af. or afft. - affidavit
aft. - after
a.k.a. - also known as
AL - American Legion
ald. - alderman
alleg. - allegiance
a.l.s. - autographed letter signed
als. - alias
anc. - ancestry; ancestor; ancient
annot. - annotated
ano. - another
anon. - anonymous
ant. - antiquary; antonym
antiq. - antiquary; antiquities; antiquity; antiquarian
a.o. - account of
AOP - American Order of Pioneers
APG - Association of Professional Genealogists
APJI - Association for Protection of Jewish Immigrants
app. - apprentice; aprpoximately; appendix; appointed
App. Div. - Appelate division
appr. - appraisment
apprd. - apprised; appeared
approx. - approximately
apptd. - appointed
appx. - appendix
ar. co. - artillery company
arr. - arrived
ascert. - ascertain(ed)
ASG - American Society of Genealogists
asgd.- assignedasr. - assessor
assn. or assoc. - association
asso. - associated; associate
atty. - attorney
au. - gold
aud. - auditor
a.w.c. - admon. (letters of administration) with will and codicil annexed
AWOL - absent without leave

- B -

b. - born; bondsman; banns; book; birth; bachelor; brother
ba. - bachelor; baptized
bach. or batch. - bachelor
bap or bapt. - baptized; baptism
B.B. - Bail Bond
bcer - birth certificate
BCG - Board for Certification of Genealogists
b.d. or bdt. - birth date
bd. - bound; buried
bec. - because; became
bef.- before
bet. - between
BIA - Bureau of Indian Affairs
b.i.l. - brother-in-law
biog. - biography
bish. - bishop
bks. - books; barracks
bl. - bibliography
BLM - Bureau of Land Management
BLW - Bount Land Warrant
B.M. - Bench Mark; British Museum
bndsmn. - bondsman
bo or bot. - bought; bottom
b.o.t.p. - both of this parish
bp. - baptized; birthplace
bpl. - birthplace
bpt. - baptized
Br. - British
br. or bro - brother
bro-i-l - brother-in-law
B.S. - in court records, Bill of Sale
B.T. - Bishop's Transcripts
bur. or bu - buried

- C -

c. - cousin; circa; codicil
ca. - circa
capt. - captain; captured; captivity
CAR - National Society, Children of the American Revolution
catal. - catalogue
cath. - cathedral
CC - County Clerk; county court, county commissioner; company commander
CCP - Court of Common Pleas
CDA - Colonial Dames of America
CDIB - Certified Degree of Indian Blood
cem. - cemetery
cen. or cens. - census
cent. - century
cer. or cert. - certificate
cf. - confer
CG - Certified Genealogist
CH - Court House
ch. - child; children; church; chief, chaplain
chan. - chancery
chldn. or chn. - children
ch/o - child of
chr. or chris.- christened
cir. - circa
civ. - civil
CJ - County Judge
clk. - clerk
cod. - codicil
CO - commanding officer; Colonial Office
co. - county; company
C of A - Coat of Arms
col. - colony; colonel
coll. - college; collections
com. - commissioner; commander; commentary; committee; common; commoner; communicate
comm. - commissioners
comp. - company
confer. - conferred
conject. - conjecture
cont. - continued
contr. - contract
corp. - corporal
couns. - counsellor
cous. - cousin
coven. - covenant
c.r. - church report
CRA - Church Records Archives
crspd. - correspond; correspondence
c.s. - copy signed
CSA - Confederate States of America
csn. - cousin; cousins
ct. - court; citation; county
CW - Civil War; church warden

- D -

d. - died; death; daughter
DA - District Attorney
da. - daughter; day
DAB - Dictionary of American Biography
DAC - National Society of the Daughters of the American Colonists
DAR - Daughters of the American Revolution
dau. or daugr - daughter
dau-i-l - daughter-in-law
daus. - daughters
DAV - Disabled American Veterans
DB - Domesday Book
DC - District of Columbia; Deputy Clerk; Deputy County Clerk
DCG - Descendants of Colonial Governors
d. & coh. - daughter and coheiress
d'd. - deceased
dea or deac. - deacon
dec. or dec'd - deceased
decis. - decision
degr. - degree
dep. - deputy; depot
dept. - department
desc. - descendant
DFPA - Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America
devis. - devised
d. & h. - daughter and heiress
dil. - daughter-in-law
dio. - diocese
dis. - discharge
discip. - discipline
dist. - district
div. - division; divided; divorced; divinity
d/o - daughter of
do. - ditto
doc or docum. - document
dom. - domestic
dpl. - death place
DR - Daughter of the Revolution; Diocesan Registry
dr. - doctor; dram
d.s. - document signed; died single
ds. - deaths; daughters
dsct. - descendant
d.s.p. - [Latin] descessit sine parole; died without issue
d.s.p.m. - [Latin] descessit sine parole mascula; died without male issue
dt. - date
dto. - dittodtr. - daughter
dt's. - delirium tremens
dum. or d. um. - died unmarried
DVR - Society of the Descendants of Washington's Army at Valley Forge
d.y. - died young

- E -

E. - East or eastern
easi. - easily
ecux. - executrix; a female executor
E.D. - Enumeration District
ed. - edited; edition; editor
educ. - education; educated
Eng. - England
eno. - enough
ens. - ensign
ensu. - ensuing
est. - estate;established
establ. - establishment
estd. - estimated
etc. - [Latin] etcetera; and so forth
et. vir. - and husband
exc. - except; excellency; excepted; exchange
exec. or exor. or exr. - executor
exox. - executrix
exs. - executors
exx. - executrix

- F -

f. - father; female; folio; feast; feet; farm; following
fa. - father
F.A. - Field Artillery
fam. - family; families
FARC - Federal Archives and Records Centers (branches of the National Archives)
FASG - Fellow American Society of Genealogists
father-in-l - father-in-law
F.B. - Family Bible
f.e. - for example
ff. - following (pages)
FF's - First Families
FFV - First Families of Virginia
FGRA - Family Group Record Archives
FGS - Federation of Genealogical Societies
FHC - Family History Center
FHL - Family History Library
fidel. - fidelity
fil. or f.inl- father-in-law
f.m. - free mulatto
f.n. - free negro
foll. - following; followed
FR - Family Registry
freem. - freeman; freemen
ft. - foot; fort

- G -

g. - grand; great
GAR - Grand Army of the Republic
G.B. - Great Britain
gch. - grandchildren
gdn. - guardian
GEDCOM - GEnealogical Data COMmunication
GH - Genelaogical Helper
giv. - given; giving
GLC - Genealogical Library Catalog
GLO - General Land Office
gm. - grandmother
godf. - godfather
godm. - godmother
gp. - grandparents
GPAI - Genealogical Periodical Annual Index
gr. - grand; great; grant; graduate
g.r. - grave record
grf. - grandfather
grmo. - grandmother
grs. - grandson
g.s. - grave stone
GSW 1812 - General Society of the War of 1812
Gt. Br. - Great Britain
gt. gr. - great grand
GTT - Gone to Texas

- H -

h. - husband; heir; heiress
hdgrs. - headquarters
HEIC - Honourable East India Comapny
her. - heraldry
hers. - herself
HM - His or Her Majesty
HMS - Her (or His) Majesty's Service or Ship
hims. - himself
Hist. - History
hist. - historian
hon. - honorable
hon. dis. - honorably discharged
honor. - honorary
honora. - honorably
HSA - Huguenot Society of America
hund. - hundred
hus. - husband

- I -

ibid. - [Latin] ibidem; same (reference)
IGI - International Genealogical Index
ign. - ignorant
illus. - illustrated
imp. - importation
inc. - incorporated; incomplete
incl. - included; inclusive
Ind. - Indians
IND.S.C. - Indian Survivors' Certificates
Ind. T. or Ind. Ter.- Indian Territory
Ind. W.C. - Indian Widow's Certificate
inf. - infant; infantry; informed
info. - information
inh. - inherited
inhab. - inhabitant
inq. - inquiry
ins. - insert
inst. - institute; institution
int. - intentions; interested; interred
inv. or invt. - inventory

- J -

JA - Judge Advocate
JNH - Journal of Negro History
JP - Justice of the Peace
Jr. - Junior
jud or judic. - judicial; judicious
junr. - junior
jur. - [Latin] jurat; certification that a document was written by the person who signed it

- K -

k. - killed; king
kn. - known
knt. or kt. - knight
KRRNY - King's Royal Regiment of New York

- L -

l. - license; law
labr. - laborer
Lat. - Latin
lb. - pound
LBC - Letter Book Copy
LC - Library of Congress
ld. - land
ldr. - leader
LDS - Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
l.e. - local elder in a church
lib. - library
lic. - license
lieut. - lieutenant
li. or liv. - lived; living
liv. abt. - lived about
ll. - lines
lnd. - land
l.p. - local preacher
ltd. - limited

- M -

m. - month; male; mother; married; marriage
m/1, m/2 - married first, married second, etc.
mag. - magistrate
maj. - major
mak. - making
mat. - maternal
m.bn. - marriage banns
MCA - Microfilm Corporation of America
MCC - Microfilm Card Catalog
MCD - Municipal Civil District
MD - Doctor of Medicine; Middle Dutch
md. - married
mem. - member; membership; memorials; memoir
ment. - mentioned
messrs. - plural of mister
Mex. S.C. - Mexican Survivors' Certificates
Mex. S.O. - Mexcian Survivorr's Originals
Mex. W.C. - Mexican Widows' Certificate
MG - Minister of the Gospel
m.h. - meeting house
MGH - Middle High German
m.i. - monument inscription
mi. - mile; miles
MIA - Missing in Action
mil or milit. - military
min. - minister
m-in-l - mother-in-law
MLG - Middle Low German
MLW - Military Land Warrant
MM - abbreviation for Monthly Meeting of Society of Friends (Quakers)
m.o. - mustered out
mo. - mother; month
mors. - death; corpse
mov. - moved
MQ - Mayflower Quarterly
Mr. - Mister
Mrs. - Mistress
ms. - manuscript
mss. - manuscripts
mtg. - meeting; mortgage
mvd. - moved
my/d - my daughter

- N -

N. - Negro; North
n. - nephew; name
NA - National Archives in Washington, D.C.; Native American
na. - naturalized
NARS - National Archives and Record Service
nam. - named
nat. - [Latin] natus; birth; son; offspring
n.d. - no date
N.E. - New England; North Eeast
NEH - National Endowment for the Humanities
NEHGS - New England Historic Genealogical Society
neph. - nephew
neph-i-l - nephew-in-law
nfi - no further information
nfk - nothing further known
NGS - National Genealogical Society
NHPRC - National Historical Publications and Records Commission
nm. - name
nmed. - named
not. - noted
NP - Notary Public
n.p. - no place
nr. - none recorded; not recorded; naturalized
NS - New Style calendar; Nova Scotia
NSCDA - National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
NSDAR - National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution
NUCMC - National Union Catalog of Manuscript Colletions
nunc. - nuncupative
N.W. - North West
NWC - Navy Widow's Certificate
NW. Terr. - North West Territory
n.x.n. - no christian name

- O -

o. - oath
O.B. - Order Book
ob. - obiit
obit. - obituary
o.c. - only child
O.E. - Old England; Old English
offor offic. - official
oft. - often
OM - Organized Militia
o.p. - out of print
ord. - ordained; ordinance; order; ordinary
org. - organization
orig. - origin; original
OS - Old Style calendar
o.t.p. - of this parish

- P -

p. - page; per; populus; parentage; parents; pence
p.a. - power of attorney
pam. - pamphlet
par. - parish; parent; parents
pat. - patent; patented; paternal
pchd. - purchased
PE - Presiding Elder
peo. - people
perh. - perhaps
petitn. or petn. - petition
petr. - petitioner
ph. - parish
PI - Preliminary Inventories
pion. - pioneer
PJP - Probate Judge of the Peace
PLB - Poor Law Board
plt. - plantiff
P.M. - Post Meridiem; afternoon; Post Mortem; after death; Police magistrate
P.O. - Post Office
POA - Power of Attorney
POE - Port of Entry
pp. - pages
PPA - per power of Attorney
pr. - proved; probated
p.r. - parish record
preced. - preceding
PRO - Public Record Office
pro. - probate; proved
prob. - probable; probably
prop. - property
propr. - proprietor(s)
provis. - provision
pt. - point; port; petition; pint
ptf. - plaintiff
pub. - public; published; publisher; publication
pvt. - private
pymt. - payment

- Q -

q. - [Latin] quarto; oversize book

q.y. - query

- R -

r. - rector; rex; rejected; river; road
R. - Range; Rabbi; River; Road
rat. - rated
R.C. - Roman Catholic
rcdr. - recorder
rcpt. - receipt
RD - release of dower rights
re. - regarding
rec. - record
reg. - register
Reg. Gen. - Registrar General
rel. - relative
reld. - relieved
rel-i-l - relative-in-law
ren. - renunciation
rep. - report; representative; reprint; reprinted
repl. - replaced; replacement
repud. - repudiated
res. - research; residence; resides
respectiv. - respectively
ret. - retired
Rev. - Reverend; Revolutionary War
Rev. War - Revolutionary War
RG - Registered Genealogist
rgstr. - registrar
RIP - [Latin] requiescat in pace; rest in peace
rinq. - relinquished
Rom. - Roman
RR - railroad

- S -

s. - son(s)/ soldier; survivor; spinster; successor; shilling
s. and h. - son and heir
SAR - Sons of the American Revolution
SASE - self-addressed stamped envelope
SCV - Sons of Confederate Veterans
s'd - said [found in legal documents]
scatt. - scattering; scattered
SDA - Seventh Day Adventists
S.E. - southeast
sec. - second; secretary; section; sector; security
serg. - sergeant
serv. - service; servant
sett. - settlers; settler
sev. - several
sh. - share; ship
sil - son-in-law
sin. - [Latin] sine; without
sis. - sister
sn. - [Latin] sine; without
s/o - son of
SO - Survivors' Originals
soc. - society; societies
s.p. - [Latin] sine prole; without offspring
s.p.l. - [Latin] sine prole legitima; without legitimate offspring
s.p.m. - [Latin] sine prole mascula; without male offspring
spell. - spelling; spelled
spr. - sponsor
sr. - senior
srnms. - surnames
st. - saint; street
sup. - supply; superior
supt. - superintendent
surg. - surgeon
SUV - Sons of Union Veterans
sw. - swear; sworn
syl.- syllable

- T -

T. - Township
tak. - taken
terr. - territory
test. - testament
tho. - though
thot. - thought
thro. - through
TIB - Temple (Records) Index Bureau
tn. - town; township
top. - topographical
Tp. - Township
t.p. - title page
t.p.m. - title page mutilated
t.p.w. - title page wanting
tr. - troop; translated; translation
transcr. - transcribed
transl. - translation
treas. - treasurer
TRIB - Temple Records Index Bureau
TVA - Tennessee Valley Authority
twn. - town
twp. - township
ty. - territory

- U -

UDC - United Daughters of the Confederacy
U.K. - United Kingdom
unasgd. - unassigned
unc. - uncle
unit. - uniting; united
unk. - unknown
unm. - unmarried
unorg. - unorganized
USCG - United States Coast Guard
USCT - United States Colored Troops
USMC - United States Marine Corps
USN - United States Navy
USWPA - United States Works Progress Administration

- V -

v.a. - [Latin] vixit annos; (s)he lived (a certain number) years
var. - various; variation; variant
VFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars
Vi - visitor
VIP - Very Important Person
Vis. or Visc. - Viscount; Viscountess
vit. - vital
viz. - [Latin] videlicet; namely
V.L. - Vulgar Latin
vols. - volunteers; volumes
v.r. - vital records
vs. - versus
v.s. - vital statistics

- W -

w. - wife; will; west; widow
wag. - wagoner
W.B. - Will Book
W.D. - War Department
w.d. - will dated
wd. - widow; ward
wf/o - wife of
wh. - who; which
wit. - witness
wk(s). - week(s)
wnt. - wants
W.O. - Widow's Originals
w/o - wife of
W.O. - Warrant Officer
w.p. - will probated; will proved
WPA - Works Progress Administration
WRHS - Western Reserve Historical Society
W.S. - Writer to the Signet
wtn. - witness
ww. - widow
ww/o - widow of
wwr. - widower

- X -

X - a mark made by a person instead of a signature; Christ; Christian
x ch. - exchange
Xn. - Christian
Xnty. - Christianity
Xped. - Christened
Xr. - Christian
Xt. - Christ
Xtian. - Christian
Xty. - Christianity

- Y -

y. - year
yd. - graveyard
yr. - year; younger; your

- Z -

None