CAPITAL AREA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

www.capitalareagenealogy.org

 Glossary of Terms

ABBREVIATIONS:

Genealogy researchers encounter many abbreviations, both in modern compilations and in original records. 
This list aims to assist the researcher in deciphering those abbreviated terms.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Right-click on a letter to browse the list:

 A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I    J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q   R    S    T    U    V    W    X    Y    Z

 

 -A-

         

AAONMS - Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
AASR - Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (of Freemasons)
AASRFM - Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry
AD - anno domini (Latin), in the year of the Lord
AEOS - Ancient Egyptian Order of Sciots (Masons)
AF - Ancestral File, database maintained by the LDS FHL
AF&AM - Ancient, Free, & Accepted Masons
AFAM - Ancient Free and Accepted Mason
AG - Accredited Genealogist (FHL credential)
AGBU - Armenian General Benevolent Union
AHOJB - Ancient and Honorable Order of the Jersey Blues
AISB - Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria
altm - at liberty to marry (Quaker)
AMORC - Ancient Mystic Order Rosae Crucis
AMOS - Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (Odd Fellows)
AODC - Ancient Order of Degree Coopermen
AOD - Ancient Order of Druids
AOF - Ancient Order of Foresters
AOH - Ancient Order of Hibernians
AOUW - Ancient Order of United Workmen
APCWS - Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites
apd - attending places of diversion; appointed; appealed (Quaker)
APG - Association of Professional Genealogists
apt - appointed
ARC - American Red Cross
ARSS - Antiquariorum Regiae Societatis Socius (Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries)
ASFD - American Society of Freedmen's Descendants
ASG - American Society of Genealogists
assn - association
att - attached to; attended (Quaker)

Return to top of page       

 

-B-

b. - born
B - black, Negro
bapt. - baptized
BARE - Benefit Association of Railway Employees
BC - (of a date) before Christ
BCG - Board for Certification of Genealogists
bef. - before
BG - burial grounds
b-i-l - brother in law
BK - Brother's Keeper (software)
BNL - Brotherhood of the New Life
BPOE - Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
bro. - brother
bur. - buried

Return to top of page

 

-C-

c., ca. - circa, about
CAILS - Certified American Indian Lineage Specialist (BCG credential)
CALS - Certified American Lineage Specialist (BCG credential)
cem. - cemetery
cert. - certificate
cd - contrary to the Discipline (Quaker)
ch - child, children; church
CDA - Catholic Daughters of America
chm - condemned his/her misconduct (Quaker)
chr - charter
CG - Certified Genealogist (BCG credential)
CGI - Certified Genealogical Instructor (BCG credential)
CGL - Certified Genealogical Lecturer (BCG credential)
CMU - Concrete Masonry Unit
c/o - child of
co - chosen overseer (Quaker)
Co. - county or company
col. - colored (Negro, mulatto, fpc)
com/comp - complained (Quaker)
comm - committee
con - condemned (Quaker)
CGRS - Certified Genealogical Record Searcher (BCG credential)
chlw - Cotton Loom Hand Worker
ct - certificate

Return to top of page

 

-D-

d. - died
DAC - Daughters of American Colonists
DAR - Daughters of the American Revolution
dau. - daughter
DBE - Daughters of the British Empire
dec. - deceased, dead
dec'd - deceased, dead
desc. - descendant
d-i-l - daughter in law
dis. - disowned, disowned for (Quaker)
div. - divorce
d/o - daughter of
do. - ditto, the same as the previous entry
DOB - Date of birth
DOD - Date of death
DOK - Daughters Of the King
dp - dropped plain dress (Quaker)
dr - drinking to excess (Quaker)
drpd - dropped (Quaker)
DRT - Daughters of the Republic of Texas
d.s.p. - decessit sine prole (Latin), died without issue, childless
dt - daughter daughters
dtd - dated
DUP - Daughters of Utah Pioneers
d.v.p. - decessit vitae patre (Latin), died in father's lifetime

Return to top of page

 

-E-

ENHA - East Anglia National Heritage Area
end - endorsed (Quaker)

Return to top of page

 

-F-

F - female
F&AM - Free and Accepted Masons
FAAO - Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy
FACC - Fellow of the American College of Cardiology
FACCE - Fellow, American College of Childbirth Educators
FACD - Fellow of the American College of Dentists
FACE - Fellow, American College of Endocrinology
FACEP - Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians
FACFAS - Fellowship of American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
FACP - Fellow of the American College of Physicians
FACS - Fellow American College of Surgeons
FAM - Free and Accepted Masons
fam. - family
FAS - Fellow of the Antiquarian Society
FASG - Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists
FBG - Friends burial ground
FGS - Family Group Sheet
FHC - Family History Center, branch of the FHL
FHL - Family History Library, genealogy library in Salt Lake City, Utah, maintained by LDS church
FIGRS - Fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society
f-i-l - father in law
fmc - free man of color
FNGS - Fellow of the National Genealogical Society
FNHC - Founders of the New Haven Colony
fo - folio
FoE - Fraternal Order of Eagles
FOP - Fraternal Order of Police (USA)
form - formerly
fpc - free person of color, neither Caucasian nor enslaved
fr - from
FRACP - Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
FRAM - Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music
FRCP - Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
FRCPE - Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
FRCSI - Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland
Frds - Friends (Quaker)
FSG - Fellow of the Society of Genealogists
FTM - Family Tree maker (software)
FTW - Family Tree Maker for Windows (software)
FUGA - Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association
fwc - free woman of color
fwf - free white female
fwm - free white male

Return to top of page

 

-G-

GAOTU - Great Architect of the Universe (Freemason Word)
gc - granted certificate (Quaker)
gct - granted certificate to (Quaker)
GCVO - Grand Cross of the (Royal) Victorian Order (knight)
GD - granddaughter
Gedcom - GEnealogical Data COMmunication, method of transferring genealogy files from one program to another
gl - granted letter
glt - granted letter to
govt. - government
gr dau. - granddaughter
gr s. - grandson
Gr.Yd. - grave yard
GS - grandson
GSSR - General Society, Sons of the Revolution

Return to top of page

 

-H-

h. - husband
h/o - husband of
HOSJG - Hospitaller Order of St. John of God
hus. - husband

Return to top of page

 

-I-

ibid. - ibidem (Latin), in the same place
IIGS - International Internet Genealogical Society
inf. - infant
int. - intentions, public notice of an upcoming marriage
IGI - International Genealogical Index, created and maintained by the LDS FHL
inst. - instant (Latin), of the current month
IOF - Independent Order of Foresters
IOGT - Independent Order of Good Templars
IOJD - International Order of Job's Daughters (freemason)
IOOF - Independent Order of Odd Fellows (fraternal organization)
IOR - Independent Order of Rechabites
IORG - International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (freemasonry)
IORM - Improved Order of Red Men
IOUAM - Improved Order of United American Mechanics

Return to top of page

 

-J-

j. - joined (Quaker)
jas - joined another society (Quaker)
jd - jonge dochter/ young daughter (Dutch)
jm - jonge man / young man (Dutch)
JP - Justice of the Peace

Return to top of page

 

-K-

KC - Knights of Columbus
KC - Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
KCSG -  Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory
KG - Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
KGE - Knights of the Golden Eagle
KLH - Knight of the Legion of Honour; Knights and Ladies of Honor
KOTM - Knights of the Maccabees
KP - Order of Knights of Pythias
KT - Knight of the Order of the Thistle
KUV - Kranken Unterstuetzungs Verein

Return to top of page

 

-L-

LCBA - Loyal Christian Benefit Association
LDS - Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints, Mormon Church
liv - living, lived
LOI - The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
LOOM - Loyal Order Of Moose
LS - locus sigilli (Latin), where a seal is placed
lvd - lived
lvg - living

Return to top of page

 

-M-

m. - married; month
m1, m (1) - married first
m2, m (2) - married second etc.
M - male
mbr - member
mbrp - membership
mcd - married contrary to Discipline (Quaker)
MCD - minor civil division (Census Soundex)
MG - Minister of the Gospel
MH - meeting house
mi - miles
m-i-l - mother in law
MM - monthly meeting
mos. - months; married out of society (Quaker)
mou - married out of unity (Quaker)
Mr. - Mister, a title of respect
mnth - month
mt - married to
mtg - meeting
Mu - mulatto, person with one Caucasian and one Negro parent
mvd - moved
MWA - Modern Woodmen of America

Return to top of page

 

-N-

na - not applicable; not attending meeting (Quaker)
nd - no date, not dated
neg att - neglecting attendance (Quaker)
NEHGS - New England Historic Genealogical Society
nfr - no further record
NFMP - National Fraternity of Military Pilots
NGS - National Genealogical Society (USA)
NGSQ - National Genealogical Society Quarterly
nm - never married
nmn - no middle name
np - no page (or publisher) given
n.pub. - no publisher given
NR - not reported (Census Soundex)
NSDAR - National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
NSSDP - National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims

Return to top of page

 

-O-

OA - Order of the Arrow (Boy Scouts)
OBE - Order of the British Empire
OC - Order of Canada
OES - Order of the Eastern Star
OHC - Order of the Holy Cross
OM - Ordained Minister; Order of Merit
OP - Order of Preachers (Roman Catholicism; Dominican)
OS - Old Style (referring to dates)
OSA - Order of St. Anne; Ordinis Sancti Augustini (of the order of St. Augustine)
OSB - Order of St. Benedict

OSF - Order of St. Francis
OSIA - Order of the Sons of Italy in America
OSL - Order of St. Luke the Physician
OSM - Order of Servants of Mary
OSSB - Order of the Star Spangled Banner
ou - out of unity (Quaker)
OUAM - Order of United American Mechanics

Return to top of page

 

-P-

p. - page
PAF - Personal Ancestral File (software)
PBA - Patrolman's Benevolent Association
PCC - Prerogative Court of Canterbury (UK)
PLAV - Polish Legion of American Veterans
PH - The Order of Patrons Of Husbandry (Grange)
PM - preparative meeting (Quaker)
POSA - Patriotic Sons of America
pp. - pages
prc - produced a certificate (Quaker)
prob. - probably
p.v. - prorare vexilla, patriotically

Return to top of page

 

-Q-

Qkr - Quaker
QM - quarterly meeting (Quaker)

Return to top of page

 

-R-

RCA - Railway Carmen of America
rcd - recorded; received
RCJ - Rogationists Cordis Jesu (formal name for Rogationists, Roman Catholic Order of Men)
rec - received
recrq - received by request (Quaker)
relfc - released from care of (Quaker)
relrq - released by request (Quaker)
rem. - remove, removed
ret. - retired; returned
ret mbrp - retained membership (Quaker)
rev - reversed
rm(t) - reported married (to)
RNA - Royal Neighbors of America
roc - received on certificate (Quaker)
rocf - received on certificate from (Quaker)
rol - received on letter (Quaker)
rolf - received on letter from (Quaker)
rpd - reported
rrq - request, requests, requested
rqc - requested certificate (Quaker)
rqct - requested certificate to (Quaker)
rqcuc - requested to come under care (Quaker)
RSOF - Religious Society Of Friends (Quakers)
rst - reinstate, reinstated (Quaker)
RTT - Royal Templars of Temperance

Return to top of page

 

-S-

s. - son
sep. - separated
SEYM - South Eastern Yearly Meeting (Quaker)
SI - sister
s-i-l - sister in law
sis - sister
s/o - son of
SSDI - Social Security Death Index (USA)

Return to top of page

 

-T-

TAG - The American Genealogist (quarterly journal published since 1922)
temp. - temporarily
TMG - The Master Genealogist (software)
transfrd - transferred
TSSF - Third Order of St. Francis
twp. - township, division of land

Return to top of page

 

-U-

uc - under care of (Quaker)
UBCJA - United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America
UDA - United Daughters of America
UDC - United Daughters of the Confederacy
UFT - Ultimate Family Tree (software)
ult. - ultimo (Latin), of the preceding month
unm. - unmarried
upl - using profane language (Quaker)
USIGS - United States Internet Genealogical Society
USGW - USGenWeb (online collective providing genealogical resources via linked webpages)

Return to top of page

 

-V-

viz. - videlicet (Latin), namely

Return to top of page

 

-W-

w. - wife
W - white, Caucasian
w/c - with consent of
WD - widow or widower
wid. - widow or widower
wit. - witness
w/o - wife of
WOTW - Woodmen Of The World
WOW - Woodmen Of The World
w/pwr - with power (Quaker)
WRC - Women's Relief Corps
wrkd - worked

Return to top of page

 

-X-

There are currently no abbreviations for this category.

Return to top of page

 

-Y-

YM - yearly meeting (Quaker)

Return to top of page

 

-Z-

There are currently no abbreviations for this category.

Return to top of page

 

Return to home page

 

 

Copyright © 2016 by Ladly, Ltd.

A Consortium of Private Nonprofit Organizations Promoting Research, Publication, and Internet Resources.