Abbreviations and acronyms in genealogy: the practical guide to reading your old records
Easily decipher your old records with our practical guide to the 400 abbreviations and acronyms used in genealogy.
When you start genealogy research, one of the first challenges is reading old records. Between sometimes difficult handwriting to decipher and old terms, researchers also have to deal with a multitude of acronyms and abbreviations. These were commonly used to save space and speed up the writing of documents.
Whether in parish registers, civil status records, censuses, or notarial documents, these abbreviations frequently appear. Not understanding them can hinder or distort the interpretation of a record. This guide offers a list of abbreviations and acronyms classified by theme to help you better decipher these precious documents.
📂 Abbreviations and acronyms - in the records
📅 Abbreviations and acronyms - dates
👨👩👧👦 Abbreviations and acronyms - family relationships
🏠 Abbreviations and acronyms - places of residence
👑 Abbreviations and acronyms - nobility
👨🍳 Abbreviations and acronyms - occupations
🎖️ Abbreviations and acronyms - military and decorations
📝 Abbreviations and acronyms - notarial records
🙏 Abbreviations and acronyms - religions
👤 Abbreviations and acronyms - first names
📚 Abbreviations and acronyms - archives
Learning to read and interpret genealogy abbreviations and acronyms is an essential skill for any ancestry researcher. By understanding these codes, you will gain efficiency and avoid interpretation errors. This guide will help you progress more confidently in discovering your family history.
For further reading - sources:
- https://cris23.fr/abreviations.htm
- https://www.histoire-genealogie.com/Les-sigles-et-abreviations
- http://www.geneoweb.org/Abreviations
- http://www.geneafrance.org/rubrique.php?page=abrev
- http://www.guide-genealogie.com/guide/abreviation.html
- https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/Annexe:Abréviations_en_généalogie
- https://fr.geneawiki.com/index.php/Symboles_de_généalogie
- https://syt58.fr/genealogie/abreviations.php