Acronyms and Abbreviations: Difference between revisions

*AF = [[Ancestral File|Ancestral File]]; patron-contributed lineage-linked family information submitted to FamilySearch.org prior to 1991.<br>

*bap / chr = Baptized / Christened  

*BMD / BDM = Births, Marriages, and Deaths <br>

*c / ca. / circa = approximately (ex. "ca. 1535" means "in about 1535")  

*CNBL = Cannot Be Located  

*dob = Date of Birth  

*FHC = [[Introduction to LDS Family History Centers|Family History Center]] (to find a Family History Center near you, '''[http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp click here]''')<br>  

*FHL = [[Family History Library|Family History Library]], largest genealogical library in the world.&nbsp; Located in Salt Lake City, Utah and sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<br>  

*FHLC = [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp '''Family History Library Catalog''']; searchable catalog of microfilm, fiche, books and periodicals available through [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp FamilySearch.org].<br>  

*GEDCOM = GEnealogical Data COMmunications (a file format for transferring family history data)  

*ill. = Illegitimate (often recorded on birth certificates and other birth records)  

*IGI = [[International_Genealogical_Index|Inernational Genealogical Index]]

*LDS = '''[http://www.lds.org Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]'''  

*LOC = [http://www.loc.gov/index.html Library of Congress]; Oldest cultural institution in the United States and the research arm of the US&nbsp;Congress. Digital collections include historic newspapers, photographs, family genealogies, biographies and other items of interest to family history researchers.<br>

*NARA = [http://www.archives.gov/ National Archives Records Administration]; repository of official US&nbsp;government records including census, military, immigration, and other documents of interest to family history researchers.  

*PAF = '''[http://www.familysearch.org Personal Ancestral File]'''; freeware genealogy software available at [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp FamilySearch.org]. <br>

*PRF = '''[http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=prf/search_PRF.asp&clear_form=true Pedigree Resource File]''' (a database within FamilySearch.org)<br>  

*PRO = Public Records Office; [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.htm National Archives] repository for official public records (birth, marriage, death, census, etc.) for the United Kingdom.<br>  

*SSDI = [[Social Security Death Index (SSDI)|Social Security Death Index]]; master file of US&nbsp;death records reported to the [http://www.ssa.gov/ Social Security Administartion] available for free on-line through [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=ssdi/search_ssdi.asp&clear_form=true FamilySearch.org], [http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com], [http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/ssdi/ genealogybank.com] and other web sites.<br>

There are also books which give the definitions of many abbreviated words. One such book is "'''[http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=1123166&disp=Abbreviations+&+acronyms&columns=*,0,0 ''Abbreviations &amp; Acronyms: a guide for family historians'']'''" compiled by Kip Sperry (FHL book US/Can 929.103Sp37a.)  

Use a Title search for "abbreviations" in the Family History Library Catalog found on the '''www.familysearch.org''' website for other books which define abbreviations and acronyms such as: '''[http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=981218&disp=Acronyms,+initialisms,+and+abbreviat&columns=*,0,0 ''Acronyms, Initialisms, and Abbreviations Dictionary: a guide to acronyms, abbreviations, contractions, alphabetic symbols, and similar condensed appellations'']''' by Jennifer Mossman (FHL book US/Can 428.1 M855a v.1 pt.1 1995.)