Acronyms and Abbreviations: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:05, 15 July 2010

There are many abbreviated words related to genealogy and family history research. Some are not easily found in many glossaries that are available. Here is a list of a few of these:

AF: Ancestral File; patron-contributed lineage-linked family information submitted to FamilySearch.org prior to 1991.

bap / chr: Baptized / Christened

BMD / BDM: Births, Marriages, and Deaths

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

CNBL: Cannot Be Located

dob: Date of Birth

FHC: Family History Center (to find a Family History Center near you, click here)

FHL: Family History Library, largest genealogical library in the world. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah and sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

FHLC: Family History Library Catalog; searchable catalog of microfilm, fiche, books and periodicals available through FamilySearch.org.

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

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

IGI: Inernational Genealogical Index

LDS: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

LOC: Library of Congress; Research arm of the US Congress. Digital collections include historic newspapers, photographs, family genealogies, biographies and other items of interest to family history researchers.

NARA: National Archives Records Administration; repository of official US government records including census, military, immigration, and other documents of interest to family history researchers.

PAF: Personal Ancestral File; freeware genealogy software available at FamilySearch.org.

PRF: Pedigree Resource File (a database within FamilySearch.org)

PRO: Public Records Office; National Archives repository for official public records (birth, marriage, death, census, etc.) for the United Kingdom.

SSDI: Social Security Death Index; master file of US death records reported to the Social Security Administartion available for free on-line through FamilySearch.org, ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com, genealogybank.com and other web sites.

External Links[edit | edit source]

Common Genealogical Acronyms -http://austega.com/familyhistory/courses/acronyms.htm
Association of Professional Genealogists: Abbreviations and Acronyms -http://www.apgen.org/resources/aa.html
Genealogical Acronyms and Glossary -http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~jimella/acronyms.htm
The A to Z of British Genealogical Research (The Emery Paper): Abbreviations - http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/EmeryPaper.html#Abbreviations
International Society of Genetic Genealogy's: DNA - Newbie Glossary -http://www.worldfamilies.net/glossary.html
List of abbreviations for English given names - Wikipedia - http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Abbreviations_for_English_given_names

Family History Library Resources[edit | edit source]

There are also books which give the definitions of many abbreviated words. One such book is "Abbreviations & 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: 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.)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 There are many [[Abbreviations Found in Genealogy Records|abbreviated words]] related to genealogy and family history research. Some are not easily found in many glossaries that are available. Here is a list of a few of these:
-;AF : [[Ancestral File]]; patron-contributed lineage-linked family information submitted to FamilySearch.org prior to 1991.
+;AF&nbsp;
+:[[Ancestral File]]; patron-contributed lineage-linked family information submitted to FamilySearch.org prior to 1991.
-;bap / chr : Baptized / Christened
+;bap / chr&nbsp;
+:Baptized / Christened
-;BMD / BDM : Births, Marriages, and Deaths
+;BMD / BDM&nbsp;
+:Births, Marriages, and Deaths
-;c / ca. / circa: approximately (ex. "ca. 1535" means "in about 1535")
+;c / ca. / circa
+:approximately (ex. "ca. 1535" means "in about 1535")
-;CNBL : Cannot Be Located
+;CNBL&nbsp;
+:Cannot Be Located
-;dob : Date of Birth
+;dob&nbsp;
+: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>
+;FHC&nbsp;
+:[[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>
+;FHL&nbsp;
+:[[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>
+;FHLC&nbsp;
+:[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)
+;GEDCOM&nbsp;
+:GEnealogical Data COMmunications (a file format for transferring family history data)
-;ill. : Illegitimate (often recorded on birth certificates and other birth records)
+;ill.&nbsp;
+:Illegitimate (often recorded on birth certificates and other birth records)
-;IGI : [[International_Genealogical_Index|Inernational Genealogical Index]]
+;IGI&nbsp;
+:[[International Genealogical Index|Inernational Genealogical Index]]
-;LDS : '''[http://www.lds.org Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]'''
+;LDS&nbsp;
+:'''[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.
+;LOC&nbsp;
+:[http://www.loc.gov/index.html Library of Congress]; 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.
-;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.
+;NARA&nbsp;
+:[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].
+;PAF&nbsp;
+:'''[http://www.familysearch.org Personal Ancestral File]'''; freeware genealogy software available at [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp FamilySearch.org].
-;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>
+;PRF&nbsp;
+:'''[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>
+;PRO&nbsp;
+: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.
+;SSDI&nbsp;
+:[[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.
 === External Links  ===
@@ Line 50: / Line 69: @@
 === Family History Library Resources  ===
-* 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.)
+*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.)
+*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.)
 [[Category:FamilySearch]]