Acronyms and Abbreviations

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 (a database within FamilySearch.org)
    
  • 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 (for more information about the Family History Library, click here)
    
  • FHLC = Family History Library Catalog (searchable on 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 = International Genealogical Index
    
  • LDS = Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
  • PAF = Personal Ancestral File (a free genealogy and family history program by the LDS Church)
    
  • PRF = Pedigree Resource File (a database within FamilySearch.org)
    
  • PRO = Public Records Office
    
  • SSDI =Social Security Death Index (a database within FamilySearch.org)
    

Online Resources

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'
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Family History Library Resources

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.)