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, 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 = International Genealogical Index
- LDS = Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- LOC = Library of Congress
- 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
- 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
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.)