This list contains German words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a German-English dictionary. Latin words are often found in German records, and a few are included in this list. See the Latin Word List (34077).
German is spoken in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Records written in German may be found in these countries and also in parts of Poland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Hungary, and wherever German people settled. There are several different dialects in the German language. For example, in the province of Westfalen and other areas of Germany that border the Netherlands, you may notice words that are closely related to Dutch words. You may find the Dutch word list useful when working with these records.
In addition, German is found in some early records of the United States, such as in Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, and other states where Germans lived.
Language Characteristics
German words for persons, places, and things (nouns) are always capitalized. All nouns are classified as masculine, feminine, or neuter. This classification is called gender. The gender of a noun is indicated by der (masculine), die (feminine), and das (neuter), which translates as "the." Word endings may vary, depending on the way the words are used in the sentence.
Variant Forms of Words
In German, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in the sentence. Who—whose—whom or marry—marries— married are examples of words in English with variant forms. In German, the form of many words can change greatly. This word list gives the standard form of each German word. As you read German records, you will need to be aware that some words vary with usage.
The endings of words in a document may differ from those on this list. For example, the document may use the word junger, but you will find it in this word list as jung. In addition, the suffixes -chen and -lein are often added to words to indicate "little." Therefore, the word Söhnchen means "little or young son," and Töchterlein means "little or young daughter."
Adjectives describe nouns and must have the proper masculine, feminine, or neuter endings. For example, in German you would say "junger Mann" (young man) or "junges Mädchen" (young maiden) if man and maiden are the subjects of a sentence. Adjective endings can change depending on usage and gender.
Plural words are usually formed by adding -er, -en, or -e. Thus the word Kind becomes Kinder, Frau becomes Frauen, and Aufgebot becomes Aufgebote. Plurality may also change the vowel slightly. For example, Mann becomes Männer.
In German, many words are formed by joining two or more words. Very few of these compound words are included in this list. You will need to look up each part of the word separately. For example, Geburtstag is a combination of two words, Geburt (birth) and Tag (day).
Diacritic Marks
Written German uses several letters in addition to the 26 letters used in the English alphabet. These are Ä (ä), Ö (ö), Ü (ü), and ß. Historically, German also included Ÿ (ÿ) which today have been primarily replaced phonetically with the letters I (i) and Ü (ü).
For data entry and some searches, it is useful to know how to create these characters. Note: Do not use diacritics when searching in the Family History Library catalog.
From a PC keyboard, these letters may be created by using the following keystroke combinations:
| Letter | Code | Letter | Code |
| Ä | Alt + 0196 | ä | Alt + 0228 |
| Ö | Alt + 0214 | ö | Alt + 0246 |
| Ü | Alt + 0220 | ü | Alt + 0252 |
| ß | Alt + 0223 | ||
| Ÿ | Alt + 0159 | ÿ | Alt + 0225 |
Alphabetical Order
German letters with diacritic marks will be alphabetized in this publication as though they were a, o, u, and ss. However, many dictionaries and gazetteers will alphabetize these characters as if they were ae, oe, ue, and ss.
Spelling
Because spelling rules were not standardized in earlier centuries, spelling variations are common. Local dialect often affects the spelling in genealogical records. In German records, the following letters are sometimes used interchangeably:
- p used for b
- a used for e
- t used for d or dt
- s used for z
- ck used for k
- y used for i or j
- v used for w or f
- k used for g
- tz used for z
- ig used for isch or ich
- t used for th
- u used for i
Examples:
- Freytag for Freitag
- Burckhart for Burkhard
- Waldpurga for Waldburga
- undt for und
Additional Resources
This word list includes only words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, use a German-English dictionary. Several German-English dictionaries are available in the Family History Library. These are in the European collection. The call numbers begin with 433.21.
Particularly helpful dictionaries include:
- Langenscheidt New Muret-Sanders Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English and German Languages. Berlin, Germany: Langenscheidt, 1969, 1974 (FHL book 433.21 Sp83n).
- The New Cassell’s German Dictionary, German-English, English-German. New York, NY, USA: Funk and Wagnalls, Inc., 1971 (FHL book 433.211 C272 1971).
- Das Deutsche Wörterbuch / Deutsches Wörterbuch (DWB, The "German Dictionary" / "German Dictionary") is one of the most important dictionaries of the German language. Written entirely in German, the dictionary contains 32 volumes and includes about 350,000 main entries. It is particularly useful for finding the meaning of words in genealogical documents that are no longer used in modern German. It can be searched online by clicking here and selecting the link "Online-Wörterbuch aufschlagen." Note: This site is intermittently not available.
Additional dictionaries are listed in the subject section of the Family History Library Catalog under GERMAN LANGUAGE - DICTIONARIES or in the locality section under GERMANY - LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES.
Key Words
To find and use specific types of German records, you will need to know some key words in German. This section gives key genealogical terms in English and the German words with the same or similar meanings.
For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find German words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, joined, and other words used in German records to indicate marriage.
| English | German |
| birth | Geburten, Geburtsregister, Geborene, geboren |
| burial | Beerdigungen, begraben, Begräbnisse, bestattet, beerdigt |
| Catholic | katholisch |
| child | Kind, Kinder |
| christening | Taufe, Taufen, Getaufte |
| confirmations | Konfirmationen, Firmungen |
| civil registry | Standesamt |
| death | Tote, Tod, sterben, starb, verstorben, gestorben, Sterbefall |
| father | Vater |
| husband | Mann, Ehemann, Gatte |
| index | Verzeichnis, Register |
| Jewish | jüdisch, Jude(n), israelitisch |
| marriage banns | Proklamationen, Aufgebote, Verkündigungen |
| marriage | Heiraten, Trauungen, Getraute, Ehe, Kopulation, kopulieren, verheiratet, Verehelichungen, Eheschliessungen |
| month | Monat |
| mother | Mutter |
| name, given | Vorname, Name |
| name, surname | Zuname, Familienname, Geschlechtsname, Name |
| parents | Eltern |
| parish | Pfarrei, Kirchspiel, Gemeinde |
| Protestant | evangelisch, lutherisch, Protestant |
| Reformed | reformiert |
| wife | Frau, Ehegattin, Weib, Ehefrau, Hausfrau, Gattin |
| year | Jahr |
General Word List
Note: In German, letters with diacritical marks are alphabetized as if they did not have a diacritical mark. In some other languages, they are alphabetized separately.
A
ab from, since
Abbauer tenant on a (new, split-off) farm; heir with a small part of a farm (usually a second son)
Abdecker skinner
Abend evening
Abendmahlgast communicant
abends in the evening
Abenteurer jeweler; adventurer
aber but
abgestorben deceased
Ablader longshoreman
Abnahmemann retired farmer on life estate
Abnehmer photographer
Abschiedsmann man retired on life estate
absterben to die, to die off
Abstreifer renderer; flayer
acht eight
achte eighth
Achter juryman
achtundzwanzigste twenty-eighth
achtzehn eighteen
achtzehnhundert eighteen hundred
achtzehnte eighteenth
achtzig eighty
achtzigste eightieth
Ackermann farmer
Adel gentry, nobleman
a.D. = außer Dienst formerly employed, retired
adoptiert adopted
Ahnen ancestors
Ahnentafel pedigree chart
Akten documents
alle all
allhier in this place
alt old
Altbürger full citizen
Alter age
Altersschwäche weakness of old age
ältest eldest
alt-katholisch old Catholic
Amman bailiff, magistrate
Amt office, district
Anbauer peasant
andere other, next
Angeber informant
angeblich alleged, assumed
Anmerkungen remarks
Anspänner farmer
apostolisch Apostolic
April April
Arbeiter laborer, worker
Archiv archive
arm poor
Armut poverty
Arzt physician
auch also, too
auf on, upon, at
aufbieten post banns
Aufenthaltserlaubnis residence permit
Aufenthaltsort residence
Aufgebot publication of banns
August August
aus from, out of
außen outside
äußere outside, outward, external
außerehelich illegitimate
Auswanderer emigrant
Auswanderung emigration
Auszehrung consumption or emaciation (especially from TB)
Auszug extract
B
Bäcker baker
Bad spa, resort
Badeort spa, health resort
Band volume
Baptist Baptist
Baron baron
Bauer farmer, peasant
Bayern Bavaria
Bd. = Band volume
Beamter official, registrar
Beck(er) baker
beerdigt buried
Beerdigung burial, interment
beglaubigt certified, attested
begraben buried
Begräbnis burial
Beichte confession
beide both
Beilage supplement
Bekannte(r) acquaintance
Bekehrung conversion
Belege proof, documentation
Bemerkungen remarks
Berg hill, mountain
Bergmann miner
Beruf occupation, profession
Beschreibung description
Besitzer possessor, proprietor, owner
bestätigt confirmed, verified
bestattet buried
bettlägerig bedridden
Bettler beggar
Bevölkerungsregister population register
bevorstehend previously mentioned
Bezirk district
Biographie biography
Bischof bishop
Bistum diocese
Blattern smallpox
blutend bleeding
Blütenmonat May
Blutsverwandschaft blood relationship
Böhmen Bohemia
Bootsmann bargeman, boatman
Böttcher cooper, barrel maker
Brauer brewer
Bräune diptheria
Braut bride
Bräutigam bridegroom
Brücke bridge
Bruder brother
Bub boy
Buch book
Büdner cottager
Burg castle, fortress
Bürger burgher, citizen, citizens
Bürgerbuch citizen register
Bürgermeister mayor
Büttner cooper, barrel maker
C
ca. = circa about
Chirurg surgeon
Christmonat December
Colonist settler, tenant farmer
copulieren to marry
cribrarius sieve maker (Latin)
D
d. = der, dem, des, die, das the
Dachdecker roofer
dänisch Danish
das the
daselbst residing in this place
Datum date
Dekanat deanery
dem, den the
der the, of the
derselbe the same
des of the
deutsch German
Deutschland Germany
Dezember December
die the
Diener servant
Dienst service, employment
Dienstag Tuesday
Dienstmagd servant girl
dieser this, these
Domäne domain
Donnerstag Thursday
Dorf village
dort there
drei three
dreißig thirty
dreißigste thirtieth
dreiundzwanzigste twenty-third
dreizehn thirteen
dreizehnte thirteenth
dritte third
Duplikat duplicate record
durch through
Durchfall diarrhea
E
ebenda at the same place
Ehe marriage
Ehebrecher adulterer
Ehebruch adultery
Ehefrau wife, housewife
Ehehindernis hinderance to marriage
ehel. = ehelich legitimate
eheleiblich legitimate
Eheleute married couple
ehelich legitimate
ehemals formerly
Ehemann husband
Ehepaar married couple
Ehescheidung divorce
Eheschließung marriage
Ehestand married state
Eheverkündigungen marriage banns
Eheversprechen, Eheverspruch betrothal, engagement
Eidam (Eidmann) son-in-law
Eigentümer proprietor
ein, eine a, one, an
Einbürgerung naturalization
Einlieger landless farm laborer
eins one
Einsender informant, declarant
eintausendachthundert eighteen hundred
eintausendfünfhundert fifteen hundred
eintausendneunhundert nineteen hundred
eintausendsechshundert sixteen hundred
eintausendsiebenhundert seventeen hundred
einunddreissig thirty-one
einunddreissigste thirty-first
einundzwanzigste twenty-first
Einwanderer immigrant
Einwanderung immigration
Einwilligung permission
Einwohner inhabitant
einzige only
Eisenbahn railroad
Eiterbeule abscess
elf eleven
elfte eleventh
Eltern parents
Enkel grandson
Enkelin granddaughter
Enkelkind grandchild
eod(em) the same
Epilepsie epilepsy
er he
Erben heirs
Erbschaft inheritance
erhalten received, receive
erklärt declared
Erlassung dispensation, permission
Ermächtigung authorization
Ernting August
errechnet approximated, calculated
erschien appeared
erste first
erstgeboren firstborn
ertrank, ertrunken drowned
erzeugen beget
erzeugt begat
es it
et uxor and wife (Latin)
evangelisch evangelical
F
Fabrikant manufacturer
Familie family
Familienbuch family register
Familienforschung genealogical research
Familienregister family register
Färber dyer
Faßbinder cooper, barrel maker
Fäule cancer
Februar February
Fehlgeburt miscarriage
Festtag feast day, festival day, holy day
Festung fortress
Fieber fever
Findling foundling
Firmung confirmation
Fischer fisher
Fl. = Florin standard monetary unit
Flecken hamlet, also measles or spots
Fleckfieber spotted fever, typhus
Fleischer butcher
Fleischhauer butcher
Flüchtling refugee, deserter
Fluß river
folgende following, next
Forst forest
Förster forester
Fraisen convulsions, epilepsy, seizures, spasms
Frankreich France
Frau Mrs., wife, woman
Fräulein Miss, unmarried woman
Freibauer farmer who owns his own land
Freiherr baron
Freitag Friday
fremd foreign, strange
Freund friend
Friedhof cemetery
früh early (a.m.)
früher former, formerly
fünf five
fünfte fifth
fünfundzwanzigste twenty-fifth
fünfzehn fifteen
fünfzehnhundert fifteen hundred
fünfzehnte fifteenth
fünfzig fifty
fünfzigste fiftieth
für for
Fürst count
Fürstentum principality
G
Gärtner gardener
Gastwirt innkeeper
Gatte husband
Gattin wife
geb. = geboren born, maiden name
geben, gab given, gave
Gebiet region, area, zone
geboren born, maiden name
Gebühren fees
Geburt birth
Geburtsort place of birth
Geburtsschein birth certificate
Geburtsurkunde birth certificate
gegen against, towards
geheiratet married
gehört belongs (to)
Geistliche(r) clergyman
Gelbsucht jaundice
Geld money
Gemahl(in) spouse, husband, wife
Gemeinde community, municipality, parish, town
Gemeindemann village official, village resident
Gemeindsmann citizen with full rights
gemelli twins
genannt named, alias, called
Genealogie genealogy
Gerber tanner
Gericht court
Gerichtsmann juryman
Gerichtsschreiber court clerk
Gerichtsverwandter member of the judicial court
gesagt said, stated
Geschichte history
geschieden divorced
Geschlecht gender, sex, lineage
Geschlechterbücher lineage books
Geschlechtsname surname
Geschwister siblings, brothers and sisters
Geschwulst swelling, tumor
Geselle journeyman
Gesellschaft society, group
Gesetz law
gesetzlich legal
gest. = gestorben died
gestern yesterday
gestorben died
get. = getauft baptized, christened
Getaufte person who was baptized
getr. = getraut married
Getraute married couple
Gevatter godfather
Gewerbe trade, occupation
Gicht gout, arthritis
Gilde guild
Glaube belief, faith
Glauben religious affiliation
gleich same, alike, similar, right away
Graf count (nobleman), earl
Grafschaft county
Grenze border
groß big, great, large
Großeltern grandparents
großjährig of age
Großmutter grandmother
Großneffe great-nephew
Großnichte great-niece
Großvater grandfather
Grundbuch land register
Gulden standard monetary unit, florin
Gut property, estate
gut good
H
| German | English |
| haben | to have |
| halb | half |
| halb drei | half three = 2:30 (time) |
| halb eins | half one = 12:30 (time) |
| halb zwei | half two = 1:30 (time) |
| Halbbauer | small farmer |
| Halbmeier | small farmer |
| Händler | trader, merchant, peddler |
| Hartung | January |
| Haupt- | chief, main |
| Haus | house |
| Hausfrau | housewife |
| Häusler | cottager |
| Hausmädchen | housemaid |
| Hebamme | midwife |
| Heilquelle | spa, bath |
| Heimat | home, native place, homeland |
| Heimatschein | domicile or residency certificate |
| Heimatsort | place of birth, home town |
| Heirat | marriage |
| heiraten | to marry |
| Heiratsantrag | marriage intentions |
| Heiratsbelege | marriage supplements |
| Heiratskontrakt | marriage contracts |
| Heiratsprotokolle | marriage records |
| Heiratsschein | marriage certificate |
| heißt | is named |
| Hektar | hectare (10,000 square meters or 2.47 U.S. acres) |
| Heraldik | heraldry |
| Herkunftsort | place of origin |
| Herr | Mister, Lord, lord |
| Herrschaft | estate, dominion |
| Herzog | duke |
| Herzogtum | duchy |
| Hessische | Hessian |
| Heuerling | dayworker, hireling |
| Heuert, Heumonat | July |
| heute | today |
| hier | here |
| hiesiger Ort | this place |
| Hinterbliebene | survivors |
| hinterlassen | surviving, left behind |
| Hirt | herdsman |
| hitziges Fieber | burning fever, high fever |
| hoch | high |
| Hochzeit | wedding |
| Hof | courtyard, farm, yard, estate |
| Hofprediger | chaplain |
| Holländer | Dutchman, dairykeeper |
| Hornung | February |
| Hüfner | farmer |
| Hufschmied | blacksmith |
| Hügel | hill |
| hundert | hundred |
| Hurenkind | illegitimate child |
| Husten | cough |
I
| German | English |
| ihr, ihr- | their, her |
| im | in the |
| immer | always |
| in | in, at |
| Inhalt | content(s) |
| innerhalb | inside of |
| Innung | guild |
| Instmann | tenant farmer |
| ist | is |
J
| German | English |
| Jäger | hunter, rifleman in the military |
| Jahr | year |
| Jahrestag | anniversary |
| Jahreszeit | season |
| Jahrhundert | century |
| jährlich | annual, yearly |
| Jahrzehnt | decade |
| Jänner | January |
| Januar | January |
| jeder (jede, jedes) | each, every |
| Jgfr. = Jungfrau, Jungfer | maiden, virgin, unmarried woman |
| jüdisch | Jewish |
| Jugend | youth, adolescence |
| Juli | July |
| Julmonat | December |
| jung | young |
| Junge | a youth (male) |
| Jungfrau, Jungfer | maiden, virgin, unmarried woman |
| Junggeselle | bachelor |
| Jüngling | bachelor, young man |
| Juni | June |
K
| German | English |
| K.K. = kaiserlich königlich | royal imperial |
| Kantor | choirmaster, organist |
| Karpe | carpenter |
| Karte | map |
| Karrer | carter |
| Kartei | card index |
| Käthner, Kätner | cottager |
| katholisch | Catholic |
| kaufen | to buy |
| Kaufmann | merchant |
| kein | no, not any, none |
| Keller | wine steward; cellar, basement |
| Kellner | waiter, receiver of revenues; steward |
| Kessler | kettlemaker |
| Keuchhusten | whooping cough |
| Kiefer | cooper, barrel maker |
| Kind | baby |
| Kindbettfieber | childbed fever |
| Kinder | children |
| Kirche | church |
| Kirchenältester | churchwarden, church elder, vestryman |
| Kirchenbuch | parish register |
| Kirchengemeinde | parish |
| Kirchenpfleger | churchwarden |
| Kirchenrodel | parish register |
| Kirchensprengel | parish |
| Kirchenvorsteher | churchwarden |
| kirchlich | pertaining to church |
| Kirchrat | member of a church council |
| Kirchspiel | parish |
| klein | little |
| Knabe | boy |
| Knecht | servant |
| Kolonist | settler, colonist, farmer |
| Kommunikant | communicant |
| Kommunion | communion |
| Konfirmation | confirmation |
| König | king |
| königlich | royal |
| Königreich | kingdom |
| Kopulation | marriage |
| kopulieren | to marry |
| Kossät, Kossath | cottager |
| Kötter, Kötner | small farmer, cottager |
| Krämer | grocer, small retailer |
| Krämpfe | cramps,, convulsions |
| Krankheit | disease, sickness |
| Krebs | cancer |
| Kreis | county |
| Krieg | war |
| Kröger, Krogmann | innkeeper |
| Küfer | cooper, barrel maker |
| Kuhhirte | cowherd |
| Kupferschmied | coppersmith |
| Kurort | spa |
| Kusine | female cousin |
| Kutscher | coachman |
L
| German | English |
| Land | land, country |
| Landarbeiter | farmhand |
| Landkarte | map |
| Landwirt | farmer |
| lassen | to let, leave, allow |
| lebendig | living |
| ledig | single, unmarried |
| legitimiert | made legitimate, legitimized |
| Lehrer | teacher |
| Lehrling | apprentice |
| Leiche | corpse, body |
| Leichenpredigt | funeral sermon |
| Leinenweber | linen weaver |
| Lenz | spring (season) |
| letzte Ölung | last rites, extreme unction |
| letzte Salbung | last rites, extreme unction |
| Letzter | latter, last |
| letzter Wille | last will |
| links | left |
| Lungenentzündung | pneumonia |
| Lungenschwindsucht | consumption, tuberculosis |
| lutherisch | Lutheran |
M
| German | English |
| Mädchen | girl |
| Mädel | girl |
| Magd | maiden, maid, servant girl |
| Mägdlein | girl, little girl |
| Mai | May |
| Maler | painter |
| Mann | husband, man |
| männlich | male |
| Markt | market |
| März | March |
| Masern | measles |
| Matrikel | register |
| Maurer | mason |
| Meister, -meister | master |
| Mennoniten | Mennonites |
| Metzger | butcher |
| Militär | military |
| minderjährig | underaged, minor |
| mit | with, via, by |
| Mitglied | member |
| Mittag | midday |
| mittags | at noon |
| Mitternacht | midnight |
| Mittwoch | Wednesday |
| Monat | month |
| Montag | Monday |
| Morgen | morning, tomorrow |
| Morgen (morgen) | measure of land, 0.6 to 0.9 acres |
| morgens | in the morning |
| Mühle | mill |
| mündlich | verbal, verbally |
| Mutter | Mother |
N
| German | English |
| N.N. = nomen nescio | name not known |
| nach | to, after, according to |
| Nachbar | neighbor |
| Nachbarschaft | neighborhood |
| nachgelassen | surviving |
| Nachlaß | estate, inheritance |
| Nachmittag | afternoon |
| nachmittags | in the afternoon |
| nächst(e) | next |
| Nacht | night |
| Näherin | seamstress |
| Name | name |
| nat. = natus, nata | born |
| natus, nata | born |
| neben | next to |
| Nebenfrau | concubine |
| Neffe | nephew |
| Nervenfieber | nervous fever |
| neu | new |
| neun | nine |
| neunte | ninth |
| neunundzwanzigte | twenty-ninth |
| neunzehn | nineteen |
| neunzehnhundert | nineteen hundred |
| neunzehnte | nineteenth |
| neunzig | ninety |
| neunzigste | ninetieth |
| Nicht | not |
| Nichte | niece |
| nichts | nothing |
| nie | never |
| nieder | lower |
| niederländisch | Dutch, of the Netherlands |
| noch | still |
| noch lebende | still living |
| noch nicht | not yet |
| Nord | north |
| Notizen | notices, miscellaneous records |
| Nottaufe | emergency baptism |
| November | November |
| Nummer | number |
| nur | only |
O
| German | English |
| O.A. = Oberamt | governing district office |
| ober | upper, over |
| ober-, Ober- (comb. form) |
chief, head; upper, over |
| Oberamt | governing district office |
| oder | or |
| öffentlich bekanntmachen | make known publicly |
| oft | often |
| Oheim | uncle |
| ohne | without |
| Oktober | October |
| Onkel | uncle |
| Ort | place, town |
| Ortslexikon | gazetteer |
| Osten | east |
| Ostern | Easter (could be March or April) |
| Ostermonat | April |
| Ostern | Easter |
| Österreich | Austria |
| österreichisch | Austrian |
P
| German | English |
| Pächter | leaseholder |
| Pate | godfather |
| Paten | godparents |
| Pest | plague |
| Pfalz | Palatinate |
| Pfarramt | parish office |
| Pfarrbuch | parish register |
| Pfarrei | parish |
| Pfarrer | parish minister, pastor |
| Pflegekind | foster child |
| Pflegesohn | foster son |
| Pflegetochter | foster daughter |
| Platz | place (location) |
| Pocken | pox, smallpox |
| Polen | Poland |
| polnisch | Polish |
| preußisch | Prussia |
| Priester | priest |
| Prinz | prince |
| Prinzessin | princess |
| protestantisch | Protestant |
| Provinz | province |
| provinzial | provincial |
R
| German | English |
| Räbbe | rabies |
| Räcke | stiffness of the limbs |
| Racker | renderer |
| Rademacher, Radmacher | wheelwright |
| Radhauer | wheelwright |
| Rathaus | city hall |
| Ratsherr | alderman |
| Ratsmann | councilman; town councilor |
| Rechnung | account; bill |
| rechtgläubig | orthodox |
| Rechsanwalt | lawyer |
| reformiert | reformed |
| Regierungsbezirk | administrative area (a political jurisdiction) |
| Register | register (a book or list) |
| Reich | empire; kingdom |
| Reifer | ropemaker; rope merchant |
| Reiter | rider; cavalryman |
| relicta | widow |
| relictus | widower |
| Religion | religion |
| ren. = renatus, renata | baptized, christened |
| Rentner | retired person |
| Rheuma | rheumatism |
| Richter | judge |
| Rodel | register |
| Röseler | whitewasher |
| Rössler | horseman; tanner |
| römisch katholisch | Roman Catholic |
| Röt | measles; bloody diarrhea |
| Rotgerber | red tanner |
| Ruhestand | retirement |
| Ruhr | dysentery |
| russisch | Russian |
| Rußland | Russia |
S
| German | English |
| S. = Seite | page |
| s. = siehe | see the following reference |
| Sachsen | Saxony |
| Sackhuhn | sailmaker |
| Säger | sawyer |
| Salbung | anointing |
| Salzvogt | salt works overseer |
| Samstag | Saturday |
| Sarkhauer | stonemason |
| Satertag | Saturday |
| Sattler | saddler, leather worker |
| Schacherer | peddler |
| Schäfer | shepherd |
| Schaffer | worker; laborer; administrator |
| Schäf(f)ler | cooper |
| Schaffmann | worker |
| Schaffner | conductor |
| Schalck, Schall | servant |
| Scharlach, Scharlachfieber | scarlet fever |
| Scharnemann | merchant in a market |
| Scharrmacher | wagon builder |
| Scharwerker | day laborer on a farm |
| Schatter, Schattmann | tax assessor |
| Schatzmann | moneychanger; treasurer |
| Schatzmeister | treasurer |
| Scheibenreisser | glazier |
| Scheibler | salt carrier |
| Scheiding | September |
| Scheidler | knife-blade maker |
| Scheidung | divorce |
| Schein | certificate |
| Schenkungen | donations |
| Scherer | barber; beardcutter; cloth cutter |
| Schichtmeister | mine paymaster |
| Schiffbauer | shipbuilder |
| Schiffer | shipper; seaman |
| Schiffmann | sailor |
| Schiffsmakler | shipbroker; shipping agent |
| Schilderer | sign painter |
| Schindeldecker | roofer of shingle roofs |
| Schindelmacher | shingle maker |
| Schinner | renderer, skinner |
| Schirmmacher | umbrella maker |
| Schirrmacher | wagon maker |
| Schirrmeister | master wagon maker |
| Schlachter, Schlächter | butcher |
| Schlachtmann | butcher |
| Schlachtwanter | clothing wholesaler |
| Schlafbaas | innkeeper |
| Schlaganfall | stroke, seizure |
| Schlagfluß | stroke |
| Schlieper | knifemaker; cutler |
| Schlieter | merchant |
| Schloß | castle |
| Schlosser | locksmith |
| Schlotfeger | chimneysweep |
| Schlotthauer | locksmith |
| Schmied | smith |
| Schneider | tailor |
| Schnitzer, Schnitzler | woodcarver |
| Schopper | ship's carpenter |
| Schornsteinfeger | chimneysweep |
| Schosserheber | tax collector |
| Schösser | tax collector |
| Schotte | peddler |
| Schottler | turner; key maker |
| Schottilier | turner; carpenter |
| Schreiber | scribe, clerk |
| Schreiner | cabinetmaker, joiner |
| Schriftsetzer | typesetter |
| Schroder, Schröder | tailor |
| Schröer | tailor |
| Schröter | tailor; carter; driver; cooper |
| Schubarth, Schuberth, Schubring | shoemaker |
| Schuchard, Schucherd, Schuchmann, Schuckert | shoemaker |
| Schuhmacher | shoemaker, cobbler |
| Schule | school |
| Schullehrer | schoolteacher |
| Schultheiß, Schulze | village mayor, head of town council |
| Schüssler | bowl maker |
| Schuster | shoemaker, cobbler |
| Schuwarte | shoemaker |
| Schwäche | weakness |
| Schwager | brother-in-law |
| Schwägerin | sister-in-law |
| Schwaiger | shepherd |
| schwanger | pregnant |
| schwarz | black |
| schwarzer Tod | black death; plague |
| Schwarzgiesser | iron smelter |
| Schwein(e)hirt(h) | pigherd |
| Schweisser | welder |
| Schweiz | Switzerland |
| Schweizer | Swiss; also a dairyman |
| Schwendimann | settler on recently burned woodland |
| Schwerdtfeger | armorer |
| Schwester | sister |
| Schwiegermutter | mother-in-law |
| Schwiegersohn | son-in-law |
| Schwiegertochter | daughter-in-law |
| Schwiegervater | father-in-law |
| Schwindsucht | consumption |
| S.d. = Sohn des, der | son of |
| sechs | six |
| sechste | sixth |
| sechsundzwanzig | twenty-six |
| sechsundzwanzigste | twenty-sixth |
| sechzehnhundert | sixteen hundred |
| sechzehn | sixteen |
| sechzehnte | sixteenth |
| sechzig | sixty |
| sechzigste | sixtieth |
| See | lake |
| Seelen | souls |
| Seelenregister | church membership list |
| Seelsorger | minister, chaplain |
| Seemann | sailor |
| Segner | fisherman |
| Seifensieder | soap maker |
| Seigner | fisherman |
| Seiler | rope maker |
| sein | to be; his |
| seit | since |
| Seite | page |
| selige | (the) late, blessed |
| September | September |
| Sibber | sieve maker |
| Sibmacher | sieve maker |
| sich | himself, herself, itself |
| sie | she, they |
| Sie | you |
| sieben | seven |
| siebente | seventh |
| siebenundzwanzigste | twenty-seventh |
| siebte | seventh |
| siebzehn | seventeen |
| siebzehnhundert | seventeen hundred |
| siebzehnte | seventeenth |
| siebzig | seventy |
| siebzigste | seventieth |
| Sieder | soap maker |
| siehe | see |
| Sigrist | sexton |
| sind | are |
| so | as, so, thus, such |
| Sohn | son |
| Söhnlein, Söhnchen | young son |
| Soldat | soldier |
| Söldner | mercenary soldier; day laborer |
| sollen | should |
| Sonnabend | Saturday |
| Sonntag | Sunday |
| spät | late (p.m.) |
| Spengler | plumber; tinsmith |
| spur. = spurius, spuria | illegitimate |
| Staat | state |
| Staatsangehörigkeit | citizenship, nationality |
| Staatsarchiv | state archives |
| Stadt | city |
| Stammbaum | family tree, pedigree |
| Stand | occupation, status, condition |
| Standesamt | civil registrar’s office |
| starb | died |
| Steinhauer | stonecutter |
| Steinmetz | stonemason |
| stellen | place, put, impose |
| Stellmacher | wheelwright |
| Sterbefälle | deaths |
| sterben | to die |
| Steuer | tax |
| Stickfluß | asthma |
| Stiefbruder | half brother, stepbrother |
| Stiefkind | stepchild |
| Stiefmutter | stepmother |
| Stiefschwester | half sister, stepsister |
| Stiefvater | stepfather |
| Stillgeburt | stillbirth |
| Straße | street |
| Stunde | hour |
| Sucht | sickness, mania, rage |
| Süden | south |
| S.v. = Sohn von | son of |
T
| German | English |
| T.d. = Tochter des, der | daughter of |
| T.v. = Tochter von | daughter of |
| Tabelle | index, table |
| Tag | day |
| Tagelöhner | day laborer |
| Tagner | day laborer |
| Tal, Thal | valley |
| Tante | aunt |
| Tapazier | (wall)paper hanger |
| Taufe | baptism |
| taufen | to baptize |
| Taufpaten | godparents |
| Taufschein | baptismal certificate |
| tausend | thousand |
| Testament | will |
| Tischler | cabinetmaker, furniture maker |
| Tochter | daughter |
| Töchterchen | young daughter |
| Töchterlein | young daughter |
| Tochtermann | son-in-law |
| Tod | death |
| Todesart | manner of death |
| Töpfer | potter |
| tot | dead |
| Totengräber | grave digger |
| totgeboren | stillborn |
| Trauung | marriage |
| Trennung | separation, divorce |
| tschechisch | Czech |
| Tschechoslowakai | Czechoslovakia |
| Tuberkulose | tuberculosis |
| Tuchmacher | cloth maker, draper |
| Tumor | tumor |
U
über
| German | English |
| u.d. = und des, und der | and of |
| über | about, concerning, over |
| überleben | survive |
| Uhr | o’clock, clock, watch |
| um | at, about, around, concerning |
| unbekannt | unknown |
| und | and |
| und der | and of |
| und des | and of |
| unehelich | illegitimate |
| ungarisch | Hungarian |
| Ungarn | Hungary |
| ungefähr | about, circa, approximately |
| uns | us |
| unter | under, lower |
| Unterrichter | judge |
| Unterschrieben | signed |
| Unterschrift | signature |
| Unterzeichnete | the undersigned |
| unverheiratet | unmarried |
| Urenkelkind | great-grandchild |
| Urgroßmutter | great-grandmother |
| Urgroßvater | great-grandfather |
| Urkunde | record, document |
| Ururgroßmutter | great-great-grandmother |
| Ururgroßvater | great-great-grandfather |
| ux. = uxor | wife |
V
| German | English |
| Vater | father |
| verehelicht | married |
| Verehelichung | marriage |
| vergangen | past |
| vergraben | buried |
| verh. = verheiratet | married |
| Verkäufer | seller, vendor |
| verl. = verlobt | engaged |
| verlebte | deceased |
| verloben, sich | to become engaged |
| Verlobte | fiancée |
| Verlobter | fiancé |
| Verlobung | betrothal, engagement |
| Vermieter | landlord, lessor |
| Vermögen | estate, assets |
| Verpächter | landlord, lessor |
| verrichtet | performed |
| verschiedene | various |
| Verstopfung | constipation |
| verstorben | deceased, defunct |
| Verstorbene | the deceased |
| Verwaltung | administration |
| Verwandten | relatives |
| Verwandtschaft | relationship |
| verwitwet | widowed |
| Verzeichnis | register, list, index |
| Vetter | male cousin |
| vid. = viduus, vidua | widower, widow |
| vielleicht | perhaps, maybe |
| vier | four |
| vierte | fourth |
| vierundzwanzigste | twenty-fourth |
| vierzehn | fourteen |
| vierzehnte | fourteenth |
| vierzig | forty |
| vierzigste | fortieth |
| Vogt | steward, overseer |
| Voigt | steward, overseer |
| Volkszählung | census |
| volljährig | of age, of legal age |
| vollzogen | performed |
| von | of, from, by |
| vor | before; ago |
| vorherig | previous, preceding |
| vorheriger Tag | the previous day |
| vorläufig | for the time being |
| vormals | formerly |
| Vormittags | in the morning |
| Vormund | guardian |
| Vorname | given name |
| Vorstadt | suburbs, outskirts of town |
W
| German | English |
| Wagner | cartwright |
| Waise | orphan |
| Wald | forest, woods |
| wann | when |
| Wappen | coat of arms |
| Wappenkunde | heraldry |
| war | was |
| waren | were |
| warum | why |
| was | what |
| Wassersucht | dropsy, edema |
| Weber | weaver |
| Weduwe | widow |
| wegen | because of |
| Wehmutter | midwife |
| Weib | wife, woman |
| weiblich | female |
| weil. = weiland | deceased |
| weiland | deceased |
| Weiland | the deceased |
| Weiler | hamlet |
| weiß | white |
| Weißgerber | tanner |
| welche | which |
| wer | who |
| werden | to become |
| West | west |
| weyland | deceased |
| wie | how |
| Windpocken | chicken pox |
| Wintermonat | November |
| Wirt | innkeeper |
| Wittib | widow |
| Wittiber | widower |
| Witwer | widower |
| wo | where |
| Woche | week |
| Wochenbett | childbed |
| woher | from where |
| wohnen | to live, residing |
| Wohnort | place of residence |
| Wohnplatz | place of residence |
| Wohnung | domicile, residence |
| wollen | to want |
| Wonnemonat | May |
| Wörterbuch | dictionary |
| wurde geboren | was born |
| wurde getauft | was baptized |
| würdig | worthy |
| Wwe. = Witwe | widow |
| Wwer. = Witwer | widower |
X
| German | English |
| Xber, Xbris | December |
Z
| German | English |
| zählen | to count |
| Zahnkrämpfe | teething |
| Zahnung | teething |
| zehn | ten |
| Zehnt(en)buch | tithing book |
| zehnte | tenth |
| Zehnten | tithes |
| zehrendes Fieber | consumptive fever |
| Zehrung | consuption |
| Zeit | time |
| Zeuge | witness |
| Ziegler | brick maker |
| Zimmermann | Carpenter |
| Zivilstandsamt | civil registrar's office |
| Zöllner | publican, tax collector |
| zu Hause | at home |
| Zukunft | future |
| Zuname | surname, last name |
| zusammen | together |
| zwanzig | twenty |
| zwanzigte | twentieth |
| zwei | two |
| zweihundert | two hundred |
| zwei tausend | two thousand |
| zweite | second |
| zweiundzwanzigste | twenty-second |
| Zwilling(e) | twin, twins |
| zwischen | between |
| zwölf | twelve |
| Zwölfer | member of a council |
| zwölfte | twelfth |