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)

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.)