Abbreviations Found in Genealogy Records
Here are some abbreviations you may find in genealogy records.
Names
Jno or Johes = John
Hy = Henry
Wm = William
xpher = Christopher
Jas = James
Geo = George
Benj = Benjamin
Dates
"ber" = sometimes added to a number to indicate a month of the year. For example, in the Gregorian Calendar 10ber is October.
i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x = 1 to 10
xx, xxx = 20 & 30
i or j = primo; on the first
Latin
viz. = videlicet; namely
cum cont.= with a sermon
dom.=dominus (-a); lord or sir (lady or dame)
fil.=filius (-a)= son (daughter)
fil.pop= filius(-a) populi or filius (a) vulgi; bastard son or daughter of a harlot
in com.=in comitatu; in the county (of)
libre = book
lic.=per licentiam;by licence
nupt.=nupti fuerunt; were married
ob. = obit; died
s.p. = sine prole; without offspring
May also refer in parish chest materials to Smoke-penny= one of the dues once payable at Eastertime to the incumbent of a parish by his parishioners, in this case from the occupier of a house with a fireplace.
sep.= sepuliebatur or sepultus(-a) erat; was buried
par.=parochie; of the parish of...
q. = quarto; oversize book
vid.=viduus (-a) widower (widow)
Terms
wf/o = wife of
admon or admin = letters of administration
col. = colored
kno. wedding= Knobstick wedding; the wedding of a pregnant single woman to the putative father-to-be, under pressure from the parish vestry. Churchwardens attended to see that the ceremony was performed, the name is derived from their staves of office.
w.d. = will dated
twp = township
nat. = natus; birth; son; offspring
ms. = manuscript
Terr.Tent.=Terre Tenant the lord of a manor or freeholder in actual occupation of the land, as distinct from his superior lord.
X = a mark made by a person instead of a signature; Christ; Christian
OED = Oxford English Dictionary