German Genealogical Word List

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

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 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

ihr their, her
im in the
immer always
in in
Inhalt content
innerhalb inside of
Innung guild
Instmann tenant farmer
ist is

J

Jäger hunter
Jahr year
Jahrestag anniversary
Jahreszeit season
Jahrhundert century
jährlich annual, yearly
Jahrzehnt decade

German	English
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

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