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Genealogy Dictionary
Revision 2
8/2/89
Special thanks to Bob Shumway 76525,703 for many additions.
This file contains many of the common "buzzwords", terminology and legal
words found in genealogy work. If you think of any words that should be
added to this list, please notify Dick Eastman 76701,263.
AB NEPOS a great-great-grandson
AB NEPTIS a great-great-granddaughter
ABEYANCE a condition of undetermined ownership, as of an estate that
has not yet been assigned
ABSTRACT a statement summarizing the essential facts contained in a
document or record
ABSTRACT BOOK record books containing abstracts of the information
contained on deeds or land entries, usually listed in
alphabetical order by surnames of the purchasers
ACCELERATED an index prepared by computer, such as a census index
INDEX
ACTION a proceeding in a court of law
ADMINISTRATION management and settlement of an estate
ADMINISTRATOR an appointee of the court who settles the estate of a
deceased who died without leaving a will
ADMINISTRATOR'S a bond posted by an administrator to guarantee the
BOND proper performance of his duties
ADMINISTRATRIX a female administrator
AEGROTANTEM illness - sickness
AFFIDAVIT a written and signed statement sworn in front of a court
officer
AHNENTAFEL a table of one's ancestors, from the German words Ahnen
(ancestor) and Tafel (table or list)
ANNUS year
ARCHIVES reference to the storage of older records
ASCENDANT ancestor
ASSIGNEE the person to whom a privilege or some property is signed
over by the court
ASSIGNOR the person who signs over the right or some property to
another
ASSISTANT census taker prior to 1880
MARSHALL
BANNS publication or posting of the announcement of a coming
marriage, a period of time before the actual marriage, to
allow advance notice to those that might have reason to
protest. In most churches the banns were read aloud in
church on three successive Sundays.
BAPTIZAVI I baptized
BEQUEST legacy; usually a gift of real estate by will
BOLUTER a sieve.
BOND a written promise by a borrower to pay a lender a fixed
dollar sum of interest for a prescribed period of time and
to repay the principal on a stated date.
BOROUGH a self-governing incorporated town, larger than a village.
The term is common in the Northeastern U.S.
BOUNTY LAND public land given by the government to induce young men to
join the military
BOUNTY LAND a gift of bounty land due to a person entitled by military
WARRANT service, or to his heirs or assigns
BRAND IRON the cob irons or fire dogs which confine the
brands on an open hearth.
BROTHER a male sibling, or a half brother, stepbrother,
brother-in-law, husband of a sister-in-law, or a Brother in
Church. Sometimes it is also used to show close
friendship.
BUNDLING to sleep in the same bed while fully clothed, a practice
commonly practiced by engaged couples in early New England
CADASTRAL a public record, survey or map for tax purposes showing the
ownership and value of land
CALS Certified American Lineage Specialist - a certification of
competence in genealogy
CANON LAW a law of the church
CAPITATION TAX tax on people, also called a head tax or poll tax
CATHEDRALIS Cathedral
CENSUS periodic official tally of the population with details as
to ages, sexes, occupation, etc. U.S. Federal censuses
have been taken every 10 years starting in 1790.
CENSUS INDEX alphabetical listing of names enumerated in a census
CG Certified Genealogist
CHAFFER a chaffing dish.
CHATTELS personal property, both animate and inanimate. Slaves were
considered to be chattels
CIRCITER about
CIVITATE the city of
CLAN a social unit in the Scottish Highlands, consisting of a
number of families claiming a common ancestor and
following the same hereditary leader
COAT OF ARMS shield with certain distinctive symbols or emblems painted
on it in definite fixed colors identifying one person and
his direct descendants
CODICIL a supplement to a will
COLLATERAL an ancestor not in the direct line of ascent, but of the
ANCESTOR same ancestral family (a brother or a sister)
COLLIER a coal miner or a coal ship
COMMON LAW a man and a woman living together in a marital status
MARRIAGE without legal action. In some states living together a
specified period of time constitutes a legal marriage, even
without benefit of legal action
CONJUGI husband - wife - spouse
CONNUBIUM marriage
CONSANGUINITY blood relationship
CONVEY transfer property or title to property
CONVEYANCE a written instrument that transfers title to property from
one party to another
CONVEYOR grantor or seller
COUSIN in colonial usage it is most often meant nephew or niece.
In the broadest sense, it could also mean any familial
relationship, blood or otherwise (except mother, father,
sister, brother), or the modern-day meaning of a child of
one's aunt or uncle. Modern usage includes qualifiers such
as first, second, third and once removed, twice removed,
etc. First cousin is what most people commonly call their
aunt's and uncle's children. Second cousin is a child of
the first cousin, as is a first cousin once removed.
Similarly, a first cousin twice removed and a third cousin
denote the same member of the family - a first cousin's
grandchild.
CUI of whom, of whose, of whatever person, of what
place/country
CURTESY the life tenure which by common law is held by a man over
the property of his deceased wife is children with rights
of inheritance were born during the marriage
DECEDENT the deceased
DECEM ten
DECLARATION OF document filed by an alien in a court of record declaring
INTENTION his intention to apply for citizenship after fulfillment of
the residency requirement. It might also be used to refer
to an intent to marry, usually filed with the town clerk.
DEED a document signed, sealed and delivered according to law
and conveying title to real estate.
DE JURE legal term for "by law" or "lawfully"
DEMOGRAPHY the study of the characteristics of human populations, as
size, growth, density, distribution and vital statistics.
DENIZEN a foreigner permitted certain rights of citizenship
DEPOSITION a written testimony by a witness for use in court in his or
her absence.
DESCENDANT an immediate or remote offspring
DEVISE to transmit property by will
DEVISEE one to whom a devise is made
DIE day
DIRECT HEIR one who is in an individual's direct line of ascent or
descent
DISTRIBUTEE one entitled to a share in the estate of a person who died
intestate (without a will)
DOMO to master, subdue - home, residence, family
DORNIX linsey wolsey; also a heavy damask linen having a
diaper figure (flowered or figured) formerly much
used for church vestments, altar hangings etc.
DOWAGER a widow who holds title or property derived from her dead
husband
DOWER the part of interest of a deceased man's real estate
alloted by law to his widow
DOWRY property a bride brings to her husband for the duration of
a marriage
D.S.P. died sine prole - without offspring
DUO 2
EADEM same
EAM she
ECCLESCIA church
EGO I
EJUS he
EJUSDEM of the same
ENUMERATION process by which persons are counted for purposes of a
census
ENUMERATOR census taker
EODEM to the same place/person/day
EPISCOPUS bishop
ESCHEAT property reverted to the state when no legal heirs or
claimants exist.
EST is
ESTATE the whole of one's possessions; especially all the property
left by a deceased person
ET and - both
ETIAM also - besides - again
ET UX, ET UXOR and wife
EX from
EXECUTOR the person named in a will and appointed by the court to
carry out the provisions of the will
EXECUTRIX a female EXECUTOR
FAMILY GROUP a more-or-less standard form for recording genealogical
SHEET information on one husband and wife with the children born
to them
FAMILY HISTORY a local or regional LDS library that can order a lot of
CENTER genealogical records on loan from Salt Lake City
FAMILY HISTORY the huge library of genealogical information maintained by
LIBRARY the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Salt
Lake City, open to the public
FEE SIMPLE an estate of land of which the inheritor has unqualified
ownership and power of disposition
FILIAM daughter
FILIUM son
FINAL PAPERS petition for citizenship with supporting documentation
filed by an alien in a court of law
FIRELANDS a tract of land in northeastern Ohio reserved by
Connecticut for its own settlers when it ceded its western
lands in 1786. The state of Connecticut deeded land there
to its citizens whose homes were burned during the
Revolutionary War, therefore the territory became known as
"fire land"
FIRST PAPERS declaration of intention filed by an alien in a court of
law
FOREBEAR an ancestor, a forefather
FORTNIGHT 14 days
FREEBORN born as a free person
FREEDMAN a man or woman who has been freed from bondage or slavery
FREEDWOMAN
FREEHOLDER one who holds land by FEE SIMPLE. In colonial times, a
freeholder had the right to vote and hold public office.
FREEMAN one who held the full rights of citizenship, such as voting
and engaging in business (as opposed to an indentured
servant).
FRIENDS correctly called "The Society of Friends", the correct term
for the Quakers
FUERE were
GEDCOM GEnealogy Data COMmunications - GEDCOM is a specific file
format invented to allow sharing of data between two
potentially dissimilar computers. All vital information on
each individual in the database is collected and put in a
format the receiving computer may understand. There are
numerous GEDCOM files in CompuServe's Genealogy Forum.
GENTILE a person who is not Jewish
GENTLEMAN a member of the gentry, a descendant from an aristocratic
family whose income came from the rental of his land.
GODFATHER a man or woman who sponsors a child at baptism, also called
GODMOTHER a Godparent
GOODMAN a solid member of the community who ranked above a freeman
but below a gentleman on the social scale.
GOODS AND personal property, as distinguished from real property
CHATTELS
GOODWIFE a woman married to a "gentleman". Often the title was
shortened to "Goody". If you come across names such as
Goody Cook or Goody Whitten, they are not first names but
the abbreviation of a title.
GRANT to transfer property by a deed
GRANTEE one to whom a grant is made
GRANTEE INDEX index to grantees of deeds recorded in a deed book
GREGORIAN the calendar in use today. Pope Gregory XIII ordered the
CALENDAR replacement of the previous Julian Calendar in 1582,
although it was not adopted by England and the American
Colonies until 1752.
GUARDIAN an appointee of the court who cares for the property and
rights of a minor or someone incapable of handling his or
her own affairs.
GUTTE gutter or drain pipe.
HAERETICA heretical
HEADRIGHT right to a certain number of acres (usually 50) of land
guaranteed in advance for each settler in a new territory
HEAD TAX tax on people, also called a poll tax or capitation tax
HEIR a person who inherits, or is entitled by law or the terms
of a will to inherit, the estate of another
HEREDITAMENTS property that can be inherited
HERALDRY the practice of devising, blazoning, and granting armoral
insignia (coats of arms)
HIBERNIA Ireland
HIGH SHERIFF the highest-ranking sheriff, as opposed to deputy sheriffs.
The term was popular in England and Colonial America.
HISGEN the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the oldest
genealogical society in North America
HOLOGRAPHIC a document written entirely by the hand of the person whose
WILL signature it bears
HUC here - to this place
HUJUS of this
HUJUSIDEM of this month & year
HUSBANDMAN a person whose occupation is husbandry; a farmer
HUTCH a chest, box coffer or bin.
IGI the International Genealogical Index - a large collection
of microfiche, soon to be on computer CD-ROMs, containing
the index to the LDS Church's computerized records of
individuals
IMMENS to be near
IMMINENS eminent - immediate
IMPOSITUM the name bestowed
IMPRESSMENT the act of seizing people or property for public service or
use
INDENTURE a deed, contract, or sealed agreement executed between two
or more parties; a contract by which a person is bound over
for services.
INDENTURED one who was voluntarily or involuntarily committed to
SERVANT working for someone for a fixed number of years (usually 4
to 7) in exchange for passage to America or some other
financial advantage. The lowest person on the totem pole,
an indentured servant had few, if any, rights, but people
without skills or money accepted this position in order to
emigrate. After the period of work was over, the servant
usually became a freeman.
INFANT a minor
INFANTEM child
INFRA down - below
IN-LAW besides it's modern-day usage, which means a relative by
marriage, colonists also used the term for any familial
relationship that occurred from a marriage. Thus, a
woman's father-in-law could be her husband's father or her
stepfather. Her son-in-law could be her daughter's husband
or her own stepson.
INPRIMIS in the first place
INQUS repeat - maintain
IPSIUS in person - of own accord
INSTRUMENT a formal document, such as a deed or a will
INTESTATE having no legal will; not disposed of by legal will.
INVENTORY a list of goods in the estate of a deceased person
ISSUE offspring or children
JOINED STOOL one framed with joints.
JULIAN the calendar in use prior to 1752 (see Gregorian
CALENDAR Calendar) that was created by Julius Caesar
JUNIOR, not necessarily meaning a father/son relationship, these
SENIOR, terms were used to differentiate between men (and sometimes
III, etc. women) with the same name whether they were related or not.
The oldest would be called Senior and the other(s) would be
titled accordingly. If Peter Smith had a nephew Peter
Smith, the former would be titled Senior, the latter
Junior. In a small community, there might be three men
named Peter Smith. They would be named Senior, Junior and
III according to their ages. If Peter Smith, Senior died
or moved out of the community, Peter Smith, Junior would
become Senior. These titles were not permanent, but rather
conveniences in colonial families and communities.
KEELER a cooler, broad shallow wooden vessel, where milk
was set to cream or wart to cool.
KILDERKIN a small vessel - the eighth part of a tun or vat.
KINDRED a group of blood-related persons
KITH AND KIN friends and neighbors
LANDS AND real property, as opposed to personal property
TENEMENTS
LDS an abbreviation for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormons. This
church is very active in collecting genealogical
information for religious purposes. Their huge collection
of data is available to the general public as well
LEGACY money or property bequeathed to someone by will
LINEAL being in the direct line of descent from an ancestor
DESCENDANT
LOCO to place, to establish, to give in marriage
LOCUS place
LOYALIST a Tory (person who remained loyal to England during the
Revolutionary War) who later moved to Canada or to another
British possession
MANUMISSION a formal written act to free slaves
MARRIAGE BANNS see BANNS
MARRIAGE BOND a document executed to guarantee that no legal or moral
impediments existed to an intended marriage
MASTER today would be called The Captain, but in Colonial times
(OF A SHIP) was called The Master
MENSIS month
MOCKADOW moccado - stuff made of wool and silk and
apparently of a mixture of either with flax. Being a
substitute for more expensive velvet.
MORTALITY the enumeration (census counting) of deaths during the 12
SCHEDULE months preceding census day. The U.S. Census included
Mortality Schedules from 1850 through 1900, although the
1890 and 1900 schedules have been destroyed.
MORTIS death
MR. a title that could only precede the names of gentlemen,
clergymen or government officials.
MRS. a feminine equivalent of Mr., it did not denote marital
status but social position (women of the aristocracy). An
unmarried woman of social status might be referred to as
"Mrs.".
MULIEREM woman
NATUM born
NATURALEM natural
NATURALIZE to grant full citizenship to one of foreign birth
NECROLOGY register book of deaths
NEHGS New England Historic Genealogical Society
NEPHEW practically the same usage as today, except in very old
records it could also mean niece. In Middle English it
meant grandson or granddaughter.
NGS National Genealogical Society
NUNCUPATIVE an oral will declared by the deceased before dying, in the
WILL presence of witnesses, and transcribed by another.
NOTARY a person officially authorized to draw up or attest to
contracts, wills, deeds, or similar documents, to protest
bills of exchange.
NOVEM nine
NOW WIFE exclusively found in wills, this term implied that there
was a former (or ex-) wife.
NUPT -A -AE Bride/wife
NUBER HUC ADVENTIS recently arrived here
OAST HAYRE the cloth on the oast above the fires where the
hops are dried.
OATH OF sworn statement renouncing a former allegiance
ABJURATION
OB before - in front of - because of - on account of
OBIT died
OCTO 8
OPPIDO town
ORATOR attorney handles case and legal proceedings but
ORATRIX uses the name orator/oratrix to identify the man or woman
that instigated the case and related the events to
him. ie: a wife's personal tale of the actions of her
spouse when no witness was present.
ORDINARY public house or tavern
PALEOGRAPHY the study of ancient forms of writing
PALATINATE in West Germany, the area west of the Rhine River
PALATINE people from the Palatinate area
PAROCHUS rector/pastor
PATRINUS godfather (sponsor)
PATRITIUS paternal
PATRONYMIC a name deribed from a paternal ancestor, such as
"Williamson, the son of William"
PAUCIS HEBDOMADIBUS few weeks
PEDIGREE recorded ancestry or line of descent
PEDIGREE a more-or-less standard genealogical form for recording
CHART several generations of one's ancestry
PEEL a long handled broad shovel used for putting
bread into an oven.
PER for
PERSONAL property other than land
PROPERTY
PER STIRPES a method of dividing an estate so that children act as a
group, rather than individually, taking what their deceased
ancestor was entitled to.
POPULATION a completed population census questionnaire
SCHEDULE
POSTHUMOUS born after the father's death
PRAECENDE previous preceeding
PRAE in front - before - through
PRIDIE/PRIEDE the previous day
PRIMARY a record created at the time of the event (birth, death,
RECORD marriage, etc.), as opposed to records written years later
PRIMOGENITOR the earliest known ancestor or forefather
PRIMOGENITURE the right of the eldest child (especially the son) to
inherit the estate of both parents.
PROBATE legal establishment of the validity of a will
PROCURANT stand instead of - proxy
PROCURATOREM in behalf of
PROGENY children
PROGENITOR an originator of a line of descent, frequently used in
reference to the immigrant ancestor.
PURRELL made of lace called purl.
QUAKER a member of the Society of Friends
QUARTA 4
QUEARNE a handmill for grinding grain or seed.
QUI who - whereby
QUINQUE 5
REDEMPTIONER a Colonial emigrant from Europe to North America who paid
for his voyage by serving as a bondservant for a specified
period of time after arrival
RELICT widow and sometimes a widower
SANTAE MARIAE St. Mary
SECONDARY or secondary source; a record created some time after the
RECORD event
SEPTEM 7
SEPULCHERED buried
SERVUS/A SERVARUM servant/servants
SEX 6
SIBLING a brother or sister
SISTER had definitions comparable to "brother"
SLAVE completed questionnaire for the enumeration of slaves in
SCHEDULE 1850 and 1860 censuses
SOUNDEX a filing system, usually for recording surnames, using one
letter followed by 3 numbers. The Soundex system keeps
together names of the same and similar sounds, but of
variant spellings.
SPOUSE a husband or wife
STALDER a stillen of frame to put barrels on.
STANDARD a chest; the upright stem or support of a lamp or
candlestick.
STUPUET a stew pan or skillet.
SUTLER person who accompanies troops in the field or in
garison and sells food, drink and supplies.
TARLETAN a thin, stiff transparent muslin.
TESTAMENT the disposition of one's personal property by will
TESTATE having made or left a valid will
TESTATOR a man who died leaving a valid will
TESTATRIX a female TESTATOR
THORO marriage - union
TINY TAFEL a standardized file format used to exchange surnames of
interest between computers. Tiny Tafels are brief
"shorthand" of what the originator has researched, limited
to the surname only, Soundex, beginning and ending dates
as well as beginning and ending locations.
TITHABLE person subject to a tax
TOLVET a measure - holding half a bushel.
TORY a resident of the American Colonies who remained loyal to
England during the Revolutionary War (see Loyalist)
TRANSIENTIBUS in transit from - travling
TRES 3
TRIBUS MENSIBUS 3 months
TRUCKLE BED trundle bed with casters to run under a higher
bed.
TRUG a basket with a fixed handle like an old american
woven wooden grape basket.
TRUSTEE a person or agent holding the legal title to property
TUNNEL a funnel.
TURNOUT an equippage, a carriage with it's horses,
attendants, and equipment.
ULTIMO last
UNUS 1
UXOR wife - the married state
VERO certainly - to be sure
VINCINITATE neighboring area
VISITATION a visit for the purpose of making an official inspection or
examination. This term was used to describe census
activities.
WHEELWRIGHT a person who builds wagon wheels
WILL the legal document containing the statement of a person's
wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property after
death.