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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.