Genealogy researchers encounter many abbreviations both in modern compilations and in original records, this list aims to assist the researcher in deciphering those abbreviated terms.

AAONMS - Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
AASR - Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (of Freemasons)
AASRFM - Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry
AD - anno domini (Latin), in the year of the Lord
AEOS - Ancient Egyptian Order of Sciots (Masons)
AF - Ancestral File, database maintained by the LDS FHL
AF&AM - Ancient, Free, & Accepted Masons
AFAM - Ancient Free and Accepted Mason
AG - Accredited Genealogist (FHL credential)
AGBU - Armenian General Benevolent Union
AHOJB - Ancient and Honorable Order of the Jersey Blues
AISB - Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria
altm - at liberty to marry (Quaker)
AMORC - Ancient Mystic Order Rosae Crucis
Am. Rev. - American Revolution, American War for Independence
AMVETS - American Veterans
AMOS - Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (Odd Fellows)
AOB - Air Order of Battle
AODC - Ancient Order of Degree Coopermen
AOD - Ancient Order of Druids
AOF - Ancient Order of Foresters
AOH - Ancient Order of Hibernians
AOUW - Ancient Order of United Workmen
APCWS - Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites
apd - attending places of diversion; appointed; appealed (Quaker)
APG - Association of Professional Genealogists
apt - appointed
AQM - Assistant Quartermaster (US Civil War)
AQRS - Assistant Quartermaster Remount Service (US Civil War)
ARC - American Red Cross
ARSS - Antiquariorum Regiae Societatis Socius (Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries)
ASFD - American Society of Freedmen's Descendants
ASG - American Society of Genealogists
ASN - Army Serial Number
assn - association
att - attached to; attended (Quaker)
AWOL - Absent Without Leave (military)

b. - born
B - black, Negro
bapt. - baptized
BAR - Brigade of the American Revolution
BARE - Benefit Association of Railway Employees
BC - (of a date) before Christ
BCG - Board for Certification of Genealogists
BCR - Battle Casualty Report
bef. - before
BG - burial grounds
b-i-l - brother in law
BK - Brother's Keeper (software)
BNL - Brotherhood of the New Life
BPOE - Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
bro. - brother
bur. - buried

c, ca. - circa, about
CAILS - Certified American Indian Lineage Specialist (BCG credential)
CALS - Certified American Lineage Specialist (BCG credential)
cem. - cemetery
cert. - certificate
cd - contrary to the Discipline (Quaker)
ch - child, children; church
CDA - Catholic Daughters of America
chm - condemned his/her misconduct (Quaker)
chr - charter
CG - Certified Genealogist (BCG credential)
CGI - Certified Genealogical Instructor (BCG credential)
CGL - Certified Genealogical Lecturer (BCG credential)
CMU - Concrete Masonry Unit
c/o - child of
co - chosen overseer (Quaker)
Co. - county or company
col. - colored (Negro, mulatto, fpc)
Col. - Colonel (military rank)
com/comp - complained (Quaker)
comm - committee
con - condemned (Quaker)
CGRS - Certified Genealogical Record Searcher (BCG credential)
chlw - Cotton Loom Hand Worker
CSA - Confederate States of America
ct - certificate
CVA - Confederate Veterans of America
CWSS - Civil War Soldiers and Sailors

d. - died
DAC - Daughters of American Colonists
DAR - Daughters of the American Revolution
dau. - daughter
DAV - Disabled American Veterans
DBE - Daughters of the British Empire
DCLI - Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
dec. - deceased, dead
dec'd - deceased, dead
DED - Declared Dead (military)
desc. - descendant
d-i-l - daughter in law
dis. - disowned, disowned for (Quaker)
div. - divorce
DLI - Durham Light Infantry
DMWVI - Descendants of Mexican War Veterans
d/o - daughter of
do. - ditto, the same as the previous entry
DOB - Date of birth
DOD - Date of death
DOK - Daughters Of the King
DOW - Died of Wounds (military)
dp - dropped plain dress (Quaker)
dr - drinking to excess (Quaker)
drpd - dropped (Quaker)
DRT - Daughters of the Republic of Texas
d.s.p. - decessit sine prole (Latin), died without issue, childless
dt - daughter daughters
dtd - dated
DUP - Daughters of Utah Pioneers
DVA - Department of Veterans Affairs
d.v.p. - decessit vitae patre (Latin), died in father's lifetime

EM - Enlisted member (military)
ENHA - East Anglia National Heritage Area
end - endorsed (Quaker)
ETO - European Theater of Operations (military)
EUS - Evacuated to the U.S. (military)

F - female
F&AM - Free and Accepted Masons
FAAO - Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy
FACC - Fellow of the American College of Cardiology
FACCE - Fellow, American College of Childbirth Educators
FACD - Fellow of the American College of Dentists
FACE - Fellow, American College of Endocrinology
FACEP - Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians
FACFAS - Fellowship of American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
FACP - Fellow of the American College of Physicians
FACS - Fellow American College of Surgeons
FAM - Free and Accepted Masons
fam. - family
FAS - Fellow of the Antiquarian Society
FASG - Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists
FBG - Friends burial ground
FGS - Family Group Sheet
FHC - Family History Center, branch of the FHL
FHL - Family History Library, genealogy library in Salt Lake City, Utah, maintained by LDS church
FIGRS - Fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society
f-i-l - father in law
fmc - free man of color
FNGS - Fellow of the National Genealogical Society
FNHC - Founders of the New Haven Colony
fo - folio
FoE - Fraternal Order of Eagles
FOP - Fraternal Order of Police (USA)
form - formerly
fpc - free person of color, neither Caucasian nor enslaved
fr - from
FRACP - Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
FRAM - Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music
FRCP - Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
FRCPE - Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
FRCSI - Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland
Frds - Friends (Quaker)
FSG - Fellow of the Society of Genealogists
FTM - Family Tree maker (software)
FTW - Family Tree Maker for Windows (software)
FUGA - Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association
fwc - free woman of color
fwf - free white female
fwm - free white male

GAR - Grand Army of the Republic
GAOTU - Great Architect of the Universe (Freemason Word)
gc - granted certificate (Quaker)
gct - granted certificate to (Quaker)
GCVO - Grand Cross of the (Royal) Victorian Order (knight)
GD - granddaughter
Gedcom - GEnealogical Data COMmunication, method of transferring genealogy files from one program to another
gl - granted letter
glt - granted letter to
govt. - government
gr dau. - granddaughter
gr s. - grandson
Gr.Yd. - grave yard
GS - grandson
GSSR - General Society, Sons of the Revolution

h. - husband
h/o - husband of
HLI - Highland Light Infantry, Herefordshire Light Infantry
HOSJG - Hospitaller Order of St. John of God
hus. - husband

ibid. - ibidem (Latin), in the same place
IIGS - International Internet Genealogical Society
inf. - infant
int. - intentions, public notice of an upcoming marriage
IGI - International Genealogical Index, created and maintained by the LDS FHL
inst. - instant (Latin), of the current month
IOF - Independent Order of Foresters
IOGT - Independent Order of Good Templars
IOJD - International Order of Job's Daughters (freemason)
IOOF - Independent Order of Odd Fellows (fraternal organization)
IOR - Independent Order of Rechabites
IORG - International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (freemasonry)
IORM - Improved Order of Red Men
IOUAM - Improved Order of United American Mechanics

j. - joined (Quaker)
jas - joined another society (Quaker)
jd - jonge dochter/ young daughter (Dutch)
jm - jonge man / young man (Dutch)
JP - Justice of the Peace

KC - Knights of Columbus
KC - Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
KCSG -  Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory
KG - Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
KGE - Knights of the Golden Eagle
KIA - Killed in Action (military)
KIPC - Killed in Plane Crash (military)
KLH - Knight of the Legion of Honour; Knights and Ladies of Honor
KNB - Killed non-battle (military)
KOSB - The King's Own Scottish Borderers
KOTM - Knights of the Maccabees
KOYLI - The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
KP - Order of Knights of Pythias
KSLI - The King's Shropshire Light Infantry 
KT - Knight of the Order of the Thistle
KUV - Kranken Unterstuetzungs Verein