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.

L

LCBA - Loyal Christian Benefit Association

LDS - Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints, Mormon Church

LGAR - Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic

liv - living, lived

LOI - The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland

LOOM - Loyal Order Of Moose

LS - locus sigilli (Latin), where a seal is placed

ltm - liberated to marry

lvd - lived

lvg - living

LWA - Lightly Wounded in Action (military)

M

m. - married; month

m1, m (1) - married first

m2, m (2) - married second etc.

M - male

mbr - member

mbrp - membership

mcd - married contrary to Discipline (Quaker)

MCD - minor civil division (Census Soundex)

MG - Minister of the Gospel

MH - meeting house

mi - miles

MIA - Missing in Action (military)

m-i-l - mother in law

MM - monthly meeting

MOLLUS - Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

MOPH - Military Order of the Purple Heart

mos. - months; married out of society (Quaker)

mou - married out of unity (Quaker)

MOWW - Military Order of World Wars

Mr. - Mister, a title of respect

mnth - month

mt - married to

mtg - meeting

Mu - mulatto, person with one Caucasian and one Negro parent

mvd - moved

MWA - Modern Woodmen of America

N

na - not applicable; not attending meeting (Quaker)

NAT - North African Theater (military)

NATO - North African Theater of Operations (military, WW2)

NCWA - National Civil War Association (USA)

nd - no date, not dated

neg att - neglecting attendance (Quaker)

NEHGS - New England Historic Genealogical Society

nfr - no further record

NFMP - National Fraternity of Military Pilots

NGS - National Genealogical Society (USA)

NGSQ - National Genealogical Society Quarterly

nm - never married

nmn - no middle name

NOB - Naval Order of Battle

NOK - Next of Kin (military)

np - no page (or publisher) given

n.pub. - no publisher given

NR - not reported (Census Soundex)

NSDAR - National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

NSSDP - National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims

O

OA - Order of the Arrow (Boy Scouts)

OBE - Order of the British Empire

OBLI - Ox and Bucks Light Infantry

OC - Order of Canada

OES - Order of the Eastern Star

OHC - Order of the Holy Cross

OM - Ordained Minister; Order of Merit

OMM - Order of Military Merit

OP - Order of Preachers (Roman Catholicism; Dominican)

OS - Old Style (referring to dates)

OSA - Order of St. Anne; Ordinis Sancti Augustini (of the order of St. Augustine)

OSB - Order of St. Benedict

OSIA - Order of the Sons of Italy in America

OSL - Order of St. Luke the Physician

OSM - Order of Servants of Mary

OSSB - Order of the Star Spangled Banner

ou - out of unity (Quaker)

OUAM - Order of United American Mechanics

P

p. - page

PAF - Personal Ancestral File (software)

PBA - Patrolman's Benevolent Association

PCC - Prerogative Court of Canterbury (UK)

PLAV - Polish Legion of American Veterans

PH - The Order of Patrons Of Husbandry (Grange)

PM - preparative meeting (Quaker)

POSA - Patriotic Sons of America

pp. - pages

prc - produced a certificate (Quaker)

prob. - probably

p.v. - prorare vexilla, patriotically

Q

Qkr - Quaker

QM - quarter master (military); quarterly meeting (Quaker)

QOCH - Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders

R

RCA - Railway Carmen of America

rcd - recorded; received

RCJ - Rogationists Cordis Jesu (formal name for Rogationists, Roman Catholic Order of Men)

rec - received

recrq - received by request (Quaker)

relfc - released from care of (Quaker)

relrq - released by request (Quaker)

rem. - remove, removed

ret. - retired; returned

ret mbrp - retained membership (Quaker)

rev - reversed

RGLI - Royal Guernsey Light Infantry

RHF - Royal Highland Fusiliers

RJLI - Royal Jersey Light Infantry

RMC - Returned to Military Control (Military)

RMLI - Royal Marine Light Infantry

rm(t) - reported married (to)

RNA - Royal Neighbors of America

roc - received on certificate (Quaker)

rocf - received on certificate from (Quaker)

rol - received on letter (Quaker)

rolf - received on letter from (Quaker)

rpd - reported

RQM - Regimental Quartermaster (US Civil War)

rrq - request, requests, requested

rqc - requested certificate (Quaker)

rqct - requested certificate to (Quaker)

rqcuc - requested to come under care (Quaker)

RSF - The Royal Scots Fusiliers

RSOF - Religious Society Of Friends (Quakers)

rst - reinstate, reinstated (Quaker)

RTD - Returned to Duty (military)

RTT - Royal Templars of Temperance

S

s. - son

SAR - Sons of the American Revolution

SCV - Sons of Confederate Veterans

SDWA - Society of the Descendants of Washington's Army at Valley Forge

sep. - separated

SEYM - South Eastern Yearly Meeting (Quaker)

SI - sister

s-i-l - sister in law

sis - sister

s/o - son of

SOWD - Special Order War Department (US Civil War)

SSDI - Social Security Death Index (USA)

SUVCW - Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (USA)

SWA - Seriously Wounded in Action (military)

T

TAG - The American Genealogist (quarterly journal published since 1922)

temp. - temporarily

TMG - The Master Genealogist (software)

transfrd - transferred

TSSF - Third Order of St. Francis

TVC - Texas Veterans Commission

twp. - township, division of land

U

uc - under care of (Quaker)

UBCJA - United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America

UCV - United Confederate Veterans

UDA - United Daughters of America

UDC - United Daughters of the Confederacy

UFT - Ultimate Family Tree (software)

ult. - ultimo (Latin), of the preceding month

unm. - unmarried

upl - using profane language (Quaker)

USIGS - United States Internet Genealogical Society

USGW - USGenWeb (online collective providing genealogical resources via linked webpages)

USV - United States Volunteers (US Civil War)

V

VFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars (USA)

viz. - videlicet (Latin), namely

VRC - Veteran Reserve Corps (US Civil War)

VVI - Vermont Volunteer Infantry (US Civil War)

W

w. - wife

W - white, Caucasian

WAC - Women's Army Corp

w/c - with consent of

wid. - widow

wit. - witness

w/o - wife of

WOTW - Woodmen Of The World

WOW - Woodmen Of The World

w/pwr - with power (Quaker)

WRC - Women's Relief Corps

wrkd - worked

Y

YM - yearly meeting (Quaker)

Part 1

Abbreviations ~ Diseases ~ Epidemics ~ Latin ~ Occupations ~ Terminology

For more help in analyzing and recording those original records, see:

Evidence!: Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian

 

 

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