I sometimes look back at my previous posts for inspiration for new posts, or sometimes to see which topics may need a bit more elaboration. Today I want to create an extension from my genealogy glossary post from a few weeks ago. However, rather than providing you, my readers, with more genealogy terms, I want to help you understand the many genealogy abbreviations that are often used.
General Genealogy Abbreviations
abt. – about (sometimes also abbreviated as a. or ab.)
ad. – adopted (sometimes adCL for adopted child, adD for adopted daughter, or adS for adopted son are also used)
aft. – after
aka or a.k.a. – also known as
als – alias
anc. – ancestor or ancestry
anon. – anonymous
appx. – appendix
arr. – arrived
assn. or assoc. – association
au. – gold
b. – born
ba. – baptized (sometimes also abbreviated as bap. or bapt.)
bcer. – birth certificate
bet. – between
bp. – birthplace
bro – brother
bu. – buried
c. or ca. – circa (sometimes also abbreviated as cir.)
cem. – cemetery
cer. or cert. – certificate
CG – Certified Genealogist
ch. – child or children
ch/o – child of
chr. Or chris . – christened
co. – county or company
cous. – cousin
d. – died
da. Or dau. – daughter
dept. – department
dil. – daughter-in-law
dist. – district
d/o – daughter of
dpl. – death place
dsct. – descendent
E.D. – Enumeration District
est. – estate or established
f. or fa. – father
fam. – family
fil – father-in-law
g. – grand or great
GEDCOM – GEnealogical Data COMmunication
gf – grandfather
ggf – great-grandfather
gm – grandmother
ggm – great-grandmother
h. or hus.- husband
Ind. – Indians
Ind. T. or Ind. Ter.- Indian Territory
inf. – infant or infantry
info. – information
inh. – inherited
inq. – inquiry
kn. – known
la. or labr. – laborer
Lat. – Latin
lib. – library
lic. – license
liv. abt. – lived about
m. – married or marriage
mat. – maternal
min. – minister
mo. – mother or month
n.d. – no date
NP – Notary Public
obit – obituary
o.c. – only child
org. – organization
p. – parents
par. – parish or parents
pion. – pioneer
rel. – relative
RIP – rest in peace
RR – railroad
s. – son
SASE – self-addressed stamped envelope
sil – son-in-law
sis – sister
s/o – son of
soc. – society
transcr. – transcribed
twn. – town
twp. – township
ty. – territory
unk. – unknown
unm. – unmarried
vit. – vital
w. – wife
wd – widow
w/o – wife of
y. or yr. – year
Genealogy Organization Abbreviations
AL – American Legion
AOP – American Order of Pioneers
APG – Associaon of Professional Genealogists
APJI – Association for Protection of Jewish Immigrants
ASG – American Society of Genealogists
BLM – Bureau of Land Management
CAR – Children of the American Revolution
DAC – National Society of the Daughters of the American Colonists
DAR – Daughters of the American Revolution
DVF – Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge
FASG – Fellow American Society of Genealogists
FGS – Federation of Genealogical Societies
FHC – Family History Center
FHL – Family History Library
HAS – Huguenot Society of America
LC – Library of Congress
LDS – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
MM – Monthly Meeting of Society of Friends (Quakers)
NARA – National Archives and Records Administration
NARS – National Archives and Record Service
NEHGS – New England Historic Genealogical Society
NGS – National Genealogical Society
NSCDA – National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
NSDAR – National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution
SAR – Sons of the American Revolution
SUV – Sons of Union Veterans
VFW – Veterans of Foreign Wars
Military Abbreviations
BBG = Brevet Brigadier General
BGEN = Bridgadier General
BMG = Brevet Major General
CDR = Commander USN
COL = Colonel
CPL = Corporal
CPT = Captain
CSGT = Commissary Sergeant
GEN = General
LCDR = Lieutenant Commander USN
LGEN = Lieutenant General
LT = Lieutenant
1 LT = First Lieutenant (2 LT = 2nd Lieutenant, and so on)
Ens – Ensign USN
LTC = Lieutenant Colonel
MAJ = Major
MGEN = Major General
NCO = Non-commissioned Officer
OSGT = Ordinance Sergeant
PFC = Private First Class
PVT = Private
PVT 1CL = Private First Class
QM = Quartermaster
QMSGT = Quartermaster Sergeant
SGM = Sergeant Major
SGT = Sergeant
WO = Warrant Officer