NOT IN ALPHA ORDER

1C--First cousin (2C, second cousin)

1R--Once removed (2R, twice removed)

A--Aunt

ACW--American civil war

AdD-Adopted daughter

AdS-Adopted son

ABSTRACT-Summary of important points of a given text, 
especially deeds and wills

ACRE-See Measurements

ADMINISTRATION (of estate)-Person appointed to manage or
divide the estate of a deceased person

ADMINISTRATRIX-A female administrator

AFFIDAVIT-A statement in writing, swore to before proper authority

AFRA--American family records assoc.

AGBI--American genealogical-biographical index

AGLL--American genealogical lending library

AGRA-Assoc. of  genealogists & record agents

ALIEN-Foreigner

AMERICAN REVOLUTION-U.S. war for independence 
from Great Britain 1775-1783

ANCESTOR-A person from whom you are descended; a forefather

ANTE-Latin prefix meaning before, such as in ante-bellum South,
The South before the war

APG-Assoc. of  professional genealogists

APPRENTICE-One who is bound by indentures or by legal agreement or
by any means to serve another person for a certain time, 
with a view of learning an art or trade

APPURTENANCE-That which belongs to something else such as a 
building, orchard, right of way, etc

ARCHIVES-Records of the government, organization, institution;
the place where records are stored

ASCll--American standard code (info interchange)

AT--Attendant

ATTEST-To affirm; to certify by signature or oath

AIS--Accelerated indexing system

B--Brother

b--born

bap--baptized

bapt--baptized

BANNS-Public announcement of intended marriage

BBS--Bulletin board system

BENEFICIARY-One who receives benefit of trust or property

BEQUEATH-To give personal property to a person in a will. Noun: bequest

BGMI--Biography and genealogy master index

BK--Brother's keeper (genealogy program)

BL--Brother-in-law

BMD--Births, marriages, deaths

BMP--Bit map picture (file format)

Bo--Boarder

BOND-Written, signed, witnessed agreement requiring payment of
a specified amount of money on or before a given date

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT-A right to obtain land, specific number of
acres of an allocated public land, granted for military service

Bp--Bishop

bur--Buried

C--Cousin

C18--Eighteenth century

ca--Circa, about (as in ca. 1840)

CANINDEX--Index of emigrants from canada, etc

CC--County court

CD--Compact disk

CENSUS-Official enumeration, listing or counting of citizens

CERTIFIED COPY-A copy made and attested to by officers having
charge of the original and authorized to give copies

CFI--Computer file index

CHAIN-See measurements

CHATTEL-Personal property which can include animate as well as
inanimate properties

chr--Christened

CHRISTEN-To receive or initiate into the visible church by 
baptism; to name at baptism; to give a name to

CIRCA-About, near, or approximate-usually referring to a date

CIVIL WAR-War between the States; war between North and South, 1861-1865

CODICIL-Addition to a will

COLLATERAL ANCESTOR-Belong to the same ancestral stock but not
in direct line of desent; opposed to lineal auch as aunts, uncles & cousins

COMMON ANCESTOR-Ancestor shared by two people

CONFEDERATE-Pertaining to the Southern states which seceded from
the U.S. in 1860-1, government and citizens

CONSANGUINITY-Blood relationship

CONSORT-Usually, a wife whose husband is living

CONVEYANCE-See Deed

COUSIN-Relative descended from a common ancestor, but not a brother or sister

CW--Civil war

D--Daughter

d--Died

DAR--Daughters of the American republic

DC--District court

DL--Daughter-in-law

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW-Wife of one's son

DECEASED-Dead

DECEDENT-A deceased  person

DECLARATION OF INTENTION-First paper, sworn to and filled in court, 
by an alien stating that he wants to be come a citizen

DEED-A document by which title in real property is transferred 
from one party to another

DEPOSITION-A testifying or testimony taken down in writing under 
oath of affirmation in reply to interrogatories, before a competent 
officer to replace to oral testimony of a witness

DEVISE-Gift of real property by will

DEVISEE-One to whom real property (land) is given in a will

DIVISOR- One who gives real property in a will

DISSENTER-One who did not belong to the established church, 
especially the Church of England in the American colonies

DISTRICT LAND OFFICE PLAT BOOK-Books or rather maps which show 
the location of the land patentee

DISTRICT LAND OFFICE TRACT BOOK-Books which list individual entries 
by range and township

DOUBLE DATING-A system of double dating used in England and America 
from 1582-1752 because it was not clear as to whether the year 
commenced Jan 1 or March 25

DOWER-Legal right or share which a wife acquired by marriage in 
the real estate of her husband, allotted to her after his 
death for her lifetime

DOCS--Documents

div--Divorced

d.s.p.--Died without issue

EMIGRANT-One leaving a country and moving to another

ENUMERATION-Listing or counting, such as a census

EPITAPH-An inscription on or at a tomb or grave in memory of the 
one buried there

ESCHEAT-The reversion of property to the state when there are 
no qualified heirs

ESTATE-All property and debts belonging to a person

ET AL-Latin for "and others"

ET UX-Latin for "and wife"

ET UXOR-And his wife. Sometimes written ET UX

EXECUTOR-One appointed in a will to carry out its provisions. 
Female-Executrix

F--Father

FAQ--Frequently asked questions

FB--Foster brother

FF--Foster father

FFV--First families of Virginia

FEE-An estate of inheritance in land, being either fee simple or 
fee tail. An estate in land held of a feudal lord on condition 
of the performing of certain services

FEE SIMPLE-An absolute ownership without restriction

FEE TAIL-An estate of inheritance limited to lineal descendant 
heirs of a person to whom it was granted

FGRA--First group record archives

FGS--Ancestral charts

FHC--Family history center

FHL--Family history library

FHLC--Family history library catalog

FL--Father-in-law

FATHER-IN-LAW-Father of one's spouse

FM--Foster mother

FOIA--Freedom of information act

FRANKLIN, STATE OF-An area once known but never officially 
recognized and was under consideration from 1784-1788 from 
the western part of North Carolina

FRATERNITY-Group of men (or women) sharing a common purpose 
or interest

FREE HOLD-An estate in fee simple, in fee tail or for life

FRIEND-Member of the Religious Siciety of Friends; a Quaker

FSi--Foster sister

FTM--Family tree maker (genealogy program)

FTP--File transfer protocol

FURLONG-See measurements

GA-Great aunt

GAZETTEER-A geographical dictionary; a book giving names and 
descriptions of places usually in alphabetical order

GD--Granddaughter

GEDCOM--Genealogical data communications

GENEALOGY-Study of family history and descent

GENTLEMAN-A man well born

GF--Grandfather

GGF--Great-grandfather

GGM--Great-grandmother

GGGF--Great-great-grandfather

GGGM--Great-great-grandmother

GIF--Format to hold images on a disk file

GIM--Genealogical information manager

GIVEN NAME-Name given to a person at birth or baptism, 
one's first and middle names

GLEBE-Land belonging to a parish church

GM--Grandmother

GNI--Grandniece

GOONS--Guide of one name studies

GPAI--Genealogical periodical annual index

GRANTEE-One who buys property or receives a grant

GRANTOR-One who sells property or makes a grant

GREAT-AUNT-Sister of one's grandparent

GREAT-UNCLE-Brother of one's grandparent

GS--Grandson

GU--Granduncle

GUARDIAN-Person appointed to care for and manage property of 
a minor orphan or an adult incompetent of managing his own affairs

HALF BROTHER/HALF SISTER-Child by another marriage of one's 
mother or father; the relationship of two people who have 
only one parent in common

HEIRS-Those entitled by law or by the terms of a will to 
inherit property from another

HH-Hired hand

HOLOGRAPHIC WILL-One written entirely in the testator's own
handwriting

HOMESTEAD ACT-Law passed by Congress in 1862 allowing a head of 
a family to obtain title to 160 acres of public land after clearing
and improving it for five years

HUGUENOT-A French Protestant in the 16th and 17th centuries. 
One of the reformed or calvinistic communion who were driven by 
the thousand into exile in England, Holland, Germany and America

IGI--International genealogical index

I-Inmate

ILLEGITIMATE-Born to a mother who was not married to the child'd father

IMMIGRANT-One moving into a country from another

INDENTURE-Today it means a contract in 2 or more copies. Originally 
made in 2 parts by cutting or tearing a single sheet across the middle
in a jagged line so the two parts may later be matched.

INDENTURED SERVANT-One who bound himself into service of another 
person for a specified number of years, often in return for 
transportation to this country

INFANT-Any person not of full age; a minor

INSTANT-Of or pertaining to the current month. (Abbreviated inst.)

INTESTATE-One who dies without a will or dying without a will

INVENTORY-An account, catalog or schedule, made by an executor or 
administrator of all goods and chattels and sometimes of the real 
estate of a deceased person

IOOF--Independent order of odd fellows

ISO--In search of

ISSUE-Offspring; children; lineal descendants of a common ancestor

LATE-Recently deceased

LEASE-An agreement which creates a landlord-tenant situation

LEGACY-Property or money left to someone in a will

LEGISLATURE-Lawmaking branch of state or national government; elected 
group of lawmakers

LDS--Latter Day Saints

LIEN-A claim against property as security for payment of a debt

LINEAGE-Consisting of or being in as direct line of ancestry or 
descendants; descended in a direct line

LINEAL-Consisting of or being in as direct line of ancestry or 
descendants; descended in a direct line

LINK-See Measurements

LIS PENDENS-Pending court action; usually applies to land title claims

LODGE-A chapter or meeting hall of a fraternal organization

LOYALIST-Tory, an American colonist who supported the British side 
during the American Revolution

LOCIS-Library of congress information system

L--Lodger

MAIDEN NAME-A girl's last name or surname before she marries

MANUSCRIPT-A composition written with the hand as an ancient book 
or an un-printed modern book or music

MARRIAGE BOND-A financial guarantee that no impediment to the 
marriage existed, furnished by the intended bridegroom or by his friends

MATERNAL-Related through one's mother, such as a Maternal grandmother 
being the mother's mother

MEASUREMENTS-Link-7.92 inches; Chain-100 links or 66 feet; Furlong-1000
Links or 660 feet Rod-5 ½ yards or 16 1/.2 Ft (also called a perch or pole);
Rood-From 5 ½ yards to 8 yards, depending on locality; Acre-43,560 ft or 
160 square rods

MESSUAGE-A dwelling house

METES & BOUNDS-Property described by natural boundaries, such as 3 
notches in a white oak tree, etc

MICROFICHE-Sheet of microfilm with greatly reduced images of pages 
of documents

MIRCOFILM-Reproduction of documents on film at reduced size

MIGRANT-Person who moves from place to place, usually in search of work

MIGRATE-To move from one country or state or region to another 
Noun: migration)

MILITIA-Citizens of a state who are not part of the national military
forces but who can be called into military service in an emergency; 
a citizen army, apart from the regular military forces

MINOR-One who is under legal age; not yet a legal adult

MISTER-In early times, a title of respect given only to those 
who held important civil office or who were of gentle blood

MOIETY-A half; an indefinite portion

MORTALITY-Death; death rate

MORTALITY SCHEDULES-Enumeration of persons who died during the 
year prior to June 1 of 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 in each state 
of United States, conducted by the bureau of census

MORTGAGE-A conditional transfer of title to real property as 
security for payment of a debt

M-Mother

MOTHER-IN-LAW-Mother of one's spouse

ML--Mother-in-law

NAMESAKE-Person named after another person

NECROLOGY-Listing or record of persons who have died recently

NEE-Used to identify a woman's maiden name, born with the surname of

NEPHEW-Son of one's brother or sister

N-Nephew

NIECE-Daughter of one's brother or sister

NI--Niece

NARA--National archives & records administration

NATF--National archive trust fund

NEHGS--New England historical genealogy society

NGC--National genealogical conference

NGS--National genealogical society

NONCUPATIVE WILL-One declared or dictated by the testator, 
usually for persons in last sickness, sudden illness, or military

NU--Nurse     

NUCMC--National union catalog of manuscript collections

O--Officer

OCLC--Online computer library center

ORPHAN-Child whose parents are dead; sometimes, a child who has 
lost one parent by death

ORPHAN'S COURT-Orphans being recognized as wards of the states 
provisions were made for them in special courts

P--Patient

PA-Partner (share common house)

PAF--Personal Ancestry File

PASSENGER LIST-A ships list of passengers. Usually referring to 
those ships arriving in from Europe

PATENT-Grant of land from a government to an individual

PATERNAL-Related to one's father. Paternal grandmother is 
the father's mother

PATRIOT-One who loves his country and supports its interests

PEDIGREE-Family tree; ancestry

PENSION-Money paid regularly to an individual, especially by a 
government as reward for military service during wartime or upon 
retirement from government service

PENSIONER-One who receives a pension

PERCH-See measurements

POLE-See measurements

POLL-List or record of persons, especially for taxing or voting

POST-Latin prefix meaning after, asin post-war economy

POSTERITY-One who receives a pension

POWER OF ATTORNEY-When a person is unable to act for himself, he 
appoints another to act in his behalf

PRE-Latin prefix meaning before, as in pre-war military build-up

PRE-EMOTION RIGHTS-Right given by the federal government to citizens 
to buy a section of land or less

PROBATE-Having to do with wills and the administration of estates

PROGENITOR-A direct ancestor

PROGENY-Descendants of a common ancestor; issue

PROVED WILL-A will established as genuine by probate court

PROVOST-A person appointed to superintend, or preside over something

PROXIMO-In the following month, in the month after present one

PUBLIC DOMAIN-Land owned by the government

PR--Prisoner

PERSI--Periodical source index

PU--Pupil

QUAKER-Member of the Religious Society of Friends

QUITCLAIM-A deed conveying the interest of the party at that time

RECTOR-A clergyman; the ruler or governor of a country

RELICT-Widow; surviving spouse when one has died, husband or wife

REPUBLIC-Government in which supreme authority lies with the people or 
their elected representatives

REVOLUTIONARY WAR-U.S. war for independence from Great Britain 1775-1783

ROD-See measurements

ROOD-See Measurements

R--Roomer

RLIN--Research libraries network

ROOTS-L--Mailing list of subscribers

RW--Revolutionary war

SHAKER-Member of a religious group formed in 1747 which practiced 
communal living and celibacy

SIBLING-Person having one or both parents in common with another; 
a bother or sister

SIC-Latin meaning thus; copied exactly as the original reads. Often 
suggests a mistake or surprise in the original

SON-IN-LAW-Husband of one's daughter

SPINSTER-A woman still unmarried; or one who spins

SPONSOR-A bondsman; surety

SPOUSE-Husband or wife

STATUTE-Law

STEP-BROTHER/STEP-SISTER-Child of one's step-father or step-mother

STEP-CHILD-Child of one's husband or wife from a previous marriage

STEP-FATHER-Husband of one's mother by a later marriage

STEP-MOTHER-Wife of one's father by a later marriage

SURNAME-Family name or last name

S--Son

SAR--Sons of the American Revolution

SASE--Self addressed stamped envelope

SB--Stepbrother

SBL--Stepbrother-in-law

Se--Servant

SF--Stepfather

SFL--Stepfather-in-law

Si--Sister

SiL--Sister-in-law

SL--Son-in-law

SM--Stepmother

SML--Stepmother-in-law

SS--Stepson

SSi--Stepsister

SSiL--Stepsister-in-law

SSL--Stepson-in-law

Su--Superintendent

TERRITORY-Area of land owned by the United States, not a state, 
but having its own legislature

TESTAMENTARY-Pertaining to a will

TESTATE-A person who dies leaving a valid will

TESTATOR-A person who makes a valid will before death

TITHABLE-Taxable

TITHE-Formerly, money due as a tax for support of the clergy
or church

TORY-Loyalist; one who supported the British side in the 
American Revolution

TOWNSHIP-A division of U.S. public land that contained 36 sections,
or 36 square miles. Also a subdivision of the county in many 
Northeastern and Midwestern states of the U.S.

TRADITION-The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, 
customs, genealogies, etc from generation to generation, 
especially by word of mouth

TRANSCRIBE-To make a copy in writing

TMS--Tiny tafels software program

ULTIMO-In the month before this one

UNION-The United States; also the North during the Civil War, 
the states which did not secede

U--Uncle

VERBATIM-Word for word; in the same words, verbally

VITAL RECORDS-Records of birth, death, marriage or divorce

WAR BETWEEN THE STATES-U.S. Civil War, 1861-1865

WARD-Chiefly the division of a city for election purposes

WILL-Document declaring how a person wants his property divided 
after his death

WITNESS-One who is present at a transaction, such as a sale of 
land or signing of a will, who can tesify ot affirm that it 
actually took place

WPA HISTORICAL RECORDS SURVEY-A program undertaken by the 
US Government 1935-1936 in which inventories were compiled of 
historical material

W--Wife

Wa--Warren

WW1--World war one

WW2--World war 2

YEOMAN-A servant, an attendant or subordinate official in a 
royal household; a subordinate of a sheriff; an independent farmer

Citizenship status:

A-alien

NA-naturalized