Words, Terms, Phrases & Legal Terminology - Genealogy - http://maxpages.com/ourlostfamily/Words

A.D.: Anno Domini, the year of our Lord
A.R.: Anno Regni, in the year of reign
abatement: A making less, suspension, taking away, removal.
ab nepos: A great-great grandson
abneptis: A great-great granddaughter
abode: One's habitation or dwelling place
abstract of title: A summary of conveyances, transfers and other facts appearing of record as may impair the title.
accola: One who comes from another country to till land. An agricultural agent or agent. One who inhabits land near some well-known ancestor.
ad interim: In the meantime.
ad quod damnum: a writ directing the sheriff to inquire what damages, if any, will result if a specified act is done.
admr: An abbreviation of the word administrator; female form, administratrix
admission: The acceptance at a manor court of a new tenant, of a bond (or unfree) tenant
administration de bonis non: An Administration concerning goods not disposed of, as where one is appointed to succeed an administrator who has died before completing his trust
administrator: A person appointed by letters from a court of probate and charged with authority of setting up the affairs of a deceased person's estate
adv: An abbreviation of adversus, against
advocate: The patron of a cause in civil and ecclesiastical law
affiant: A person making an affidavit, also called deponent
aiding & abetting: Being present and doing something to aid a person in the commission of a crime without sharing directly in the deed
alias: Otherwise, at another time, formerly, before
alien: One born in a foreign country not naturalized. One who is not a citizen of the country in which he is living
annuity: A yearly payment of a certain sum of money
anon: An abbreviation of the word anonymous
ante: Before, in front, forward
appellant: He who takes an appeal
appellate: Appellate jurisdiction refers to all reviews of causes from inferior courts
appellee: The party against who an appeal is made; the party answering to or opposing
appraisal: A valuation of property by one who is authorized
artificial person: Individuals are called natural persons, while corporations are styled artificial persons
assignment: Transfer of an interest in a lease, mortgage or similar deed.
assignee: One to whom an assignment is made
assumpsit: An express or implied promise to perform or pay something to another for a consideration
asylum: A sanctuary a place of refuge, a place for the confinement of lunatics or orphans
attest: To bear witness, to affirm
award: A decision of arbitrators
B: Denotes various abbreviations. In colonial times a person convicted of burglary was branded with "B" on the cheek in indelible ink
B.C.: Before Christ, also in court records, Bail Court
B.S.: In court records, Bill of Sale
banns: An announcement in church of an intended marriage
Bargain & Sale: Transfer of real property for a money payment
base tenant: One bound to perform base or inferior services
bastard: One born out of wedlock. In colonial times, a child born of a marriage not sanctioned by the church
behoof: Use, benefit, advantage
beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive, or who is receiving profit, benefit or advantage from a contract or estate
bequest: A testamentary gift of personal or real property.
bon: Good, sufficient in law
bona: Goods, chattels, movable property
bona fide: Good faith, without deceit or fraud
bond: An obligation under seal
bondsman: A person who is bound to insure the performance of some act or another, a surety
bounty land: Lands made available or donated by the government as a bounty for volunteer services
brevigraph: The contraction of certain recurring syllables such as "ber" "ger"
briefschrift: Letter script, from German
C.P.: Common Pleas, Court of
C.T.A.: Cum testamento annexo, with the will attached
calamus: A reed sharpened and split like present-day pens. Originally used in writing upon papyrus or parchment
calligrapher: One who writes beautifully: a good penman, a professional copyist or engrosser.
calligraphy: Fair or elegant writing or penmanship. Handwriting or penmanship in general
cannon: A rule, law or ordinance, a rule of the church
cannons of descent: The principles governing the transmission of property from the ancestor to the heir
carte blanche: White or blank sheet of paper. An authority to do any act relating to any affair
catch word: The first word of the following page set at the right-hand end of the line of quadrats at the foot of each page
See direction word
cerif: The fine lines and the cross strokes at the tops and bottoms of letters, especially in printing
certiorari: See writ of
chancellor: The presiding judge in the court of chancery
chancery: Equity; a court of equity
chancery roll: Composed of a number of skins of parchment so connected that the top of the second is attached to the bottom of the first and so on
charter: A general term for any ancient deed
chattel: Any item of movable or immovable property except real estate or the freehold, or the things which are a part of it
chirography-chirographum-handwriting: A word which is written between a bipartite deed through which the wavering or indented line was cut
circuit court: a court having sessions at different places within a certain circuit
codicil: A supplement to a will
collation: Appointment by a bishop (or other ecclesiastical authority) to a benefice in his gift
common pleas: The name of a court, pleas between subjects as opposed to pleas before the crown
commonwealth: A republican form of government, the people as a whole
concord of fine: One stage in the process of levying a fine. It is the document signed by or on behalf of the parties
contraction: An omission of one or more letters in reference to a word
conveyance: A general term for the transfer of real property
co-parcenary-joint inheritance: The estate resulting when title to land descents to two or more as one heir
corporeal property: Such as can be seem and handled
corporeal hereditaments: Inheritable things of a material nature
corum (quorum): The select number of Justices of the Peace necessary to be present to act as a court
counterpart: One part of a two part indenture. The other part being the original part
court baron: A court of a manor
court leet: A court of petty sessional jurisdiction, usually belonging to a manor, borough, ect
court roll: Roll of proceedings before a manorial or other inferior court
covenant: An agreement
cum testo annexo: (administration) With the will annexed. Applied to an administrator appointed by the court, who is to administrate an estate according to the terms of the testator's will
curtailment: The omission of the last letter of a word
d'd, dec'd: An abbreviation for the word "decreased"
de bonis non: Abbreviation of "de bonis non adminestratis"-of the goods not yet administered
decedent: A deceased person, testate or intestate
dedimus (law): A commission for a private person to carry out an order of a court or of an authority
deed: An instrument conveying real property
deed of partition: A deed by those holding property jointly
deed of trust: A deed that creates a trust
deed, poll: A deed signed and sealed by but one person. A deed not indented, as distinguished from a duplicate deed
deed, quitclaim: A deed conveying the interest of the grantor at the time it is delivered
de facto: Of fact, from or arising out of a fact: founded upon fact
defeazance: The defeating or destroying of a conditional estate
defendant: One who is sued or charged with a crime
deforciant: The act of making a foreigner a citizen
denizen: An adopted or naturalized citizen, a stranger who is admitted to reside in a foreign country
demandant: The name sometimes used for the plaintiff in the fictitious legal action which ended by a fine
demise: A general term for the transfer of property from one person to another
deponent: One who gives evidence, especially in writing
devise: A gift of land by will, making a gift of land or other real estate to take effect at the death of the donor

Definitons for words found in deeds:

Appurtenances=That which appertains or belongs to something else;
An appendage

Chain(surveying) a measuring instrument generally consisting of 100
links, and having a total length of 66 feet.

Enfeoff=to invest with the fee of an estate; to give any corporeal
hereditament to in fee

Hereditament=Any species of property that may be inherited

Messuage=a dwelling house with its outbuildings and adjacent land

Perch=A measure of length containing 5 1/2 yrards, a pole or rod

Pole=A long slender piece of Wood; A perch or rod, a measure of
length containing 5 1/2 yrs.

Poll Tax=A tax levied per head or person, usually on all males of
mature years without regard to wealth or station.

Reversion=the right of succession, future possession, or enjoyment
(b)the return of an estate to the grantor and his heirs after the
period of grant is over

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Page Updated Sun Feb 6, 2000 9:17am EST