Abbreviations



This Foldout collects the entries for some of the abbreviations such as

which might be encountered in family and local history research

Many of the these abbreviations are derived from Latin words and phrases


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

A. T. S.Ref 118-26
Auxiliary Territorial Service

ABRef 118-2242
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
artium baccalaureus

Same as BA

AbmRef 118-60
Abraham

AdmonRef 118-2180
A Letter of administration.

The Yorkshire Indexers website is compiling indexes to Wills and Admons recorded in the Deeds Registry [1901-1920]. The Indexes are to be found at URLs of the form

where the final letter = A in this instance = indicates the initial letter of surnames on that page

AFCRef 118-1527
Air Force Cross

See DFC

Ag.LabRef 118-2257
Agricultural labour.

The term is widely used in censuses and other records.

Many of these were recorded prior to the Industrial Revolution

AlexRef 118-55
Alexander

AlexrRef 118-53
Alexander

AMRef 118-429
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
artium magister

Same as MA

AMIPERef 118-1630
Associate Member of the Institute of Production Engineers

See MIPE

AORef 118-2276
or A Ω. The first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet, and a synonym for the name of Jesus Christ

ARCMRef 118-1258
Associate of the Royal College of Music

See LRAM

ARIBARef 118-1342
Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects

See FRIBA and RIBA

ASRef 118-2090
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
anno salutis

A.Sc.ARef 118-1242


Question: Does anyone know what the letters stand for?

M. F. Walton used them in 1861

 

ATCRef 118-71
Air Training Corps

ATSRef 118-22
Auxiliary Territorial Service

AVCMRef 118-4
Associate of the Victoria College of Music

B

BRef 118-456
The letter B might be used to record an illegitimate child in parish registers

BARef 118-2275
Bachelor of Arts. Same as AB

BenjRef 118-70
Benjamin

BerndRef 118-39
Bernard

BMARef 118-23
Brighouse Motor Agency

botpRef 118-2207
both of this parish, both resident in this parish.

See otp

BSRef 118-2136
British subject.

This is used in the census from 1851 to indicate that the individual was a British Subject born overseas.

See F and NAT

BScRef 118-1198
Bachelor of Science

BTRef 118-2182
Bishop's transcripts

C

C of ERef 118-2107
Church of England

CBERef 118-1567
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

See DBE, GBE, KBE, MBE and OBE

cfRef 118-744
Compare

ChasRef 118-33
Charles

ChBRef 118-1233
Baccalaureus Chirurgiae Bachelor of Surgery

CMGRef 118-1107
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

See CMG, DCMG, GCMG and KCMG

CWGCRef 118-2238
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

CwtRef 118-2087
Hundredweight

D

dRef 118-2215
Symbol for the penny, the unit of currency before decimalisation

DBERef 118-750
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

See CBE, GBE, KBE, MBE and OBE

DCLRef 118-1127
Doctor of Civil Law

DCMRef 118-17
Distinguished Conduct Medal

DCMGRef 118-1174
Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George

See CMG, GCMG and KCMG

DDRef 118-1060
Doctor of Divinity

DdRef 118-27
David

DDDRef 118-2061
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
dono dedit dedicavit

DFCRef 118-1562
Distringuish Flying Force Cross

See AFC

DipHERef 118-5
Diploma in Higher Education

DLRef 118-1041
Deputy Lieutenant.

See Deputy Lieutenant for the West Riding

DNICRef 118-2092
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
dominus noster iesus christus

DoRef 118-28
Dorothy

DPHRef 118-934
Doctor of Public Health / Diploma of Public Health

DSORef 118-1340
Distinguished Service Order

dwtRef 118-2154
Pennyweight

DyRef 118-64
Dorothy

E

EdRef 118-65
Edward

EdmRef 118-29
Edmund

EdwRef 118-66
Edward

ElizRef 118-40
Elizabeth

EmRef 118-56
Emily

F

FRef 118-1559
In mediæval times, a person found guilty of theft might be branded on the cheek with the letter F. He might also have his ears cut off, his nostrils slit, and/or his hands cut off

FRef 118-2194
Foreign.

The letter F was used in the 1841 census to indicate that the individual was born overseas – that is, in foreign parts.

See BS and NAT

FHCRef 118-2256
Family History Center of the Latter Day Saints

FHSRef 118-2259
Family History Society.

See CFHS

FLSRef 118-1440
Fellow of the Linnaean Society

See Dr Reginald Gervase Alexander and Arthur Crabtree

FRCPRef 118-1091
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians

FRCPIRef 118-1111
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland

FRCSRef 118-754
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons

FredkRef 118-57
Frederick

FRGSRef 118-1061
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society

FRHistSRef 118-1319
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society

FRHSRef 118-1172
Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society

FRIBARef 118-1335
Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects

See ARIBA, FRIBA and RIBA

FRSRef 118-1006
Fellow of the Royal Society

FRSARef 118-1294
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

fsRef 118-1816
Female servant

FSARef 118-1307
Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries

FZSRef 118-11
Fellow of the Zoological Society of London

G

GBERef 118-1523
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire

See CBE, DBE, KBE, MBE and OBE

GCRef 118-1457
George Cross

GCMGRef 118-1192
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George

See CMG, DCMG and KCMG

GentRef 118-2240
Gentleman

GeoRef 118-45
George

GOONSRef 118-2081
Guild of One Name Studies

GRORef 118-2098
General Record Office

H

hmRef 118-2108
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
hoc monumentum

HonRef 118-48
Honour

hseRef 118-2156
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
hic sepultus est

HumRef 118-58
Humphrey

HumyRef 118-42
Humphrey

HyRef 118-52
Henry

I

IGIRef 118-2151
International Genealogical Index

IHSRef 118-2172
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
iesus hominum salvator

J

JasRef 118-46
James

JnoRef 118-59
John – not Jonathan

JonthRef 118-51
Jonathon

JosRef 118-30
Joseph

JoshRef 118-49
Joshua

JPRef 118-1155
Justice of the Peace, a magistrate

JsRef 118-61
James

K

KBERef 118-1528
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire

See CBE, DBE, GBE, MBE and OBE

KCRef 118-1406
Queen's Counsel

See QC

KCMGRef 118-1202
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George

See CMG, DCMG and GCMG

L

LRef 118-1
The symbol £ is used for the pound, the unit of currency before decimalisation and after. The abbreviation comes from the Latin libra [a pound]

lbRef 118-2179
Pound

LCPRef 118-1316


Question: Does anyone know what the letters stand for?

James Stewart Ross used them in 1905

 

See MCP

ldRef 118-2183
Lawful daughter

LFPSRef 118-74
Licentiate of the Faculty of Physicians & Surgeons

LlDRef 118-2181
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
legum doctor

LNRRef 118-2277
Local Nature Reserve

LRAMRef 118-1223
Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music

LRCPRef 118-1063
Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians

LRCPIRef 118-1057
Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland

LRCSRef 118-73
Licenciate of the Royal College of Surgeons

lsRef 118-2202
Lawful son

M

MARef 118-1584
Master of Arts. Same as AM

MargRef 118-67
Margaret

MartRef 118-34
Martha

MattRef 118-69
Matthew

MattwRef 118-68
Matthew

MBRef 118-1521
Bachelor of Medicine

MBCRef 118-2116
Metropolitan Borough Council

MBERef 118-1474
Member of the Order of the British Empire

See CBE, DBE, GBE, KBE, MBE and OBE

MBIERef 118-9
Member of the British Institute of Embalmers

See Francis Clifford Lawrence

MCRef 118-1001
Military Cross

MCPRef 118-1218


Question: Does anyone know what the letters stand for?

Robert Dallinger Markham used them in 1861

 

MDRef 118-1606
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
medicinae doctor

also Managing Director

MIRef 118-2232
Monumental inscription

MICERef 118-10
Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers

MIMERef 118-8
Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers

MIPERef 118-1625
Member of the Institute of Production Engineers

See AMIPE

MOHRef 118-903
Medical Officer of Health

mpRef 118-1631
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
monumentum posuit

MPRef 118-1653
Member of Parliament

M.Ph.ScRef 118-1132
Master of Pharmaceutical Science

MRCSRef 118-1453
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons

MSRef 118-2243
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
memoriae sacrum

msRef 118-32
Male servant

Mus.BacRef 118-1195
Bachelor of Music

MyRef 118-35
Mary

N

NATRef 118-2224
Naturalised.

This was used in the census from 1851 to indicate that the individual was a naturalised British citizen.

See BS and F

NBIRef 118-2114
National Burial Index

O

OBERef 118-1601
Officer of the Order of the British Empire

See CBE, DBE, GBE, KBE and MBE

ONSRef 118-2260
One Name Study.

See GOONS

OPSRef 118-1956
One Place Study.

See ONS

OTCRef 118-6
Officers' Training Corps aka the University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC) 

otpRef 118-2177
of this parish, resident in this parish.

This does not imply that the individual was born in the parish, but only that he/she has lived here for (at least) the preceding 3 Sundays / 3 weeks.

See botp and otsp

otspRef 118-2113
of this parish, resident in this parish.

See otp

ozRef 118-2050
ounce

oz trRef 118-2216
Troy ounce

P

PCRef 118-1426
Police Constable / Privy Council

PcRef 118-20
Privy Counsellor

pcRef 118-2258
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
pone curavit

PLGRef 118-2083
Poor Law Guardians

pmRef 118-3
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
piae memoriae

PMERef 118-13
Pleasant Monday Evening

PRRef 118-2102
Parish Register

PRORef 118-2115
Public Record Office

PSARef 118-14
Pleasant Sunday Afternoon

PTERef 118-15
Pleasant Thursday Evening

Q

QCRef 118-1415
Queen's Counsel.

See KC

QSARef 118-2366
Queen's South Africa medal. Presented for services in the Boer Wars.

See Thomas Hinchcliffe

R

RARef 118-1252
Royal Academy of Arts

RAMCRef 118-7
Royal Army Medical Corps

RASCRef 118-21
Royal Army Service Corps

RDCRef 118-2239
Rural District Council

RFARef 118-18
Royal Field Artillery

RGARef 118-2278
Royal Garrison Artillery

RIBARef 118-1356
Chartered Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects

See ARIBA and FRIBA

See FRIBA

ricRef 118-2153
Received into the church

RicRef 118-62
Richard

RichdRef 118-50
Richard

RIPRef 118-2075
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
requiescat in pace

RobtRef 118-47
Robert

RRCRef 118-25
Royal Red Cross.

A British & Commonwealth decoration for services in military nursing

RSDRef 118-12
Rural sanitary district.

S

SamlRef 118-43
Samuel

smRef 118-2095
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
sacrum memoriae

SoGRef 118-2170
Society of Genealogists

spRef 118-2184
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
sine prole

splRef 118-2206
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
sine prole legitima

spmRef 118-2237
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
sine prole mascula

ssRef 118-2109
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
sanctae

stbRef 118-2117
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
sanctae theologiae baccalaureus

SteRef 118-36
Stephen

stpRef 118-2163
This Latin term is found in Monumental Inscriptions and is an abbreviation for
sanctae theologiae professor

T

TamRef 118-54
Thomasin

TDRef 118-1430
Territorial Decoration

ThoRef 118-41
Thomas

ThosRef 118-44
Thomas

U

URef 118-1670
When occurring at the beginning of a word, v was often used for the letter u in printed and handwritten document, and vice versa:
As for stealinge, that is a thing vsuall: who stealeth not? For not only you that haue besett me, but many other in many places
In Latin inscriptions, the letter V was used instead of U before the 16th century

UDCRef 118-2254
Urban District Council

UltRef 118-72
/ Ultimo.

The abbreviation is used to mean last month, as in


The meeting was held on the 21st ult. 
 

See Inst and Prox

USDRef 118-31
Urban sanitary district.

V

VRef 118-1870
In mediæval times, a vagrant might be branded with the letter V

VRef 118-2
When occurring at the beginning of a word, v was often used for the letter u in printed and handwritten document, and vice versa:
As for stealinge, that is a thing vsuall: who stealeth not? For not only you that haue besett me, but many other in many places
In Latin inscriptions, the letter V was used instead of U before the 16th century

VADRef 118-16
Voluntary Aid Detachment which provided nursing services during World War I, and World War II

VMRef 118-19
The Victory Medal was awarded to anyone who was serving in the Armed Forces between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.

See 1914 Star

W

W. H. L.Ref 118-24
With hard labour

WidRef 118-3023
Widow.

See Relict

WitnRef 118-2287
Witness

WmRef 118-37
William

X

XianRef 118-63
Christian

XprRef 118-38
Christopher

XRRef 118-2186
Χ / Ρ = the first 2 letters of the Greek name of Christ

Y

YdRef 118-2193
Yard



© Malcolm Bull 2024
Revised 12:33 / 3rd April 2024 / 67099

Page Ref: MMA969

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