Abbreviations commonly found in documents:
Please send me your own lists of abbreviations so that I can make this listing more complete, turning it into a definitive guide for general reference. It is in its infancy!
| Abr | Abraham |
| Alex | Alexander |
| Alf | Alfred |
| Amb | Ambrose |
| Anth | Anthony |
| Art (h) | Arthur |
| Barb | Barbara |
| Barth | Bartholomew |
| Ben (j) | Benjamin |
| Brid | Bridget |
| Cath | Catherine |
| Charlt | Charlotte |
| Chas | Charles |
| Chris | Christopher |
| Clem | Clement |
| Const | Constance |
| Cuth | Cuthbert |
| Dan | Daniel |
| Dav | David |
| Deb | Debora (h) |
| Den | Den (n) is |
| Dor | Dorothy |
| Doug | Douglas |
| Eben | Ebenezer |
| Edm | Edmond or Edmund |
| Edw | Edward |
| Eliz | Elizabeth |
| Elnr | Eleanor |
| Eus | Eustace |
| Fra | Francis or Frances |
| Fred | Frederick |
| Gab | Gabriel |
| Geo | George |
| Geof | Geoffrey or Jeffrey |
| Godf | Godfrey |
| Greg | Gregory |
| Han | Hannah |
| Hen | Henry |
| Humph | Humphrey |
| Isab | Isabel |
| Jac | Jacob |
| Jas | James |
| Jerh | Jeremiah |
| Jim | James |
| Jn | John |
| Jnthn | Jonathan |
| Jos | Joseph |
| Jud | Judith |
| Kath | Katherine |
| Len | Leonard |
| Lau | Laurance |
| Lawr | Lawrence |
| Let | Lettitia or Lettice |
| Margt | Margaret |
| Margy | Margery |
| Marm | Marmaduke |
| Mat (t) h | Matthew |
| Mich | Michael |
| Mild | Mildred |
| Mill | Millicent |
| Nath | Nathaniel |
| Neh | Nehemiah |
| Nich | Nicholas |
| Oliv | Oliver |
| Pet | Peter |
| Phil | Philip |
| Phyl | Phyllis |
| Pris | Priscilla |
| Pru | Prudence |
| Rach | Rachel |
| Reb | Rebecca |
| Ric (h) | Richard |
| Rob (t) | Robert |
| Rog | Roger |
| Sam | Samuel |
| Sar | Sarah |
| Sim | Simon |
| Sol | Solomon |
| Ste | Stephen |
| Sus | Susan |
| Susnh | Susanna (h) |
| Theoph | Theophilus |
| Thos | Thomas |
| Tim | Timothy |
| Urs | Ursula |
| Walt | Walter |
| Win | Winifred |
| Wm | William |
| Zach | Zachariah |
| aglab | agricultural labourer |
| aldrmn | alderman |
| apothcry | apothecary |
| basketmkr | basket maker |
| bodicemakr | bodice maker |
| bookkpr | book keeper |
| bricklyr | brick layer |
| brushmkr | brush maker |
| butchr | butcher |
| carpntr | carpenter |
| clockmkr | clock maker |
| coalmrchnt | coal merchant |
| combmkr | comb maker |
| cordwnr | cord wainer |
| dancingmstr | dancing master |
| garnr | gardener |
| heelmkr | heel maker |
| innhldr | inn holder |
| innkpr | inn keeper |
| ironmngr | iron monger |
| jerseycmbr | jersey comber |
| labr | labourer |
| limernr | lime burner |
| mercnt | merchant |
| ostlr | ostler |
| perukemkr | peruke maker |
| pipemkr | pipe maker |
| plumbr | plumber |
| schoolmstr | school master |
| servnt | servant |
| shoemkr | shoe maker |
| staymkr | stay maker |
| vict (llr) | victualler |
| watchmkr | watch maker |
| wheelwrt | wheel wright |
| woolcmbr | wool comber |
| woolendrpr | woolendraper |
| yeo | yeoman |
| Asst | Assistant |
| BarM | Barmaid |
| Bord | Border |
| BorW | Border's Wife |
| Bro | Brother |
| Comp | Companion |
| Conv | ? |
| DauL | Daughter in Law |
| Daur | Daughter |
| Fath | Father |
| Gdau | Grandaughter |
| Gson | Grandson |
| Gvns | Governess |
| Head | Head |
| Hskp | Housekeeper |
| Inmt | Inmate |
| Lodg | Lodger |
| Milt Pris | Military Prisoner |
| Moth | Mother |
| MotL | Mother in Law |
| Neph | Nephew |
| Niec | Niece |
| NrsC | ? |
| Nurs | Nurse |
| Paup | Pauper |
| Ptnt | ? |
| Pupl | Pupil |
| Schl | Inmate of School |
| Serv | Servant |
| Sis | Sister |
| SisL | Sister in Law |
| Smot | Step Mother |
| Son | Son |
| SonL | Son in Law |
| Sson | Step Son |
| Supr | ? |
| Vist | Visitor |
| Watm | Watchman |
| Wife | Wife |
| AME | America |
| ATS | ? |
| BDF | Bedfordshire |
| BEK | Berkshire |
| BUK | Buckinghamshire |
| CAM | Cambridgeshire |
| CHH | ? |
| CHS | Cheshire |
| CON | Cornwall |
| CUL | Cumberland |
| DBY | Derbyshire |
| DEV | Devon |
| DOR | Dorset |
| DUR | Durham |
| EIN | ? |
| ENG | ? |
| ESS | Essex |
| FLN | Flintshire |
| FRA | ? |
| GLS | Gloucestershire |
| HAM | Hampshire |
| HEF | Herefordshire |
| HRT | Hertfordshire |
| HUN | Huntingdonshire |
| IDI | India |
| IOM | Isle of Man |
| IRE | Ireland |
| KEN | Kent |
| LAN | Lancashire |
| LEC | Leicestershire |
| LIN | Lincolnshire |
| MID | Middlesex |
| MNM | Monmouthshire |
| NFK | Norfolk |
| NTH | Northamptonshire |
| NTM | Northumberland |
| NTT | Nottinghamshire |
| OXF | Oxfordshire |
| PRU | ? |
| RAD | ? |
| RUT | Rutland |
| SCT | Scotland |
| SHR | Shropshire |
| STF | Staffordshire |
| SUF | Suffolk |
| SUR | Surrey |
| SUS | Sussex |
| SWD | ? |
| WAL | ? |
| WAR | Warwickshire |
| WES | Westmorland |
| WOR | Worcestershire |
| YKS | Yorkshire |
| ZET | ? |
| almshss | almshouses |
| als | alias |
| Apr | April |
| Aug | August |
| b | born |
| BPR | Bedfordshire Parish Registers |
| B.T. | Bishops Transcripts |
| b (a) ch | bachelor |
| bapt | baptised |
| Bapt Mtg | Baptist meeting |
| bast | bastard |
| cf. | compare |
| ch | child |
| d | daughter |
| d | died or death |
| Dec | December |
| del | delete (d) |
| Dr | doctor |
| dup | duplicate |
| esq | esquire |
| Feb | February |
| gent | gentleman |
| Gt | Great |
| H of Ind | House of Industry |
| husb (ndmn) | husbandman |
| illeg | illegible |
| illgt | illigitimate |
| inf (t) | infant |
| Jan | January |
| Jul | July |
| Jun | June |
| jun (r) | junior |
| lic | licence |
| Lt | Little |
| Mar | March |
| Mrs | mistress |
| Mtg | Meeting |
| mths | months |
| Nov | November |
| Oct | October |
| p | pauper |
| par | parish |
| pd | paid |
| rec | received |
| reg (s) | register (s) |
| s | son |
| s.b. | still born |
| sen (r) | senior |
| Sep | September |
| sic | as written in the original |
| sp (ins) | spinster |
| St | Saint |
| subst | substituted |
| unbap | unbaptised |
| w | wife |
| wdr | widower |
| wid | widow |
| wks | weeks |
| wrkhs | workhouse |
| yeo | yeoman |
| ys (s) | years |
This page last updated
5th August 2000
Christian (first) Names