Abbreviations for English historical references
|
a.d.c. |
aide-de-camp |
|
abp. |
archbishop |
|
abpric. |
archbishopric |
|
acad. |
academy |
|
accel. |
acceleration, writ of |
|
acct., accts. |
account, accounts |
|
adm. |
admiral |
|
adn. |
archdeacon |
|
adv. |
advocate |
|
aft. |
after |
|
am |
ante meridian |
|
amb. |
ambassador |
|
app. |
appendix |
|
appr. |
apprentice |
|
arr. |
arrondissement |
|
art. |
article |
|
ass. |
assembly |
|
assmt. |
assessment |
|
assoc. |
association |
|
asst. |
assistant |
|
att. |
attorney |
|
b. |
born |
|
BA |
Bachelor of Arts |
|
bap. |
baptized |
|
bar. |
baron |
|
BCL |
Bachelor of Civil Law |
|
BCnL |
Bachelor of Canon Law |
|
bd. |
board |
|
bdle. |
bundle |
|
Beds. |
Bedfordshire |
|
bef. |
before |
|
Berks. |
Berkshire |
|
bet. |
between |
|
bk., bks. |
book, books |
|
bor. |
borough |
|
bp. |
bishop |
|
bpric. |
bishopric |
|
Brec. |
Breconshire |
|
brig.-gen. |
brigadier-general |
|
bro. |
brother |
|
bt. |
Baronet |
|
Bucks. |
Buckinghamshire |
|
bur. |
buried |
|
c. |
circa |
|
c. bar. exch. |
chief baron of the exchequer |
|
c.-in-c. |
commander-in-chief |
|
c.j. |
chief justice |
|
c.p. |
common pleas |
|
Caern. |
Caernarvonshire |
|
cal. |
calendar |
|
called |
called to the bar |
|
Cambs. |
Cambridgeshire |
|
capt. |
captain |
|
Card. |
Cardiganshire |
|
Carm. |
Carmarthenshire |
|
cart., carts. |
cartulary, cartularies |
|
cat. |
catalogue |
|
cath. |
cathedral |
|
CB |
Companion of the Order of the Bath |
|
cdr. |
commander |
|
cf. |
compare |
|
ch. |
child, children |
|
ch., chs. |
charter, charters |
|
chan. |
chancellor |
|
chap. |
chaplain |
|
chap. ord. |
chaplain in ordinary |
|
chron(s). |
chronicle(s) |
|
circ. |
circuit |
|
cllr. |
councillor |
|
Co. |
company (i.e., trading company) |
|
co. |
county (Ireland) (e.g. co. Antrim) |
|
co. Dur. |
county Durham |
|
coh. |
coheir(ess) |
|
col. |
colonel |
|
Coll. |
College |
|
commdt. |
commandant |
|
commn. |
commission |
|
commr. |
commissioner |
|
comp. |
compiled [by] |
|
comp. |
composition |
|
cons. |
consecrated |
|
consist. ct. |
consistory court |
|
contr. |
contract |
|
convoc. |
Convocation |
|
Cornw. |
Cornwall |
|
corp. |
corporation |
|
corresp. |
correspondence |
|
cos. |
cousin |
|
coy. |
company, in regiment |
|
cr. |
created |
|
ct. |
court |
|
ct. |
court |
|
cttee. |
committee |
|
Cumb. |
Cumberland |
|
cur. |
curate |
|
custos rot. |
custos rotulorum |
|
d |
dorse (of membrane or rotulet) |
|
d. |
died |
|
d.s.p. |
died without issue (decessit sine prole) |
|
d.s.p.l. |
died without legitimate children |
|
d.s.p.m. |
died without male issue |
|
d.s.p.s. |
died without surviving issue |
|
d.v.p. |
died in the lifetime of his father (decessit vita patris) |
|
da. |
daughter(s) |
|
DCL |
Doctor of Civil Law |
|
DD |
Doctor of Divinity |
|
Denb. |
Denbighshire |
|
dep. |
deputy |
|
Derbys. |
Derbyshire |
|
dioc. |
diocese |
|
dir. |
director |
|
disp. |
dispensation |
|
div. |
divorced |
|
doc., docs. |
document, documents |
|
Dr. |
Doctor |
|
Drag. |
Dragoons |
|
E. |
East |
|
E.I. |
East Indies, East India |
|
ed. |
edited by |
|
edn. |
edition |
|
educ. |
educated |
|
esp. |
especially |
|
esq. |
esquire |
|
et al. |
and others |
|
et seq. |
and the pages/folios that follow |
|
etc. |
et cetera |
|
etc. |
et cetera |
|
event. |
eventual |
|
exch. |
exchequer |
|
exec. |
executed |
|
f., ff. |
folio, folios |
|
fa. |
father |
|
fac. |
faculty |
|
fam., fams. |
family, families |
|
fell. |
Fellow |
|
fell. comm. |
fellow commoner |
|
fl. |
flourished (floruit) |
|
FRS |
Fellow of the Royal Society |
|
FSA |
Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries |
|
Ft. |
Foot regiment (e.g. 65 Ft.) |
|
g.s. |
grammar school |
|
GB |
Great Britain |
|
GCB |
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
|
Gds. |
Guards |
|
gen. |
genealogy and words derived |
|
gen. |
general |
|
gent. pens. |
gentleman pensioner |
|
gent., gents. |
gentleman, gentlemen |
|
Glam. |
Glamorganshire |
|
Glos. |
Gloucestershire |
|
gov. |
governor |
|
grandda. |
grand daughter |
|
grandfa. |
grandfather |
|
grands. |
grandson |
|
Gren. |
Grenadier |
|
gt. |
great |
|
h. |
heir(ess) |
|
h.s. |
high school |
|
Hants |
Hampshire |
|
Herefs. |
Herefordshire |
|
Herts. |
Hertfordshire |
|
Hil. |
Hilary |
|
hon. |
honorary |
|
Hon. |
Honourable |
|
hosp. |
hospital |
|
hosp. |
hospital |
|
Hunts. |
Huntingdonshire |
|
i.p.m. |
inquisition post mortem |
|
illegit. |
illegitimate |
|
inc. |
including |
|
incorp. |
incorporated |
|
indep. |
independent |
|
inf. |
infant |
|
ins. |
insurance |
|
inst. |
installed |
|
[I] |
Ireland |
|
Is. |
island(s) |
|
j.c.p. |
justice of the common pleas |
|
j.k.b. |
justice of the King’s Bench |
|
j.p. |
justice of the peace |
|
j.p.q. |
justice of the peace of the quorum |
|
jt. |
joint |
|
jun. |
junior |
|
k.b. |
King’s Bench |
|
KB |
Knight of the Bath |
|
KC |
King’s Counsel |
|
KCB |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
|
Kent |
Kent |
|
KG |
Knight of the Garter |
|
kntd. |
knighted |
|
KP |
Knight of St Patrick |
|
kpr. |
keeper |
|
KT |
Knight of the Thistle |
|
l.c.b. |
lord chief baron of the Exchequer |
|
l.c.j. |
lord chief justice |
|
l.c.j.c.p. |
lord chief justice common pleas |
|
Lancs. |
Lancashire |
|
ld. kpr. |
lord keeper |
|
ld. lt. |
lord lieutenant |
|
Leics. |
Leicestershire |
|
lic. |
licence |
|
Lincs. |
Lincolnshire |
|
LLB |
Bachelor of Common Law |
|
LLD |
Doctor of Common Law |
|
lt. |
lieutenant |
|
ltcy. |
lieutenancy |
|
m. |
married |
|
m., mm. |
membrane, membranes |
|
MA |
Master of Arts |
|
maj. |
major |
|
mat. |
maternal |
|
matric. |
matriculated |
|
MD |
Master of Divinity |
|
Mdx. |
Middlesex |
|
mems. |
memoirs; memorials |
|
Merion. |
Merionethshire |
|
mic. |
microfilm |
|
Mich. |
Michaelmas |
|
min., mins. |
minute, minutes |
|
misc. |
miscellanea; miscellaneous; miscellany |
|
Mon. |
Monmouthshire |
|
Mont. |
Montgomeryshire |
|
MP, MPs |
Member of Parliament, Members of Parliament |
|
MP[I] |
Member of the Irish Parliament |
|
mq. |
Marquess |
|
Mr., Mrs. |
Mr, Mrs |
|
ms, mss |
manuscript, manuscripts |
|
muns. |
muniments |
|
n. |
note |
|
N. |
North |
|
n.d. |
no date |
|
n.s. |
new series |
|
née |
born as [with maiden name] |
|
nem. con. |
nemine contradicente |
|
nom. |
nominated |
|
Norf. |
Norfolk |
|
Northants. |
Northamptonshire |
|
Northumb. |
Northumberland |
|
Notts. |
Nottinghamshire |
|
nr. |
near |
|
NS |
new style |
|
o. |
only, other |
|
Oxon. |
Oxfordshire |
|
p., pp. |
page, pages |
|
p.a. |
per annum |
|
par. |
parish |
|
par. ch. |
parish church |
|
parl. |
parliament; parliamentorum |
|
parl. |
parliamentarian |
|
parlty. |
parliamentary |
|
parlty. |
parliamentary |
|
paroch. |
parochial |
|
pat. |
paternal |
|
PC |
Privy Councillor |
|
ped., peds. |
pedigree, pedigrees |
|
Pemb. |
Pembrokeshire |
|
plenip. |
plenipotentiary |
|
pm |
post meridian |
|
poss. |
possibly |
|
posth. |
posthumous |
|
pprs. |
papers, papers |
|
preb. |
prebend, prebendary |
|
pres. |
president |
|
priv. sec. |
private secretary |
|
prob. |
probably |
|
Prot. |
Protestant |
|
pt. |
part |
|
q. sess. |
quarter sessions |
|
q.m.g. |
quarter master general |
|
QC |
Queen’s Counsel |
|
r |
recto (no stop) |
|
r.-adm. |
rear-admiral |
|
RA |
Royal Artillery |
|
Rad. |
Radnorshire |
|
RC |
(Roman) Catholic |
|
recs. |
records |
|
rect. |
rector |
|
recvr. |
receiver |
|
reg. |
register |
|
Regt. |
Regiment |
|
rem. |
removed |
|
rep. |
report |
|
rep. |
representative |
|
rep. peer [I] |
representative peer of Ireland |
|
rep. peer [S] |
representative peer of Scotland |
|
res. |
resigned |
|
rest. |
restored |
|
ret. |
retired |
|
Rev. |
Reverend |
|
RN |
Royal Navy |
|
rot., rots. |
rotulet, rotuli |
|
roy. |
royalist |
|
[S] |
Scotland |
|
s. |
Sons(s) |
|
S. |
South |
|
s.c.j. |
Senator of the College of Justices (of Scotland) |
|
s.p. |
sine prole (without issue) |
|
s.p.m |
(without male issue) |
|
s.p.s. |
(without surviving issue) |
|
Salop |
Shropshire |
|
sch. |
school |
|
sec. |
secretary |
|
sen. |
senior |
|
sgt. |
sergeant (military/Household) |
|
sis. |
sister |
|
sjt. |
serjeant (-at-arms, -at-law) |
|
Som. |
Somerset |
|
sqdn. |
squadron |
|
St. |
Saint |
|
Staffs. |
Staffordshire |
|
suc. |
succeeded |
|
Suff. |
Suffolk |
|
summ. |
summoned (to Lords) |
|
Surr. |
Surrey |
|
surv. |
surviving |
|
Suss. |
Sussex |
|
tp. |
troop |
|
transcript |
transcript |
|
treas. |
Treasurer |
|
Trin. |
Trinity |
|
typescript |
typescript |
|
unfol. |
unfoliated |
|
Univ. |
University |
|
unm. |
unmarried |
|
unnumb. |
unnumbered |
|
unpag. |
unpaginated |
|
utd. |
united |
|
v |
verso, dorse of a folio |
|
v. |
vice (in a title, as in vice-admiral, vice-chancellor) |
|
v.p. |
vita patris (in the life of his father) |
|
vic. |
vicar |
|
vice |
vice (i.e., in the place of) |
|
visct. |
viscount |
|
vol. |
volume |
|
vol. |
volunteer |
|
W. |
West |
|
w. |
wife |
|
W.I. |
West Indies, West Indian |
|
Warws. |
Warwickshire |
|
Westmld. |
Westmorland |
|
wid. |
widow |
|
Wilts. |
Wiltshire |
|
Worcs. |
Worcestershire |
|
Yorks. |
Yorkshire. |
|
yr. |
younger |
|
yst. |
youngest |
© 2013 - Suzanne Nagel.
