Some Abbreviations found in Historical Documents
These also include some of the abbreviations used for titles and ranks
I am indebted to shannon@senet.com.au who provided some of these from "Tracing Your Family Tree" by A.G. Puttock
Abbreviation Meaning A A.B. Able Seaman Acad. Academy A/Cdre Air Commodore A.C.M. Air Chief Marshall Adm. Admiral Admon Letters of administration to a will Aet Latin - aetatis - used when stating a person's age - aet 75 means over 75 going on 76 A/M Air Marshall Apps Appurtences Apptd Appointed A.R.A. Associate of the Royal Academy Arg Argent [Heraldic] A.V.M. Air Vice Marshall Az.. Azure [Heraldic] B B Baron Bt Baronet B.E.M British Empire Medal Bn. Battalion b.o.t.p. Both Of The Parish [Used in Parish Registers mostly] Bt Baronet C Cal Calendar Camb. Cambridge Capt. Captain Car. Cavalry C.B. Companion of the Order of the Bath C.B.E. Commander of the Order of the British Empire Cdre. Commodore Chan. Proc. Chancery Proceedings C.H. Companion of Honour C.I.E. Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire C.M.G. Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Cmmr Commissioner CRO County Record Office C.S.I Companion of the Order of the Star of India C.St.J. Companion of the Order of St John of Jerusalem C.V.O. Commander of the Royal Victorian Order [Duke] D d Died d Denarius [A Penny] D.B.E. Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire d.b.n De bonis non administratis D.C.M. Distinguished Conduct Medal diem clit. extra diem clausit extremum d.i.i Die in Infancy D.S.O. Distinguished Service Order d.s.p. Decessit sine prole [Died without issue] d.s.p.l. Decessit sine prole legitima [Died without legitimate issue] d.s.p.m Decessit sine prole mascula [Died without male issue] d.s.p.m.s. Decessit sine prole mascula superstita [Died without surviving male issue] d.s.p.s. Decessit sine prole superstita [Died without surviving issue] d.unm Died Unmarried d.v.p Decessit vita patris [Died in the lifetime of his father] d.v.m Decissit vita matris [Died in the lifetime of his mother] E E Earl E.D. Efficiency Decoration E.H.R English History Review Ec.H.R. Economic History Review E.M. Efficiency Medal Exch Court of the Exchequer Exor Executor F F/Lt Flight Lieutenant F/O Flying Officer Fo Folio F.M. Field Marshall F.R.S.A. Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts F.S. Female Servant F.S.A. Fellow of the Society of Antiques FWK Framework G G.B.E. Knight or Dame of the Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire G.C. George Cross G/Capt Group Captain Gu Gules [Heraldic] H H.A.C. Honourable Artillery Company [A Territorial Unit based in the City of London who provide the escort to the sovereign's carriage at ceremonial engagements] H.B.M His or Her Britannic Majesty H.E.I.C.S. Honourable East India Company Service Hist MSS Comm. Royal Commission on Historical Documents Hon The Honourable I I.A. Indian Army I.C. In Chief or In Capite I.C.S Indian Civil Service i.d.c. Passed the Imperial Defence College IGI International Genealogical Index [The Mormon Database at Salt Lake City USA] Ind Independent Means [Can also mean the country of India] I.P.M. Inquisition Post Mortem [Refers to will administration] J jur. ignor. Jurators Ignorant [The Jury do not know] K K King [Is also used to abbreviate Killed] K.C. King's Counsel K.G. Knight of the Order of the Garter K.I.C.K.S King in Chief by Knight Service K.S. (by) Knight Service L LL.d Doctor of Laws L.Q.R. Law Quarterly Review M M Marquess M.A. Master of Arts Mag. Magistrate mel.inq. Melius Inquirendum Mem Membrane M.I. Monumental Inscriptions M.L. Marriage Licence Records M.S Male Servant M.V.O. Member of the Royal Victorian Order N N.R.A. Narional Register of Archives also National Rifle Association O Ob Obit [Died] O.M. Order of Merit O.St.J. Officer of the Order of St John of Jeruslem o.t.p. Of This Parish [Mostly used in Parish Registers] P p Page PCC Prerogative Court of Canterbury P/O Pilot Officer PCY Prerogative Court of York PO Post Office or Petty Officer [Royal Navy] Ppr Proper [Heraldic] Pec Peculiar Court Pr Proved PRO Public Records Office p.s.a. Passed Staff College, Andover p.s.c. Passed Staff College, Camberley Q Q Queen Q.C. Queen's Counsel R R.A. Royal Artillery or Royal Academician R.D. Registration District R.E. Royal Engineers R.O. Record Office R of O Reserve of Officers S S.P. State Papers s Succeeded [In relationship to Ancestry] s & h Son & Heir T T.R.H.S. Transcriptions of the Royal Historical Society TS Typescript U Unm Unmarried V V Viscount V.C. Victoria Cross VCH Victoria History of the Counties of England W WO Warrant Officer [Class I or Class II]
Like to add to these? - Say YES and get your name in lights :-)