The study of genealogy demands that a person become familiar with the precise terminology of other professions and periods of time, as well as the terminology of genealogy itself.  Whether one comes upon an unfamiliar phrase in an ancestor's will, in a published genealogy, or in a research report from a  genealogical research service, we offer the following glossaries for easy reference.

Abbreviations

A list of common abbreviations used in genealogy.

Old Time Illnesses

A list of by-gone and technical medical terms such as one might find on a death certificate, military medical record or other published sources.

America's Wars

A list of wars involving the United States military throughout history.

Epidemics

While not a glossary as such, this list of known epidemics that swept areas of the United States makes a handy reference when seeking out individuals whom disappear suddenly and seemingly without a trace.

Latin Terms

Here we include useful words and phrases for latin, the language of the church and the law, a very useful reference when working in older records for the first time.

Old Time Occupations

The names of many occupations and professions have changed through the years.  This list attempts to bridge the gap for modern researchers.

Teminology

This is a generic list of terms encountered in a variety of genealogical areas.

Military Abbreviations

Many military graves are inscribed with abbreviations that denote the unit of service, rank, medals, or other information on the military veteran.  Many may also be marked with bronze or stone placques provided by the Veterans Administration.  This list includes some of the most common abbreviations.

German-English Genealogy Symbols and Abbreviations

A list of German genealogy symbols and abbreviations with English translation.

Proper Name Abbreviations

Often times, due to limited space, proper names were abbreviated.  This fact coupled with the old style handwriting made deciphering the correct first or given name a problem.  This article will help the researcher solve that problem.

Place Name Abbreviations

As above, due to limited space, place names were often abbreviated.  This fact coupled with the old style handwriting made deciphering the correct place name a problem.  This article will help the researcher solve that problem.

Deciphering Old Handwriting

While this article is not a glossary it will be helpful to the researcher in deciphering old style handwritten abbreviations.  From a genealogy course taught by Sabina J. Murray.