Handbook · English secretary hand
Abbreviations in old handwriting
Search by what you see (wch, ye, li) or by what it means (which, pounds). The ones family historians meet most come first.
211 abbreviations
- ꝑper · par · porp with a bar through the descender: per/par (ꝑishe = parish, ꝑsone = person). In Latin it can also be por, in the cases of tempus and corpus (temꝑe = tempore)Unit 11
- yᵗthatthat (þ + raised t)Unit 9
- &c.et ceteraand so on: the clerk leaves out the rest of a known formulaUnit 11
- xxiiijᵗʰ, 22°, 2ᵈ · 10ᵗʰ, 23ᵈᵉ24th · 22nd · 2ndordinal dates: a raised th, o or d after the numberUnit 6
- Tho: / Thos · Tho, Tho:, ThomᵃsThomasThomas: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Mʳ · mrMaster · MisterMaster (a title of rank, not only a married man). Mister is a later reading of the same letters: Mʳ came to mean Mister some time in Elizabeth I's reignUnit 9
- gent. · gentl, gen̄tgentleman · gentlemengentleman (a status word after a name)Unit 9
- Aᵒ · aᵒ, anᵒAnnoin the yearUnit 6
- Eliz: / ElizthElizabethElizabeth: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- &and · etand (English) / et (Latin)Unit 11
- li. / l. / £ · xxviij£pounds (librae)pounds; never expanded in a transcriptionUnit 6
- cōmon, frō, tēnt · mā, com̄on, can̄otm · na bar (macron or tilde) over a letter: supply an m or nUnit 11
- Mʳˢ / Mʳⁱˢ · mrsMistressMistress (any woman of standing, married or not)Unit 9
- yᵉthethe: y stands for the old letter thorn (þ), with e raisedUnit 9
- Ric: / Rich: / Richᵈ · Ric, RicᵈRichardRichard: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Itᵐ / It · itm, itm̄Item"also": begins each bequest or inventory line after the firstUnit 9
- Dñi / Dni · dn̄iDominiof the LordUnit 6
- wᶜʰwhichwhichUnit 9
- wᵗh · wᵗʰwithwith: the t raised and the h on the line (wᵗh); some hands raise bothUnit 9
- yoʳyouryourUnit 9
- Robᵗ / Rob: · Ro:, RobtRobertRobert: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- -cōn, -cõn-cion · -tion · -sion-cion/-tion, usually with a bar over the o, sometimes with no mark at allUnit 11
- Wᵐ / Willm / Will̄m · Wm, WllmWilliamWilliam: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Tho:, Lo:, Ma:(word cut short)a colon, point or flourish after the first letters: the word is cut shortUnit 11
- u͛ (euer)-er · -re · -ara hook or zigzag above a letter: er/re (eu͛ = euer, neu͛ = neuer). It can also stand for ir/ri, or for or as in uxor; over p it is always reUnit 11
- ꝭ-es · -is · -ysa looped stroke after the last letter: -es (goodꝭ = goodes)Unit 11
- Geo: · Geo, Geo:GeorgeGeorge: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- sᵈ · sd, foresdsaidsaid, as in "the sd John" (legal)Unit 9
- othʳ, lettʳ, daughtʳ-er · -ar · -or · -oura raised r at word end stands for a vowel + r, usually -erUnit 9
- als / al r saliasalias, "otherwise called": John Smith als Taylor. Vital for surnamesUnit 12
- ux. · ux̄, vx̄, vxōr, ux̄emuxorwife (of)Unit 13
- vid. · vīdvidua · viduuswidow / widowerUnit 13
- d. · xᵈpence (denarii)pence (12 to the shilling)Unit 6
- s. / sh. · xvjˢshillings (solidi)shillings (20 to the pound)Unit 6
- pᵈ · pdpaidpaid (accounts, receipts)Unit 9
- iij, vj, xiij3, 6, 13roman numerals end in j: iij = 3, vj = 6Unit 6
- Exōr / execʳ / Exʳˢexecutor · executors · executrixexecutor (who carries out the will)Unit 9
- Impʳ / Inp̄misImprimis · Inprimis"first": begins the first item of an inventory or willUnit 9
- Aᵒ DñiAnno Dominiin the year of the LordUnit 6
- Jo: / Jno / Joh̄nJohnJohn: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- bapt.baptizatus/baptizata · baptizedbaptisedUnit 13
- fil. / f.filius · filiason / daughter (of)Unit 13
- nupt. / mar.nupti · marriedmarriedUnit 13
- sepult. / sep.sepultus/sepulta · buriedburiedUnit 13
- Xp̄ (Xpofer, Xpian, Xp̄mas)Christ-Greek chi-rho for Christ-: Xpofer = Christopher, Xpian = ChristianUnit 11
- þ / ythy used for the old letter thorn in yᵉ, yᵗ, yᵐ: read thUnit 8
- ꝓprop with a loop back through the descender: pro (ꝓfitt = profit)Unit 11
- xxᵗⁱ / 20ᵗʸtwenty (twentie)a raised ending spelling out the number word: xxᵗⁱ = twenti(e)Unit 6
- Ld / Lo: · L., LLord · LordshipLord, or Lordship: Lo: and L. can stand for either, so read by senseUnit 12
- yᵐ · yᵉᵐthemthemUnit 9
- viz / vīz / videlt / vizᵗvidelicet"namely", "that is to say", before a listUnit 13
- Q / Q:QueenQueenUnit 12
- yⁿ · yᵉⁿthen · thanthen / thanUnit 9
- Sᵗ / SᶜᵗSaint · sterlingSaint (St Andrew's), or sterling after a sumUnit 9
- Maᵗⁱᵉ / MaᵗʸMajestyMajesty; appears in regnal datesUnit 9
- def / deft / defendtdefendantdefendant (in a lawsuit)Unit 9
- -mᵗ-ment-ment at the end of a word (paymᵗ, testamᵗ)Unit 9
- pͤ / p̃pre · prip with a hook or bar above: pre / pri (pͤsent = present). Leo writes it p + U+0364; some guides print p̃Unit 11
- complt / compl / complntcomplaint · complainantcomplaint or complainant: the same abbreviation; read by senseUnit 9
- Ja: / Jas · JacJamesJames: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- foresdforesaidforesaid: the one already namedUnit 9
- inter / interr / inteinterrogatoryinterrogatory: a numbered question put to a witnessUnit 9
- wᵗhout · wᵗʰoutwithoutwithoutUnit 9
- SʳSirSir (a knight, or a priest in older records)Unit 9
- Berk / Berks / BarksBerkshireBerkshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- Buck / BucksBuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- pͤdict. / p̄dcus · predc̄o, ꝑdc̄o, dc̄opredictus · predictathe aforesaidUnit 13
- test' / tes̄teteste · testeswitness(es) (stem): at the foot of wills and deedsUnit 13
- Car / Car:CharlesCharles (also in regnal years: Car. I, Car. II)Unit 12
- pl / plt / pltesplaintiff · plaintiffesplaintiff; ples / pltes = plaintiffsUnit 9
- sa: / sa· / sasaithsaith (says): "this deponent sa: that…"Unit 9
- oʳourourUnit 9
- com̄commission · comitatus (county) · companyseveral words share this form; read by senseUnit 11
- HantsHampshireHampshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- HertsHertfordshireHertfordshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- HuntsHuntingdonshireHuntingdonshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- NottsNottinghamshireNottinghamshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- Oxon / Oxon̄OxfordshireOxfordshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- SalopShropshireShropshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- Wiltesh̄, Norff-shire · Norfolkother county names are written out: a -shire mark is expanded (Wilteshire); Norff = NorffolkUnit 13
- Staff / StaffsStaffordshireStaffordshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- Wilts / WiltesWiltshireWiltshire: a county name that stays abbreviated in transcriptionsUnit 13
- dd · dd, ddꝛdeliver this · deliveredon letter covers and receipts: "deliver" / "delivered"Unit 9
- dept / depontdeponentdeponent: the witness giving the statementUnit 9
- Aᵒ r. r. · RRē, RRn̄eanno regni regis/reginaein the year of the reign of (king/queen)Unit 6
- Chr̄iChristiof Christ (in dates and dedications)Unit 13
- clūs / cl.clericusclerk, i.e. a clergyman: after a vicar's or curate's nameUnit 13
- Dei grã · grā, grātDei gratiaby the grace of God (in regnal dates)Unit 13
- eodēeodemon the same (day), in the sameUnit 13
- exaiat' / exaiator'examinatus · examinatorexamined (stem) / examiner: deposition headingsUnit 13
- jur. / jurat · iuratjuratus · swornswornUnit 13
- Johis / Joēm / Rici / Ricm̄ / Robtū / NichiJohannis · Johannem · Richardi · Richardum · Robertum · NicholaiLatin forenames change their ending with case: Johannis = of JohnUnit 12
- Apr, Septembr, Octobr, Novembr, Decembr, ffebrAprilis · Septembris · Octobris · Novembris · Decembris · ffebruarijLatin month names cut short; also 7ber, 8ber, 9ber, 10ber for Sept–DecUnit 6
- q̄ / quer̄ / querenquerensplaintiff (stem)Unit 13
- Rea / Rn̄eRegina · Reginequeen / of the queen (regnal years under Elizabeth)Unit 6
- subp̄ / sp̄asubpoenaa writ ordering someone to appearUnit 13
- ult / vltultimolast: "the 3rd of May ult." = of last monthUnit 6
- versꝭversusagainst: A versus BUnit 13
- mᵈ / Mem. · m̄m, mdmemorandummemorandum: "note that", opening an entryUnit 9
- xxᵐᵒ / Aᵒ … vᵗᵒvicesimo (20th) · quinto (5th)Latin ordinal endings raised after a numeral in dating clausesUnit 6
- iiijˣˣfour score (80)raised xx = score (× 20): iiijˣˣ = 80Unit 6
- yᵉʳtherethere (þ + raised er)Unit 9
- yoᵘ / yoʷyou · yowyou: the raised letter is u or w (yow). Some scribes use the same sign for your, so read by senseUnit 9
- wᵗhin · wᵗʰinwithinwithinUnit 9
- wᵗwith · whatwith or what: read by senseUnit 9
- yʳtheir · yourtheir (also your: read by sense)Unit 9
- Hen: / Henr:HenryHenry: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- recᵈreceivedreceivedUnit 9
- Invent.inventory · inventariuminventoryUnit 13
- Admonadministrationletters of administration (no will)Unit 13
- prob. / probat.probatum (est)proved (the will was proved)Unit 13
- Edw: / EdwᵈEdwardEdward: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- testamᵗtestament · testamentumwill (testament)Unit 13
- qa. / q.farthing (quadrans)a farthing (¼d)Unit 6
- ꝑochia / p'och.parochia · parochieparishUnit 13
- Kath: / Kat:KatherineKatherine: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Esqʳ / Esq. · esqEsquireEsquire: a rank above gentlemanUnit 9
- gen. / generos.generosusgentlemanUnit 13
- accordingē, yoū(nothing)a flourish that abbreviates nothing (a "otiose" stroke): check the word reads without itUnit 11
- ob.halfpenny (obolus)a halfpennyUnit 6
- Xpofer / XtopherChristopherChristopher: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Fra: / ffra:Francis · FrancesFrancis: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Margᵗ / Marg:MargaretMargaret: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Nich: / Nic:NicholasNicholas: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- vjᶜ / Cᶜhundredsraised c = hundreds: vjᶜ = 600Unit 6
- servᵗservantservantUnit 9
- thonor, thappurtenances · th'otherthe + word"the" run into the next word: th + onor = the honourUnit 11
- cūcumwithUnit 13
- suplt / suppltsuppliantsuppliant: the person petitioningUnit 9
- al ralius · alii · aliaother(s), "and others" after a list of namesUnit 13
- milmiles (knight)knight (Latin miles)Unit 13
- kth / kᵒthknowethknoweth (knows), common in depositionsUnit 9
- affdaffidavitaffidavit: a sworn statementUnit 13
- AnglAnglieof England (in royal titles)Unit 13
- ap̄dapudat (a place)Unit 13
- arlosarticulosarticles (of a complaint)Unit 13
- cap̄tcaptataken (before someone)Unit 13
- cācausacause, caseUnit 13
- contempt'contemptum(for) contempt (of court)Unit 13
- conᵃcontraagainst, versusUnit 13
- cr̄no / cr̄ocrastinoon the morrow (of a feast day): a dateUnit 13
- cur̄ / curiācurie · curiam(of the) courtUnit 13
- dedim'dedimus (potestatem)"we have given (power)": a commission to take evidenceUnit 13
- dn̄a / dn̄ædomina · dominaelady / of the ladyUnit 13
- ex ꝑteex parteon behalf of (one side)Unit 13
- fc̄mfactuma deed, doneUnit 13
- ffr̄Francieof France (royal title)Unit 13
- Hibn̄ieHibernieof Ireland (royal title)Unit 13
- ip̄oipsoitself, himselfUnit 13
- lrātuslitteratuslearnedUnit 13
- magr̄o / mr̄o / magroūmagistro · magistrorummaster (of the masters): Masters in ChanceryUnit 13
- nr̄e / nr̄a / nr̄inostre · nostra · nostriour (in royal styles: "domini nostri Regis")Unit 13
- oc̄toctavothe octave: the eighth day after a feastUnit 13
- pauꝑispauperispauper, poor: suing in forma pauperisUnit 13
- ꝑpētperpetuamperpetual (to perpetuate testimony)Unit 13
- rōnsioresponsioresponse, answerUnit 13
- sc̄i fācscire faciasa writ: "you shall make known"Unit 13
- sc̄dm / sc̄dosecundum · secundoaccording to / next, secondlyUnit 13
- suꝑsedeassupersedeasa writ stopping proceedings in another courtUnit 13
- sup̄rsupraaboveUnit 13
- term̄iotermino(in the law) term: Michaelmas, Hilary, Easter, TrinityUnit 13
- trinit' / trinitātTrinitatisTrinity (term, or Trinity Sunday): a dateUnit 13
- ℔pound (weight)pound as a weight, not moneyUnit 6
- ƚl (50) in a roman numeralan l with a bar, used inside roman numeralsUnit 6
- σtotala sigma-like sign beside figures: the totalUnit 6
- qth / qᵒthquothquoth (said). Some hands write it with the Latin sign for quod insteadUnit 9
- subtsubiectsubject (of the Crown)Unit 9
- worˡˡ / wor: · w:, wor:worshipful · worshipworshipful (a courtesy title)Unit 9
- yʳofthereofthereofUnit 9
- u᷑-ura hook over u: -ur (cou᷑te = courte)Unit 11
- lʳᵉ / lʳᵉˢ · lreletter · lettre · letters · lettresletter(s), in the old spelling lettre: lʳᵉ with the r and e raised, or lre all on the line. Folger lines up to 1650 write l[ett]re about 90 timesUnit 9
- Lᵖ / LoᵖᵖLordshipLordshipUnit 9
- marke / mkmark13s 4d (two-thirds of a pound): a sum, not a coinUnit 6
- agᵗ / agˢᵗagainstagainstUnit 9
- Knt / KtKnightKnightUnit 9
- wⁿwhenwhenUnit 9
- ꝰ-usa raised 9-shape: -us, mostly in Latin (eiꝰ = eius)Unit 11
- hoᵇˡᵉ / honᵇˡᵉhonourablehonourableUnit 9
- di.half (dimidium)half, as in "iij yardes di." = 3½ yardsUnit 6
- ꝯcon · coma 9-shape on the line: con/com (ꝯtent = content)Unit 11
- ⁊et · andthe Tironian et, a 7-like sign; used in gothic hands all through the period, and still common in Elizabethan secretaryUnit 11
- arm.armigeresquire (entitled to arms)Unit 13
- q; / q̃-que · queLatin -que (and), a q with a markUnit 13
- quond.quondamformerly, the lateUnit 13
- Anth:AnthonyAnthony: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Benj:BenjaminBenjamin: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Saml / Sam:SamuelSamuel: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- mˡ / Mthousandraised m or ml = thousandsUnit 6
- s͛ (s͛vaunt) · ſ̃ser · siran s with the er mark over it (s͛, sometimes a long s with a curl): ser- or sir- (your s͛vaunt = servaunt)Unit 11
- yˢthisthisUnit 9
- yᵘthouthouUnit 9
- pd · pᵈpound · poundspound: p and d with the middle left out (p[oun]d). The same letters as pᵈ = paid, so let the line decide: a sum before it is pounds, a receipt or a date is paid. The plural is poundꝭUnit 9
- qʳ · qrquarter · quartersquarter: q and r with the middle left out (q[uarte]r). A measure of grain or of cloth, or a quarter of a year. Not the same as q[uar]t = quartUnit 9
- La. · La:Lady · LadyshipLady, cut short after La. After your, her or their it is usually Ladyship. L. alone is Lord or LordshipUnit 9
- Ho. · Ho:Honour · Honours · HonourableHonour, cut short to Ho. (or Ho:); it can also stand for Honourable. Your Ho. is how a letter addresses a person of rank. hoᵇˡᵉ, with ble raised, is always honourableUnit 9
- Ll. · LL.Lords · LordshipsLords: the L written twice makes the plural (one L. is Lord or Lordship). Often the Lords of the Council, or your Ll. = your LordshipsUnit 9
- ᵃ (grᵃted)aun · ana small a raised over the word stands for aun (sometimes just an), the spelling of the time in graunt, comaund, servaunt: grᵃted = grauntedUnit 9
- youʳ, theᵐ, pounᵈ(nothing left out)a raised letter that saves nothing: youʳ is your, theᵐ is them, pounᵈ is pound. Every letter is there, so read them in order and supply nothingUnit 9
- Mich̄as · MichasMichaelmasMichaelmas (29 September): a quarter day for rents, and the name of a law termUnit 6
- mia' · mīamisericordiaamercement: a fine imposed by a manor court (in misericordia = in mercy)Unit 13
- ibm̄ · ibmibidemin the same place: there (the same court, parish or manor as already named)Unit 13
- pͤsent · psentpresentat · presentantpresents (the homage or jury presents that ...): the verb of a manor court presentmentUnit 13
- dn̄s · dnusdominus · domini · dominolord: the lord of the manor, or the Lord (God); the ending changes with caseUnit 13
- qd̄ · qdquodthat (Latin): '... presentat quod Iohannes ...' = presents that John ...Unit 13
- Bᵖ · BpBishopBishop: B with a raised p (my Lord Bp of London)Unit 9
- Wa: / Wa.WalterWalter: forenames are cut short with a colon, a raised last letter or bothUnit 12
- Summa · Sm̄aSumma · sumthe sum or total of a page or account: Summa totalis, Summa paginaeUnit 6
- iiijᵒʳfour (fowre)a raised or after iiij spells out the number word four; it saves nothingUnit 6
- ꝝ (-rum)-rumthe Latin genitive plural ending -rum (dominorum, aliorum). The sign began as a general mark that a word was cut short, and reading it as -rum made false names such as SarumUnit 13
- homag'homagiumthe homage: the jury of tenants at a manor courtUnit 13
- IacᵒIacobus · IacoboJames in Latin (Iacobus), with the case ending raisedUnit 12