CanGenealogy.com > Hugh Armstrong's Genealogy Site Index


Genealogical terms starting with 'A'

A On the Ontario Land Record Index; transaction type; = assignment LEGAL

A Anglican ABBREVIATION

A AVO grandmother PORTUGUESE

A MENSA ET TORO from bed and board LATIN

A QUO from whom (descended from whom) LATIN

A.D. in the year of our lord; A.D. = Anno Domini LATIN

AA On Ontario Land Record Index; type of free grant = Gratuitous LEGAL

AA African Association Baptist ABBREVIATION

AAR Appenzell-Ausser-Rhoden, CH PLACE-NAME

AB AVIA great great grandmother LATIN

AB NEPOS great great grandson LATIN

ABAVIA great-great-grandmother LATIN

ABAVUS great-great-grandfather; ancestor LATIN

ABBAS abbot LATIN

ABD Aberdeen, SCT PLACE-NAME

ABIATICUS nephew LATIN

ABLEPSIA blindness MEDICAL

ABLEPSY blindness MEDICAL

ABOPSIA blindness MEDICAL

ABORTIVUS stillborn LATIN

ABORTUS FEVER brucellosis MEDICAL

ABRA maidservant LATIN

ABRIL April SPANISH

ABRIL April PORTUGUESE

ABSCESS a collection of pus within any tissue of the body MEDICAL

ABSTRACT a summary of important facts, especially in wills or deeds LEGAL

ABUELA grandmother SPANISH

ABUELO grandfather SPANISH

AC and LATIN

ACARIASIS scabies; a disease of the skin caused by mites MEDICAL

ACATER supplied food provisions, e.g. a ships chandler OCCUPATION

ACCIPITRARY falconer OCCUPATION

ACCOMPTANT accountant OCCUPATION

ACCORDEUR D'ORGUES organ tuner FRENCH

ACCORDEUR DE PIANO piano tuner FRENCH

ACCOUCHEUR man who acts as a midwife MEDICAL

ACCOUCHEUR one who assisted women in childbirth OCCUPATION

ACCOUCHEUS one who assisted women in childbirth OCCUPATION

ACCOUCHEUSE midwife MEDICAL

ACCOUTRE supplier of military accessories OCCUPATION

ACCOUTREMENT MAKER supplier of military accessories OCCUPATION

ACHOR a skin disease of the scalp MEDICAL

ACHT eight GERMAN

ACHT eight DUTCH

ACIDOSIS a condition occurring when the alkali reserves of the blood are diminished MEDICAL

ACKERMAN ploughman, an oxherder OCCUPATION

ACRE an English acre is 43,560 square feet as standardized in 1824; a Scottish acre is 55,353.6 square feet; an Irish acre is 70,560 square feet MEASURE

ACREMAN ploughman, an oxherder OCCUPATION

ACROMEGALY chronic disease resulting in abnormal growth MEDICAL

ACT Capital Territory, AUS PLACE-NAME

ACTEUR actor FRENCH

ACTINOMYCOSIS a chronic disease characterized by the formation of multiple abscesses caused by a fungi infection MEDICAL

ACTUARY kept public accounts of business OCCUPATION

ACUTE MANIA severe insanity MEDICAL

AD Adventists ABBREVIATION

AD PERPERUAM REI MEMORIAM for a perpetual record of the matter LATIN

ADDISON'S DISEASEA a complex of symptoms characterized by general weakness and fatigue, low blood preasure, digestive disturbances and browning or discolouration of the skin. MEDICAL

ADEN FEVER dengue MEDICAL

ADENITIS inflammation of a gland MEDICAL

ADJUTANT GEN Adjutant General ABBREVIATION

ADMINISTRATOR directed the affairs of another OCCUPATION

ADMINISTRATOR person appointed to manage or divide the estate of a deceased person LEGAL

ADMINISTRATRIX a female administrator LEGAL

ADSUM here I am LATIN

ADVERTISEMENT CONVEYANCER sandwich board man OCCUPATION

ADVOCATE DEPUTE in Scotland a law officer who could act a public prosecutor

OCCUPATION

ADVOCATUS patron LATIN

ADVOWEE normally a nobleman, who had the right to present a clergyman to a benefice OCCUPATION

AE aetitis (aged ancestor) LATIN

AEDIFICATOR builder, architect LATIN

AEGROTANTEM illness or sickness LATIN

AEGROTAT medical certificate showing that a person is not able to perform their duties MEDICAL

AEGYPTIANUS Egyptian, gypsy LATIN

AERO-OTITIS MEDIA inflammation of the middle ear caused by differences in pressure inside the ear cavity and that of the atmosphere MEDICAL

AERONAUT balloonist or a trapeze artist in the circus or music halls OCCUPATION

AET aetitis (aged ancestor) LATIN

AETAS age; period of time LATIN

AETAS SUAE aged LATIN

AETATE MINORIS youngest son; junior LATIN

AFEBRILE without symptoms of fever MEDICAL

AFFEEROR official in the manorial courts who assessed the monetary penalty and also collected taxes and dues; also called Assessor OCCUPATION

AFFIDAVIT written declaration voluntarily made and confirmed by oath or

affirmation before the proper official LEGAL

AFT OR > after ABBREVIATION

AG Aargau, CH PLACE-NAME

AGATE insures health, long life and prosperity; birth stone for June (also see chalcedony) SYMBOLS

AGE age FRENCH

AGENT DE POLICE policeman FRENCH

AGISTER official of the Royal Forests or in the New Forest it is the title for the one in charge of the ponies OCCUPATION

AGOSTO August SPANISH

AGOSTO August ITALIAN

AGOSTS August PORTUGUESE

AGRAPHIA a condition of the brain whereby a person becomes unable to express thoughts in writing MEDICAL

AGRICOLA farmer LATIN

AGUE the recurring fever & chills of malarial infection or other fever MEDICAL

AGUE CAKE tumour caused by enlargement and hardening of the spleen usually by malaria MEDICAL

AGY Anglesey, WLS PLACE-NAME

AIR Appenzell-Inner-Rhoden, CH PLACE-NAME

AIR-SWELLINGS tympanites; air or gas in the intestines MEDICAL

AK Alaska, USA PLACE-NAME

AL Alabama, USA PLACE-NAME

ALABASTERER worked with alabaster OCCUPATION

ALASTRIM a form of smallpox MEDICAL

ALBINISM a congenital deficiency of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes MEDICAL

ALBINUS foreigner LATIN

ALBLASTERE crossbow man OCCUPATION

ALBUMINURIA the presence of albumin (a simple protein) in the urine MEDICAL

ALCHEMIST medieval chemist who claimed to be able to turn base metals into gold OCCUPATION

ALD Alderney, CHI PLACE-NAME

ALDERMAN senior councillor one position down from Mayor in the local council OCCUPATION

ALE CONNER official who tested the quality and measure of ale served in public houses OCCUPATION

ALE FOUNDER official who tested the quality and measure of ale served in public houses OCCUPATION

ALE TASTER tested ale and beer for quality; first recorded in London, 1377. Appointed by the Manor and forerunner of the Inspector for Weights & Measures OCCUPATION

ALE TUNNER employed by the brewery to fill ale casks (tuns) with ale OCCUPATION

ALE-DRAPER innkeeper OCCUPATION

ALEPPO BOIL Leishmaniasis MEDICAL

ALEWIFE woman who keeps an alehouse or tavern OCCUPATION

ALIAS otherwise known as LATIN

ALKALOSIS a condition characterized by an abnormal increase in the relative alkali reserve MEDICAL

ALL SPICE a grocer OCCUPATION

ALMANAC MAN official appointed by the Court of Sewers who warned the inhabitants of the Trent River area of higher than normal tides OCCUPATION

ALMONER gave out alms or charity to the poor on behalf of the parish OCCUPATION

ALMONER giver of charity to the needy LATIN

ALMSMAN received alms OCCUPATION

ALNAGER sworn officer who attested to measurement and quality of woolen goods; also aulager OCCUPATION

ALPINE MADNESS rabies MEDICAL

ALPINE SCURVY pellagra MEDICAL

ALS Alsace, FRA PLACE-NAME

ALTER age GERMAN

AMANUENSIS secretary or stenographer LATIN

AMANUENSIS secretary or stenographer OCCUPATION

AMAUROSIS blindness especially to cases in which the eye itself is unaffected, the cause being in the optic nerve or the brain MEDICAL

AMBER & JET CUTTER cut and polished amber for jewelry OCCUPATION

AMBER CUTTER cut ambergris OCCUPATION

AMBLER officer of the Royal Stable who broke in horses OCCUPATION

AMBO similar to the term 'CUM' (=combined with) but used when the places have similar names (eg Huttons Ambo [High & Low Hutton]) PLACE-NAME

AMEN MAN parish clerk OCCUPATION

AMENTIA mental deficiency MEDICAL

AMERICAN PLAGUE yellow fever MEDICAL

AMETHYST preventive against violent passions; birth stone for February SYMBOLS

AMICUS friend LATIN

AMICUS HUMANI GENERIS a humanitarian or philanthropist LATIN

AMITA aunt LATIN

AMITA MAGNA grandfather's sister; grand aunt LATIN

AMITA MAIOR great-grand aunt (father's side) LATIN

AMITA MAXIMA great-great-grand aunt (father's side) LATIN

AN NEPTIS great great granddaughter LATIN

ANAEMIA a deficiency in the blood MEDICAL

ANASARCA dropsy of the cellular tissue; general dropsy; water throughout the flesh. MEDICAL

ANC ancestor/ancestry ABBREVIATION

ANC/O ancestry of ABBREVIATION

ANCHOR SMITH made anchors OCCUPATION

ANCHORESS female hermit or religious recluse OCCUPATION

ANCHORITE male hermit or religious recluse OCCUPATION

ANCHYLOSIS stiff joint MEDICAL

ANCILLA maidservant LATIN

ANCOME a small ulcerous swelling coming suddenly; also a whitlow MEDICAL

ANEMIA a deficiency in the blood MEDICAL

ANEURISM the swelling of an artery or the dilatation and expansion of some part of an artery MEDICAL

ANGLE IRON SMITH made angle iron ie. flat iron bars bent at right angles lengthwise OCCUPATION

ANH Anhalt, GER PLACE-NAME

ANIDROSIS too little perspiration MEDICAL

ANILEPMAN smallholder (tenant of the manor) OCCUPATION

ANKLE BEATER young person who helped to drive the cattle to market OCCUPATION

ANNATTO MAKER worked in the manufacture of dyes for paint or printing OCCUPATION

ANNEE year FRENCH

ANNI of the year LATIN

ANNO year ITALIAN

ANNO year PORTUGUESE

ANNO AESTATIS SUOE in the year of his or her age LATIN

ANNO CHRISTI in the year of Christ LATIN

ANNO DOMINI in the year of our lord LATIN

ANNO MUNDI in the year of the world LATIN

ANNO PREDICTO in the aforesaid year LATIN

ANNO URBIS CONDITE in the year from the time the city (Rome) was built LATIN

ANNODOMINI year of the lord LATIN

ANNUS year LATIN

ANNUS BISSEXTUS leap year LATIN

ANNUS MIRABILIS year of wonder LATIN

ANNWYL BLANT the loving children WELSH

ANNWYL BLENTYN the loving child WELSH

ANNWYL BRIOD the loving spouse WELSH

ANNWYL DAD the loving father WELSH

ANNWYL FAB the loving son WELSH

ANNWYL FABAN the loving baby WELSH

ANNWYL FAM the loving mother WELSH

ANNWYL FERCH the loving daughter WELSH

ANNWYL WR the loving husband WELSH

ANNWYL WRAIG the loving wife WELSH

ANONYMA stillborn daughter LATIN

ANONYMOUS stillborn son LATIN

ANOREXIA lack of appetite MEDICAL

ANS Angus, SCT PLACE-NAME

ANT Antrim, IRL PLACE-NAME

ANTE before LATIN

ANTE MERIDIEM before noon LATIN

ANTEA formerly LATIN

ANTECESSOR ancestor; predecessor LATIN

ANTHRACOSIS lung disease caused by inhalation of coal dust MEDICAL

ANTHRAX a large and painful carbuncle or boil MEDICAL

ANTI before LATIN

ANTIGROPELOS MAKER made waterproof leggings OCCUPATION

ANUS old woman LATIN

ANVIL SMITH made anvils and hammers for blacksmiths OCCUPATION

AOUT August FRENCH

AP son of LATIN

AP American Presbyterian ABBREVIATION

APHASIA lose of speech or of connecting words and ideas due to morbid conditions of the brain MEDICAL

APHONIA laryngitis MEDICAL

APHTHAE small white ulcers on the tongue and inside of the mouth; also thrush MEDICAL

APHTHOUS STOMATITIS simple mouth ulcers MEDICAL

APIARIAN beekeeper OCCUPATION

APIARIST beekeeper OCCUPATION

APICULTEUR beekeeper FRENCH

APOPLEXY a stroke MEDICAL

APOSTEME an abscess; a swelling filled with purulent matter; also imposthume MEDICAL

APOTHECARY prepared and sold medicines or drugs; pharmacist OCCUPATION

APPARITOR official who summoned witnesses in the ecclesiastical courts OCCUPATION

APPRENTCE apprentice ABBREVIATION

APPRENTICE person bound, often by legal document, to learn some art, trade or profession OCCUPATION

APPRENTIS ENGAGÉS articled apprentices FRENCH

APPURTENANCE an appendage to something else & which passes as an incident to it (eg a right of way or easement to land) LEGAL

APRIL April GERMAN

APRIL April DUTCH

APRIL April NORWEGIAN

APRILE April ITALIAN

APRILLIS April LATIN

APRONEER term used in London for a shopkeeper OCCUPATION

APRONMAN mechanic OCCUPATION

APUD in, at, to, nearby LATIN

AQU Aquitaine, FRA PLACE-NAME

AQUARIUS waterman; also ewar OCCUPATION

AQUAVITA SELLER sold alcohol OCCUPATION

AR Arkansas, USA PLACE-NAME

ARACHNITIS inflammation of the arachnoid and pia mater - membranes in the brain

MEDICAL

ARBOR VITAE a flower that represents unchanging friendship SYMBOLS

ARCHIATER physician LATIN

ARCHIATOR physician OCCUPATION

ARCHIL MAKER made a violet dye from lichens, used in the textile industry OCCUPATION

ARCHITECTE architect FRENCH

ARCHITECTOR thatcher LATIN

ARCHITECTUS mason, builder, bricklayer LATIN

ARKWRIGHT skilled craftsman who produced "arks" (wooden chests or coffers) OCCUPATION

ARL Argyll, SCT PLACE-NAME

ARM Armagh, IRL PLACE-NAME

ARM a tailor's measure of about 1 yard MEASURE

ARMIGER squire who carried the armour of a knight OCCUPATION

ARMIGER bearer of arms LATIN

ARMIGEROUS entitled to heraldic arms LATIN

ARMOURER made suits of armour or plates of armour for buildings or ships, etc OCCUPATION

ARMURIER gunsmith FRENCH

ARPENT (Old French) land area = 0.85 acres MEASURE

ARPENTEUR land surveyor FRENCH

ARR arrived ABBREVIATION

ARRIERE-GRAND-MERE great-grand-mother FRENCH

ARRIERE-GRAND-PERE great-grand-father FRENCH

ARRIMEUR stevedore; longshoreman FRENCH

ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS art is long, life is short LATIN

ARTIFEX artisan LATIN

ARTIFICER highly respected skilled or artistic worker or craftsman or one that makes or contrives; a soldier mechanic who does repairs OCCUPATION

ARTISAN one who is trained in a trade OCCUPATION

ARTISTE artist FRENCH

ASCITES an accumulation of serous fluid in the abdominal cavity MEDICAL

ASHMAN dustman OCCUPATION

ASPHYXIA suffocation MEDICAL

ASSAY MASTER determined the amount of gold or silver to go in coins OCCUPATION

ASSAYER determined the proportions of metal in ore OCCUPATION

ASSIGNEE person to whom some right, privilege or property is transferred to by a court LEGAL

ASSIGNOR person who signs over the title or interest in something to another party LEGAL

ASSIGNS persons who take either immediately or remotely by law, devise or conveyance LEGAL

ASTHENIA debility; want of strength MEDICAL

ASTHENY debility; want of strength MEDICAL

ASTHMA a chronic disorder of respiration characterized by difficulty of breathing, coughing and expectoration MEDICAL

ASTIGMATISM a defect of an eye causing blurred vision MEDICAL

ASTRARIUS HAERES an heir who occupies his inheritance during the ancestor's lifetime LATIN

AT Atheist ABBREVIATION

ATAVUS great-great-great-grandfather; ancestor LATIN

ATQUE and LATIN

ATROPHY a wasting of the flesh with loss of strength MEDICAL

ATT attorney ABBREVIATION

ATTEST to bear witness to; to affirm LEGAL

ATTEST to bear witness to; to certify by signature or oath LEGAL

ATW Antwerpen, BEL PLACE-NAME

AUBERGISTS barkeeper; innkeeper; landlord. FRENCH

AUCHLIT twenty-eight pounds (SCT) WEIGHT

AUCHLIT a peck (SCT) MEASURE

AUGER MAKER made carpenters augers (used for boring holes in wood) OCCUPATION

AUGUST August DUTCH

AUGUST August GERMAN

AUGUST August NORWEGIAN

AULNAGER sworn officer who attested to measurement and quality of woolen goods; also alnager OCCUPATION

AURIFABER goldsmith OCCUPATION

AURIFEX goldsmith LATIN

AUS Australia PLACE-NAME

AUSTRALIS south, southern LATIN

AUTOR cobbler LATIN

AUV Auvergne, FRA PLACE-NAME

AVA grandmother LATIN

AVENATOR hay and forage merchant; also plantifene OCCUPATION

AVI grandparents LATIN

AVIA grandmother LATIN

AVIATICUS nephew LATIN

AVOCAT advocate FRENCH

AVORUM grandparents LATIN

AVOWRY term for the lord of the manor OCCUPATION

AVRIL April FRENCH

AVUNCULUS maternal uncle LATIN

AVUNCULUS MAGNUS grand uncle LATIN

AVUNCULUS MAJOR great-grand uncle; great-grandmother's brother LATIN

AVUNCULUS MAXIMUS great-great-grand uncle LATIN

AVUS grandfather LATIN

AWST, AUST August WELSH

AXEL TREE MAKER made axles for coaches and wagons OCCUPATION

AXEL TREE TURNER made axles for coaches and wagons OCCUPATION

AYR Ayr, SCT PLACE-NAME

AZ Arizona, USA PLACE-NAME

Back to Index Page


CanGenealogy.com > Hugh Armstrong's Genealogy Site Index