Genealogy Tips For Beginners

[Snowmom]

I've been trying to think of something new for this forum and just found some new sites.

 

I saw these symbols and decided to add them in here, as they might help someone who has old documents and such and didn't want to go to the other site.

 

http://www.jelleyjar.com/ancestor/symbol.html

 

Genealogy and Old Documents - Understanding Symbols

 

Initials:

a.a.s. - died in the year of his/her age (56 years died in 1856)

d.s.p. - died without issue

d.s.p.l. - died without legitimate issue

d.s.p.m.s. - died without surviving male issue

d.s.p.s - died without surviving issue

d.unm - died unmarried

d.v.p. - died in the lifetime of his father

d.v.m. - died in the lifetime of his mother

Et al - and others

F.L.T. - friendship, love and truth

Inst - present month

Liber - book or volume

Nepos - grandson

Nunc Nun - an oral will, written by a witness

Ob - he/she died

Rel. or Relict - widow or widower

Res. or Residue - widow or widower

Sic - exact copy as written

Testes - witnesses

Ult - late

Ux or vs - wife

Viz - namely

 

 

Trade Symbols

 

Barber - Bowl (for bleeding) & Razor

Butcher - an axe, steel knife and cleaver

Farmer - Coulter (type of hoe), flail (threshing implement), swingletree (rod for beating flax), stalk of corn

Gardener - rake & spade

Mason - wedge & level

Mariner - anchor, sextant

Merchant - scales, sign

Minister - Bible

Shoemaker - awl, knife, nippers

Smith - crown, hammer & anvil

Teacher - open book

Weaver - loom, shuttle & stretchers

Wood Wright - wooden objects they made

 

 

Misc. Symbols:

 

3 Books - Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants

3 Rings - the Oddfellows, friendship, love and truth

Angel - guardian, spirituality

Bible - Christian

Chalice - Sacraments

Cherub - innocence

Crescent - Goddess, Muslim religion

Cross - Christian, resurrection

Crown - glory of life after death

Flame / Light - to be immortal

Garland / Wreath - glory, Saintliness

Harp - Praise to the God

Heart - Catholic, love, suffering of Christ

Hearts (2) - marriage

Horns - wisdom, rebirth

Menorah - Judaism

Ring (broken) - family circle has been severed

Rod / Staff - comfort

Star - spirit that shines

Star of David - Judaism

Sun - renewed life

Swords Crossed - high Military rank

Trumpeters - Harbingers of the Resurrection

Urn - immortality, remembrance

 

Animals:

 

Birds - eternal life or resurrection

Butterfly - short life

Dog - good master

Dove - peace & eternal life

Lamb - innocence

Lion - courage

Rooster - awakening, resurrection.

 

 

Plants:

 

Fruits - plenty, fruits of life

Ivy - friendship, immortality

Laurel - accomplishment, heroism

Lily - innocence, purity

Morning Glory - beginning of life

Oak, Leaves and Acorn - power, victory

Palm Branch - victory, rejoicing

Poppy - eternal sleep

Roses - completion and the brevity of earthly existence

Rose (full bloom) - prime of life

Rosemary - remembrance

Thistles - remembrance, Scottish descent

Tree - life

Tree Trunk - short life

Tree Sapling - life everlasting

Tree Stump stone in Cemetery - Woodmen of the World

Wheat - divine harvest

Weeping Willow - grief

 

I do hope this will be of help to some of you out there. I do know there are a lot of those symbols I have never seen. But so many of them are very interesting, especially the last ones, the plants.