Familiar Record Practices: Problems and Terminology: Name Abbreviations

Another common form of abbreviation was the contraction. A word like

parish might be contracted to p'ish, or present might be contracted to p'sent.

In these examples an apostrophe (') is used, but at other times contractions

were also made by putting a curved line like a tilde ('—) above the contracted

word like this: psent.

You will also find occasions where a word with

a double consonant was written with only one consonant and a line drawn

over it to show that it should be doubled. For example, common might be

written as comon. This was especially used in connection with the letters

m and n, and the line was sometimes curved (cordon).

In actual practice any word might be abbreviated in several different

ways depending on the scribe. In many instances the abbreviation for two

different words might even be the same, but most can be recognized within

the context of the writing.

 Name Abbreviations:

Ordinarily names were abbreviated in the same way as other words; however,

there are a few exceptions to this rule also. Here are just a few popular

name abbreviations:

Aaron - Aar"

Abraham - Abra1"

Andrew - Andr", And"

Arthur - Arf, Arthr

Barbara - Barb'1

Benjamin - Benj'1, Benj", Benj:

Charles - Cha", Char8

Christopher - X1', Xopher, Xofer

Daniel - Dan'

David - Dav'1

Ebenezer - Eben"'

Franklin - Franki", Prank", Frank:

Frederick - Fred"*, Fredr1'

George -Geo:, G°

Gilbert - Gilb1, Gil--*

Hannah - Hanah

James-Ja8, Jas:

Jeremiah - Jer'1, Jerem", Jer:

Jonathan - Jonath", Jon11, Jon:

John-Jno:, Jno

Joseph-Jos, Jos:

Leonard - Leon3

Margaret - Marg1

Nathan - Nath"

Nathaniel - Nath1, Nathan'

Patrick - Patr11

Richard-Rich'1, Rich:

Robert-Rob1, Rob:

Samuel - Sam', Sam:

Stephen - Steph"

Thomas - Tho", Tho:,-1^!^-

Vincent - Vine1, Vine"*

Virginia - Virg^ Virg:

Wilford-Wilfi,Wilf:

William - Will"1, W", Will:

Zachariah - Zacha, Zachar'1, Zach:

Many other names were also frequently abbreviated (and many of those shown were abbreviated in different ways), but most can be recognized quite easily. Nearly every given name of any length and often even surnames will be found abbreviated at one time or another. If you have trouble identifying an abbreviated name you may find it written out some other place in the same record, though this is not always the case.