Common Latin Words Found in Genealogical Records

Latin terms are often encountered by genealogists in early church records, as well as in many legal documents. You can learn to interpret the Latin language you encounter with by applying an understanding of keywords  and phrases. Common genealogy terms, including record types, events, dates, and relationships are listed here, along with Latin words with similar meanings (i.e., words commonly used to indicate marriage, including marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock and unite). Latin Basics Latin is the mother language for many modern European languages, including English, French, Spanish and Italian. Therefore, Latin will be found used in the earlier records of most European countries, as well as in Roman Catholic records around the world. Latin Language Essentials The most important thing to look for in Latin words is the root, as it will give you the basic meaning of the word. The same Latin word may be found with multiple endings, depending on the way the word is used in the sentence. Different endings will be used if a word is masculine, feminine or neuter, as well as to indicate singular or plural forms of a word. The endings of Latin words can also vary depending on the grammatical usage of the words, with specific endings used to indicate a word used as the subject of the sentence, as a possessive, as the object of a verb, or used with a preposition. Common Latin Words Found in Genealogy Documents Record TypesBaptismal Register - matricula baptizatorum, liberCensus - censusChurch Records - parish matrica (parish registers)Death Register - certificato di morteMarriage Register - matrica (marriage register), bannorum (register of marriage banns), liberMilitary - militaris, bellicus Family EventsBaptism / Christening - baptismi, baptizatus, renatus, plutus, lautus, purgatus, ablutus, lustratioBirth - nati, natus, genitus, natales, ortus, oriundusBurial - sepulti, sepultus, humatus, humatioDeath - mortuus, defunctus, obitus, denatus, decessus, peritus, mors, mortis, obiit, decessitDivorce - divortiumMarriage - matrimonium, copulatio, copulati, conjuncti, nupti, sponsati, ligati, maritiMarriage (banns) - banni, proclamationes, denuntiationes RelationshipsAncestor - antecessor, patres (forefathers)Aunt - amita (paternal aunt); matertera, matris soror (maternal aunt)Brother - frater, frates gemelli (twin brothers)Brother-in-law - affinis, sororiusChild - ifans, filius (son of), filia (daughter of), puer, prolesCousin - sobrinus, generDaughter - filia, puella; filia innupta (unwed daughter); unigena (only begotten daughter)Descendant - proles, successioFather - pater (father), pater ignoratus (unknown father), novercus (stepfather)Grandchild - nepos ex fil, nepos (grandson); neptis (granddaughter)Grandfather - avus, pater patris (paternal grandfather)Grandmother - avia, socrus magna (maternal grandmother)Great-grandchild - pronepos (great grandson); proneptis (great granddaughter)Great-grandfather - proavus, abavus (2nd great grandfather), atavus (3rd great grandfather)Great-grandmother - proavia, proava, abavia (2nd great grandmother)Husband - uxor (spouse), maritus, sponsus, conjus, coniux, ligatus, virMother - materNiece /Nephew - amitini, filius fratris/sororis (nephew), filia fratris/sororis (niece)Orphan, Foundling - orbus, orbaParents - parentes, genitoresRelatives - propinqui (relatives); agnati, agnatus (paternal relatives); cognati, cognatus (maternal relatives); affines, affinitas (related by marriage, in-laws)Sister - soror, germana, glos (husbands sister)Sister-in-law - glorisSon - filius, natusSon-in-law - generUncle - avunculus (paternal uncle), patruus (maternal uncle)Wife - vxor/uxor (spouse), marita, conjux, sponsa, mulier, femina, consorsWidow - vidua, relictaWidower - viduas, relictus DatesDay - dies, dieMonth - mensis, mensesYear - annus, anno; often abbreviated Ao, AE or aEMorning - maneNight - nocte, vespere (evening)January - JanuariusFebruary - FebruariusMarch - MartiusApril - AprilisMay - MaiusJune - Junius, IuniusJuly - Julius, Iulius, QuinctilisAugust - AugustusSeptember - September, Septembris, 7ber, VIIberOctober - October, Octobris, 8ber, VIIIberNovember - November, Novembris, 9ber, IXberDecember - December, Decembris, 10ber, Xber Other Common Latin Genealogical TermsAnd others - et alii (et. al)Anno Domini (A.D.) - in the year of our LordArchive - archiviaCatholic church - ecclesia catholicaCemetery (graveyard) - cimiterium, coemeteriumGenealogy - genealogiaIndex - indiceHousehold - familiaName, given - nomen, dictus (named), vulgo vocatus (alias)Name, surname (family name) - cognomen, agnomen (also nickname)Name, maiden - look for from or of to indicate maiden namenata (born), ex (from), de (of)Obit - (he or she) diedObit sine prole (o.s.p.) - (he or she) died without offspringParish - parochia, pariochialisParish priest - parochusTestes - witnessesTown - urbeVillage - vico, pagusVidelicet - namelyWill/Testament - testamentum