GENEALOGICAL
TERMS
ABSTRACT-Summary of important point of texts, especially
in Deeds and Wills
ADMINISTRATION (estate)- The collection, management and distribution
of an estate by a proper legal process.
ADMINISTRATOR (estate)-Person appointed to manage and divide
the estate of a deceased person. A female administrator is called "Administratrix"
AFFADAVIT-A sworn statement.
ANCESTOR-A person from who you are descended; a forefather.
ANTE-Latin prefix meaning "before", such as in
" Ante-Bellum South", the South before the Civil War.
APPRENTICE-A person who is bound by indentures or legal agreement
to serve a person for a specified time, usually with a view of learning an
art or trade.
APPURTENANCE-That which belongs to something else such as
a building or right or way etc.
ARCHIVES-A repository of records of a government, organization
or institution.
ATTEST-To affirm; to certify by signature or oath.
B
BANNS- Public announcement of a forthcoming marriage.
BENEFICIARY-One who receives benefit of trust or property.
BEQUEATH-To give personal property to a person in a Will.
BOND-Written, signed and witnessed agreement requiring payment
of a specified sum on or before a given date.
BOUNTY LAND WARRANT-A right to obtain land, specific numbers
of acres of unallocated public land, granted for military service.
C
CENSUS-Official enumeration, listing or counting, of the
citizenry.
CERTIFIED COPY-A copy made and attested to by officers having
charge of the original document and authorized to give copies.
CHATTEL-Personal property, which can be animate or inanimate.
CHRISTEN-To receive or initiate into a church by baptism;
to name.
CIRCA-About, near or approximate; usually referring to a
date.
CODICIL-Addition to a Will.
COLLATERAL ANCESTOR-Belonging to the same ancestral stock
but not in direct line of descent.
COMMON ANCESTOR-Ancestor shared by any two people.
CONSANGUINITY-Blood relationship.
CONSORT-Usually, a wife with a living husband.
CONVEYANCE-See DEED
COUSIN-Relative descended from a common ancestral grandmother
or grandfather.
D
DECEDENT- A deceased person.
DECLARATION OF INTENTION-The first paper, sworn to and filed in court, by an alien citizen
stating that he wants to become a citizen.
DEED-A document by which title in real property is transferred
from one party to another.
DEPOSITION-Testimony taken down in writing under oath of
affirmation in relply to interrogatories, before a competent officer to replace
oral testimony.
DEVISE-Gift of real property by Will.
DEVISEE-One to whom land is given in a Will.
DEVISOR-One who gives real property in a Will.
DISSENTER-One who did not belong to the established church.
DISTRICT LAND OFFICE PLAT BOOK-Books or rather maps which
show the location of the land patentee.
DISTRICT LAND OFFICE TRACT BOOK- Books which list individual
entries by range and township.
DOWER-Legal right or share which a wife acquires by marriage
in the real estate of her husband, allotted to her after his death for her
lifetime.
E
EMIGRANT-One who leaves a country and moves to another.
ENUMERATION-Listing or counting, such as in a census.
EPITAPH-An tomb or gravestone inscription in memory of the
person buried there.
ESCHEAT-The reversion of property to the state when there
are no qualified heirs.
ESTATE-All property and debts belonging to an individual.
ET AL.-Latin for "and others".
ET UX-Latin for "and wife". Sometimes written ET
UXOR.
EXECUTOR or EXECUTRIX-One appointed in a Will to carrry out
it's provisions.
F
FEE-An estate of inheritance in land, either fee simple or
fee tail.
FEE SIMPLE-An absolute ownership without restriction.
FEE TAIL- An estate or inheritance limited to lineal descendants
of the person to whom it was granted.
FRATERNITY-Group of men or women sharing a common purpose
or interest.
FREE HOLD-An estate in fee simple, in fee tail, or for life.
G
GAZETEER-A geographical dictionary.
GENEALOGY-Study of family history and descent.
GIVEN NAME-Name given to a person at birth or baptism, one's
first and middle names.
GLEBE-Land belonging to a parish church.
GRANTEE-One who buys property or receives a grant.
GRANTOR-One who sells property or makes a grant.
GUARDIAN-Person appointed to care for and manage property
of a minor orphan or an adult incompetent to manage his own affairs.
H
HALF BROTHER/HALF SISTER-Child by another marriage on one's
mother or father. Siblings having
one parent in common.
HEIRS-Those entitled by law or by the terms of a Will to
inherit property from another.
HOLOGRAPHIC WILL-One written entirely in Testator's own handwriting.
I
ILLEGITIMATE-Born to a mother who was not married to the
child's father.
INDENTURE-Today it means a contract in two or more copies.
Originally made in two parts by cutting or tearing a single sheet across
the middle so the two parts may later be matched.
INDENTURED SERVANT-One who may be bound to the service or
another for a specified time, often in return for transportation to this country.
INFANT-Any person not of full age; a minor.
INTESTATE-One who dies without a Will.
INVENTORY-An account, schedule or catalog made by an executro
or administrator of all goods and chattels (and sometimes real estate) of
a deceased person.
ISSUE-Offspring; lineal descendants of a common ancestor.
L
LATE-Recently deceased.
LEASE-An agreement which creates a landlord-tenant situation.
LEGACY-Property or money left to someone on a Will.
LIEN-A claim against property as security for payment of
a debt.
LINEAGE-Ancestry.
LINEAL-Consisting of or being in direct line of ancestry
or descendants.
LIS PENDENS-Pending court action.
LOYALIST-Tory, An American colonist who supported the British
during the American Revolution.
M
MAIDEN NAME-Female's last name or surname before she marries.
MANUSCRIPT-A composition written with the hand.
MARRIAGE BOND-A financial guarantee that no impediment to
a marriage existed, furnished by the intended bridegroom or his friends.
MATERNAL-Related through one's mother.
MEASUREMENTS- Link 7.92 inches;
Chain-100 Links or 66 feet;
Furling-1000 Links or 660 feet;
Rod-5 1/2 yds or 16 1/2 ft.
Rood-From 5 1/2 yds to 8 yds, depending on the locality
Acre-43,560 square feet ot 160 square rods
MESSUAGE-A dwelling house.
METES AND BOUNDS-Property descibed by natural boundaries,
such as "bank of the meandering river".
MICROFICHE-Sheet of microfilm with greatly reduced images
of pages of documents.
MICROFILM-Reproduction of documents on film at a reduced
size.
MIGRATE-To move from one country, state or region to another.
MILITIA-Citizens of a state who are not part of the regular
armed forces but who can be called onto service in an emergency.
MINOR-One who is under legal age.
MOIETY-A half; an indefinte portion.
MORTALITY-Death; death rate.
MORTALITY SCHEDULES-Enumeration of persons who died in the
year prior to June 1 of 1850, 1860 and 1880 in each state of the United States
in which a census was conducted.
MORTGAGE-A conditional transfer of title of real property
as security for payment of a debt.
N
NAMESAKE-Person named after another person.
NECROLOGY-Listing or record of the recently deceased.
NEE-Used to identify a woman's maiden name.
NONCUPATIVE WILL-One declared or dictated by the testator,
usually for persons in last sickness or sudden illness.
O
ORPHAN'S COURT-Orphans being recognized as wards of the states,
provisions were made for them in special courts.
P
PATENT-Grant of land from a govenment to an individual.
PEDIGREE-Family tree ancestry.
PENSION-Money paid regularly to an individual, especially
by a government for military service.
POLL-List or record of persons, especially for taxing or
voting.
POST-Latin prefix meaning after
POSTERITY-Descendants.
POWER OF ATTORNEY-When a person is unable to act for himself,
he appoints another to act on his behalf.
PRE-EMOTION RIGHTS-Right given by the federal government
to citizens to buy a quarter section of land or less.
PROBATE-Having to do with Wills and the administration of
estates.
PROGENITOR-A direct ancestor.
PROGENY-Descendants of a common ancestor; issue.
PROVED WILL-A Will established as genuine by probate court.
PROVOST-A person appointed to superintend.
PROXIMO-In the following month, in the month after the present
one.
PUBLIC DOMAIN-Land owned by the government.
Q
QUITCLAIM-A deed conveying the interest of the party at that
time.
R
RELICT-Widow; surviving spouse when one has died, husband
or wife.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR-U.S. war for independence from Great Britain
1775-1783.
S
SIBLING-Persons having one or more parents in common.
SIC-Latin meaning thus; copied exactly as the original
reads.
SPINSTER-A woman still unmarried; a woman who spins.
SPONSOR-Bondsman or surety.
STATUTE-Law.
T
TERRITORY-Area of land owned by the United States, not a
state, but having it's own legislature and governor.
TESTAMENTARY-Pertaining to a Will.
TESTATE-A person who dies leaving a valid Will.
TESTATOR-A person who makes a valid Will before death.
TITHABLE-Taxable.
TOWNSHIP-A division of U.S. public land that contained 36
sections, or 36 square miles.
TRANSCRIBE-To make a copy in writing.
U
ULTIMO-The month before this one.
V
VERBATIM-Word for word; in the same words verbally.
VITAL RECORDS-Records of birth, death, marriage or divorce.
VITAL STATISTICS-Data dealing with birth, death, marriage
and divorce.
W
WILL-A document which states how the deceased wants his property
divided after death.
WITNESS-One who is present at a transaction, such as a land
sale or the signing of a Will; can affirm that it took place.
Compiled by Jacqueline King
background by Donna Brand
copyright 2003
©