| Abbreviation / Symbol |
Meaning |
| Symbol |
| & |
indicates that the record next referred to is additional to
other, usually routine items, in the same source. |
| [ ] |
enclose document references, and any editorial notes, the latter being in italics |
| < > |
enclose references to abstracts |
| A |
| (a) |
according to administration |
| a |
administration |
| A |
Administration bond |
| A4 |
administration bond |
| A5 |
administration act |
| AB |
Act Book |
| Abb |
Abbey |
| Abp |
Archbishop |
| ABP 1 |
Archdeaconry of Bedford Probate Records |
| Abs |
Abstract |
| Acc |
Account in Ely Diocesan Records [A/12]* |
| AccAP |
Account in Administrations Packet |
| acc rend |
account rendered |
| acct |
administrator's account |
| AccVC |
Account among records of Vice-Chancellor's Court |
| adj |
adjoining |
| acct |
account |
| ad bd |
administration bond |
| adm |
administration |
| admin |
administer |
| admix |
administratrix |
| Admon |
administration bond |
| Admon act |
administration act |
| admor |
administrator |
| AEP |
Archdeaconry of Ely Probate |
| affid |
affidavit |
| Afft |
affidavit |
| aldmn |
alderman |
| alleg |
allegation |
| als |
alias |
| anon |
anonymous |
| apost |
apostolic |
| apoth |
apothecary |
| app |
apprentice |
| AR |
Admon register (followed by date, register no. and folio no.) |
| Archbp |
Archbishop |
| Archd |
Archdeacon(ry) |
| arm |
armiger |
| armor |
armourer |
| arrowsm |
arrowsmith |
| att |
attached |
| AWP |
Administration in Wills Packet |
| AWR |
Administration in Will Register |
| B |
| b |
born |
| B |
Blessed |
| BA |
Bachelor of Arts |
| bach |
bachelor |
| barber-surg |
barber-surgeon |
| bart |
baronet |
| Berks archd |
Berkshire archdeaconry |
| bd |
bond |
| bd |
requiring burial at |
| BD |
Bachelor of Divinity (often shewn in records as 'S.T.B.') |
| BHRS |
Bedfordshire Historical Rccord Society |
| bk |
book |
| BL |
British Library |
| blacksm |
blacksmith |
| bladesm |
bladesmith |
| BM |
British Library Manuscripts Department |
| boatm. |
boatman |
| Bp, bp |
bishop |
| bpric |
bishopric |
| bro(s) |
brother(s) |
| BRO |
Bedfordshire Record Office |
| BRS |
British Record Society |
| bt |
baronet or bought |
| bur |
buried, request to be buried at |
| Bw |
Biggleswade Peculiar |
| C |
| CA |
Original Consistory Administration (with date) |
| Cal. |
Calendar |
| carp. |
carpenter |
| CAP |
Caveat in Administrations Packet |
| cath(s) |
cathedral(s) |
| CCAL |
Cathedral Archives and Library, Canterbury |
| Cert, of grant of admon. |
certificate of grant of administration |
| cert, of poverty |
certificate of poverty |
| CG |
Caveat in Ely Diocesan Records [G/2/18-22]; see GV below |
| ch. |
leaving benefactions to church at |
| ch. |
church |
| chap. |
chapter |
| cheesem. |
cheesmonger |
| chir. |
chirurgeon |
| chn. |
children |
| chwdn. |
churchwarden |
| chyd. |
churchyard |
| cit. |
citizen |
| Citn. |
citation, citation clerk |
| clk. |
clerk |
| clothwkr |
clothworker |
| CM |
Incomplete or copy will, or other variant item in Will Packet |
| Co |
County or Company |
| cod. |
codicil |
| coll. |
college |
| Com, comm |
commission |
| Comm |
Commisary |
| cons |
consent |
| Consist |
Consistory |
| cop |
copy |
| coppersm |
coppersmith |
| cordw. |
corawainer |
| cornch. |
cornchandler |
| Coy. |
Company |
| CR |
Entry in Ely Diocesan Records: register of caveats [A/7/5] |
| CP |
Complete Peerage |
| cred |
creditor |
| Ct. |
Court |
| Ct-act |
court act |
| Ct. ppr. |
court paper |
| CUL |
Cambridge University Library |
| curatn |
curation |
| CW |
Original Consistory Court Will (with date) |
| CWP |
Caveat in Wills Packet |
| D |
| d |
date or dated |
| d |
died |
| d |
dorso (for folio numbers or registers) |
| da(s) |
daughter(s) |
| dat |
date or dated |
| dau |
daughter |
| decln |
declaration |
| dee'd |
deceased |
| Depn |
deposition |
| DD |
Doctor of Divinity (often shewn in records as 'S.T.P.') |
| dioc |
diocese |
| disch |
discharged |
| Doc |
Docker, Peculiar of, near Kendal |
| d of g |
deed of gift |
| dur mn |
during minority |
| E |
| E. |
East |
| EA |
Administration in Ely Diocesan Records [A/7/1]* |
| EDR |
Ely Diocesan Records |
| EI |
Inventory in Ely Diocesan Records [A/7/1]* |
| EIC |
East India Company |
| end |
endorsed |
| erron |
erroneous |
| esq |
esquire |
| EW |
Will in Ely Diocesan Records [A/7/1] |
| Exc |
Excommunication |
| exhib |
exhibited |
| Exch |
Exchange |
| exix(s) |
executrix(-trices) |
| exor(s) |
executor(s) |
| F |
| (f) |
formerly |
| f |
father |
| Fac |
Facsimile (BRO reference for copies) |
| Fel. |
Fellow (of a college) |
| fellm |
fellmonger |
| FFHS |
Federation of Family History Societies |
| fisherm |
fisherman |
| fishm |
fishmonger |
| fmly |
formerly |
| frag |
fragment |
| frat |
fraternity |
| fruit |
fruiterer |
| G |
| GAP |
Guardianship papers in Bonds and Inventories |
| GAR |
Records of guardianship in Consistory Administrations Register |
| gen. |
general |
| gent. |
gentleman |
| gentw. |
gentlewoman |
| GG |
Guardianship records in EDR G/2/18-22 (see GV below) |
| GL |
Guildhall Library |
| Gldh. |
Guildhall |
| GMR |
Guildford Muniment Room |
| gnt. |
grant |
| goldsm. |
goldsmith |
| Gov. |
Governor |
| GR |
Entry in Ely Diocesan Records: register of tuitions [A/7/4] |
| grdchn |
grandchildren |
| grdda |
grand-daughter |
| grdf |
grandfather |
| grds |
grands |
| Gt |
Great |
| gtgrds |
great grandson |
| guard |
guardianship |
| GV |
Entry in Ely Diocesan registers of administrations, caveats and grants of tuition included in the general licence registers, 1563-1620, 1660-1694; [EDR G/2/18-22] |
| GWP |
Guardianship papers in Wills Packet |
| GWR |
Records of guardianship in Consistory Wills Register |
| H |
| h. |
husband |
| haberdr. |
haberdasher |
| HALS |
Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies |
| haymgr. |
haymakaer |
| Hosp. |
Hospital |
| HRO |
Hampshire Record Office |
| husb. |
husbandman |
| I |
| (i) |
according to inventory |
| I+ |
More than one such document |
| I |
Document, other than administration bond or inventory, boxed
with Bonds and Administrations |
| I |
Inventory |
| In |
Inventory |
| In+ |
Inventory and other document (as above) |
| inf |
infant |
| innh. |
innholder |
| intest. |
intestate |
| Inv |
inventory |
| iromn. |
ironmonger |
| ironsm. |
ironsmith |
| ironwkr. |
ironworker |
| IT; InT |
As I and 'In' above, but filed with Thorney Bonds and
Inventories |
| IWP |
Inventory in Wills Packet |
| IWR |
Inventory in Will Register PCC Prerogative Court of Canterbury |
| J |
| juris. Lond. |
in the jurisdiction of London |
| jun. |
junior |
| K |
| K. |
King |
| k('s) |
kinsman, kinswoman |
| Kt. |
knight |
| L |
| lab |
labourer |
| Letters of admon. |
letters of administration |
| la |
lane |
| lab |
labourer |
| Lambt |
Lambert |
| LB |
Leighton Buzzard Peculiar |
| LBLAD |
London Borough of Lambeth Archives Department |
| l/c |
list of contents |
| Ld |
Lord |
| leathers |
leatherseller |
| leg |
legatee |
| let |
letter |
| lic |
licentiate |
| lighterm |
lighterman |
| LLD |
Doctor of Laws |
| LPL |
Lambeth Palace Library |
| Lt |
Litle |
| (Ltd) |
limited |
| ltd admon |
limited administration |
| M |
| m |
mother |
| MA |
Master of Arts |
| maltm |
maltman |
| mar |
mariner |
| mat |
maternal |
| mcht |
merchant |
| MD |
Doctor of Medicine |
| Mem |
Memorandum |
| Memo |
Memorandum |
| -mgr |
-monger |
| -mkr |
-maker |
| Mkt. |
Market |
| mn |
minority |
| Mon |
monition |
| monast |
monastery |
| monitn |
monition |
| mr |
master |
| N |
| n. |
name |
| N. |
North |
| (N) |
nuncupative will |
| n. d. |
no date |
| (ns) |
signs as |
| n. y. |
no year |
| neph |
nephew |
| n of k |
next of kin |
| not pub |
notary public |
| nr |
near |
| nuncup |
nuncupative |
| nunc w |
nuncupative will |
| O |
| opp. |
opposite |
| O W |
Original Will |
| P |
| p. |
page |
| (p) |
according to record of probate |
| P A B |
Probate Act Book |
| par. |
parish |
| pat. |
paternal |
| PCC |
Prerogative Court Canterbury |
| pd. |
paid |
| perpet. |
perpetual |
| petn |
petition |
| pewt. |
pewterer |
| PGR |
Probate in EDR G/2/18-22 (see GV above) |
| physn. |
physician |
| plast. |
plasterer |
| poult. |
poulter (poulterer) |
| pr |
prove(ed) |
| prerog |
prerogative |
| prev. |
previous |
| Pri |
Priory |
| PRO |
Public Record Office |
| prob |
probate |
| prob act |
probate act |
| prof |
professor |
| prop'y |
property |
| PWR |
Probate (only) in Will Register |
| Q |
| Q |
Queen |
| R |
| r |
river |
| R |
Register of wills or admons. (followed by date, register no., and folio no.) |
| R |
registered copy of will |
| RAP |
Renunciation in Administrations Packet |
| Rav |
Ravenstonedale, Peculiar of |
| RE |
Royal Exchange |
| recv'd |
receivede |
| ref |
reference |
| reg |
register(ed) |
| rel |
relict |
| ren |
renounced, renunciation |
| Renun |
renunciation |
| Ret |
receipt |
| Revoc. of cav. |
revocation of caveat |
| Revoc. of renun. |
revocation of renunciation |
| rn |
renounced, renunciation |
| RO |
Record Office (so BRO is Bedfordshire Record Office) |
| RWP |
Renunciation in Wills Packet |
| S |
| s |
son |
| S |
South |
| SAC |
Surrey Archaeological Collections |
| Sarum. |
court of the Bishop of Salisbury |
| sched |
schedule |
| schoolm. |
schoolmaster |
| scriv. |
scrivener |
| sen. |
senior |
| sent |
sentence |
| seq'd. |
sequestered |
| servt. |
servant |
| sig |
signed/signature |
| sjt. |
sister |
| soc. |
society |
| spin. |
spinster |
| SRO |
Surrey Record Office |
| sub |
suburbs (of London) |
| Swk |
Southwark |
| swn. |
sworn |
| T |
| (t) |
bequeathes unpaid tithes to |
| T |
Tuition bond |
| tallowch. |
tallowchandler |
| ten(s). |
tenement(s) |
| Tern |
Temple Sowerby, Peculiar of |
| test. |
Testament or Testamentary |
| testor. |
testator |
| timberm. |
timbermonger |
| ThA |
Original Thorney Administration bond |
| Tn. act |
tuition act |
| Tn. bond |
tuition bond |
| ThR |
Registers of Thorney Peculiar (with page). Note that the Thorney
registers contain copies of both wills and administrations |
| ThW |
Original Thorney Will |
| V |
| VAC |
Consistory Administrations Register (with no. and folio or page no.) |
| valuatn |
valuation |
| VC |
Consistory Court Will Register (with no. of register, and of
folio or page) |
| W |
| W |
see CM |
| W |
West |
| W |
original will |
| w |
wife |
| war |
warrant |
| Warrant for admon |
warrant for administration |
| waxch |
waxchandler |
| wid |
widow(er) |
| widr |
widower |
| woodm |
woodmonger |
| woolm |
woolman |
| woolmgr |
woolmonger |
| Y |
| yeo |
yeoman |
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