This is a guide to help you understand the most commonly used abbreviations that you fill find in the Swedish Church records. This section lists key abbreviations in Swedish and the English words with the same or similar meanings. For example, in the first column you will find the Swedish abbreviations, in the second column you will find the Swedish word and in the third column the definition/translation.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U VXYZ Å Ä Ö
A |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
a | anno (latin) | year |
a.a. | ad acta (latin) | to the record |
abs | absens (latin) | absent |
abs. | absolvera | (to) absolve |
a.d. | anno domini (latin) | in the year of the Lord |
adm. | admitterad | confirmed |
afg. | afgång | decease, depart to, departure |
afl. | afliden | (to) expire, die |
afsk. | afskedade | discharged, resigned |
a.n. | ante nuptius (latin) | illegitimate, birth before marriage |
anm. | anmärkning | remark, annotation |
arb. | arbetare | worker, laborer |
arb.bet. | arbetsbetyg | work permit |
arrend. | arrendator | tenant farmer, leaseholder |
afskr. | afskrift | transcript |
B |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
b. | bonde | farmer, peasant |
backst. | backstugesittare | owner of a small cottage and a small piece of land |
B.B. | bär barnet | carried the child at christening |
beg., begr. | begraven | buried |
bg., blg. | bergslag | region abounding in mines; mountain district |
bl.a. | bland annat | among other things |
bond. | bonde | farmer, peasant |
farmer, peasant | brukare | user, employer; farmer, tenant |
C |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
c:a, ca. | cirka | about, approximately |
caut. | cautionister | witness |
cop., copul. | copulerad | married |
cr. | crono | pertaining to the crown (government), crown owned |
cr.h. | crono hem | crown owned home |
D |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
D. | dotter | daughter |
d. | den | the |
d.b. | denna bok | this book (current clerical survey) |
d.h. | dess hustru | his wife |
D.M | danneman | gentleman, farmer |
Dmca.,Dnca. | Dominica (latin) | Sunday |
D:o | dito | ditto |
Dr. | doktor | doctor |
dr. | dotter | daughter |
dr.,drg | dräng | farmhand, bachelor |
Drag. | dragon | light cavalryman, dragoon |
dtr. | dotter | daughter |
d.v.s. | det vill säga | that is, i.e. |
d.y. | den yngre | the younger |
E |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
eg. | egare (ägare) | owner |
e.Kr. | efter Kristi födelse | A.D. |
e.m. | eftermiddag | afternoon, P.M. |
enk. | enka | widow |
enkl. | enkeman | widower |
F |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
f. | fadder | sponsor, godfather godmother, witness at christening |
f. | fader, dotter (filia), son (filius) | father, daugther, son |
fad. | fader | father |
fadd. | fadder | sponsor, godfather, godmother, witness at christening |
fam. | familj | family |
fast. | fastighet | real estate |
f.d. | före detta | formerly |
f.Kr. | före Kristi födelse | B.C. |
f.m. | förmiddag | morning, forenoon, A.M. |
forts. | fortsättning | continuation |
frånv. | frånvarande | absent |
förs. | <församling td=""> | parish, congregation |
försv. | försvarslös | person without guardian or legal protection, vagrant |
fört. | förteckning | list, catalog, index |
G |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
g. | gift | married |
gam. | gamla | old |
G.B. | gamla bok | old book (previous clerical survey) |
gd. | gård | farm, estate, yard, court; house |
gdm. | gudmoder | godmother |
ges. | gesäll | journeyman |
gl. | gammal | old |
g.m. | gift med | married to |
grat. | gratialist | pensioner |
grufarb. | grufarbetare | miner |
grufveg. | grufvegare | mine owner |
H |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
H. | herr | Mr., lord, squire, master |
H., h. | hustru | wife |
h.a. | hujus anno (latin) | same year |
hd. | härad | civil district, county |
h.eg. | hemmansegare | farm owner |
H:r | herr | Mr., lord |
hsm., husm. | husman | cottager, crofter, tenant |
härst. | härstädes | here, at a given location |
I |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
ib., ibid. | ibidem (latin) | the same place, the same as, same |
id. | idem (latin) | the same |
idm. | idim (latin) | same |
i.l. | in loco (latin) | in this place |
inh. | inhyses | lodger |
J |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
jbr.,jordbr. | jordbrukare | farmer |
jfr. | jungfru | Miss, maiden, virgin |
K |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
k.f. | kvinnsfaddrar | female sponsors at christening |
khde | kyrkoherde | parish minister, parson |
K.Maj:t | Kunglig Majestät | the King |
kr. | kronor | crown (Swedish currency) |
Kongl.Maj:t | Kunglig Majestät | the King |
Kungl.Maj:t | Kunglig Majestät | the King |
kv. | kvinna | woman |
kyrkov. | kyrkovaktare | church officer or caretaker |
L |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
l., l:a | lilla | little |
landsförslg | landsförsamling | rural parish of a city |
lfs. | landsförsamling | rural parish of a city |
lärl. | lärling | apprentice |
M |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
m. | man | man, male, husband |
m. | mater | (latin) mother |
m.fl. | med flera | and several others |
m.m. | med mera | and my others |
mod., modr. | moder | mother |
mort. | mortua (latin) | deceased |
mtl. | mantal | assessed unit of land, taxation of farm |
mån. | månad | month |
mäst. | mäster, mästare | master expert, the boss |
N |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
n. | natus (latin) | born |
.n. | nomine (latin) | name |
N:a, n. | norra | north |
Nat. | natur | natural (in reference to having had smallpox) |
nat. | nata (latin) | born |
N.B. | nya bok | new book |
nb | nota bene (latin) | note well |
NN | nomen nescio (latin) | name not known |
nom. | nomine (latin) | name |
n:r | nummer | number |
nup. | nuptiae (latin) | wedding |
O |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
o. | och | and |
.og. | ogift | unmarried |
osv. | och så vidare | and so forth |
oä. | oäkta | illegitimate child |
P |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
p., pag. | pagina (latin) | page |
p. | pater (latin) | father |
p., pig. | piga | maid, spinster, an unmarried girl |
Q |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
q. | qvinna | woman |
Qvf | qvinnfaddrar | female sponsors at christening |
Qv.mil. | qvadratmil | square mile |
R |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
r., rytt. | ryttare | cavalryman, horseman |
reg. | regemente | regiment |
ren. | renata (latin) | christened, baptized |
Rdr | riksdaler | “dollar” (old Swedish currency) |
S |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
s. | son | son |
s., sn | socken | parish |
s. | söndag | Sunday |
S, s, sö | södra | south, southern |
sal. | salig | deceased, blessed |
sep. | sepultus (latin) | buried |
s.k. | så kallad | so called |
skplg. | skeppslag | district along the coast |
skräd. | skräddare | tailor |
sn | socken | parish |
sold. | soldat | soldier |
spons. | sponsorer | witnesses |
S:t | sankt | saint |
St. | stora | large, big (name for the large part of a place) |
stud. | student | student |
susc. | susceptrix (latin) | godmother |
sv:f | svärfar | father-in-law |
sv:m | svärmor | mother-in-law |
syst. | syster | sister |
T |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
t. | testes (latin) | witnesses or sponsors at baptism |
tax.. | taxera | (to) assess, tax |
test. | testes (latin) | witnesses or sponsors at baptism |
t.ex. | till exempel | for example |
tg. | tingslag | judicial district, (assize) division |
t.o.m. | till och med | including |
torp., tp. | torpare | crofter, cottager, peasant |
trol. | trolofvad | betrothed, engaged |
U |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
u. | under | under; at; during, while; wonder, miracle |
undt.. | undantagsman | previous farm owner receiving his livelihood/support from the person to whom the farm now belong (usually related, as in father and son) |
ung. | ungefär | about, approximately |
V |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
v., vacc. | vaccinera | (to) vaccinate |
V:a, v:a, v | västra | west, western |
välb. | välboren | honorable |
Ä |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
ä. | änka | widow |
äkt.. | äktenskap | marriage, wedlock, matrimony |
änk. | änka | widow |
änkl. | änkling | widower |
Ö |
Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
Ö:a, ö | östra | east, eastern |