30 Free Genealogy Glossaries, Dictionaries and Abbreviation Resources

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If you're just starting your genealogy journey, you'll likely encounter many terms you aren't familiar with. Even those of us who've been researching a decade (or many decades) run into words we aren't familiar with, especially as we move into using genetic genealogy in our research. I run into new terms all the time!

New words can pop up anywhere. It can be basic terms, genetic genealogy terms, abbreviations, occupations, diseases, military ranks, archaic terms....anything really. In order to make sure you're researching accurately, it's important to take a moment to look up new terminology. I'm not saying you have to memorize every single term you come across...it's simply not feasible and you can always look words again...but take a beat to be sure you're interpreting whatever you're working on correctly.

When you encounter these new and unfamiliar genealogical terms, where do you turn? Google is certainly usually my first step...but it doesn't always answer all my questions. In fact, sometimes I have more questions after a Google search than I had before! So for me, it's important to have a handy list of additional resources I can turn to.

Below are some sites where you can find great genealogical dictionaries, glossaries, information on abbreviations and much, much more! I've included Cyndi's List since there are even more references to be found there.

1. Ancestry's Glossary of DNA Terms
2. Ancestry’s Glossary of Genealogical Terms
3. Berks County Genealogical Society - Helpful Tips Genealogy Terms
4. Cyndi's List Genealogy Dictionaries & Glossaries
5. Family History Daily 300 Historical Abbreviations Explained
6. FamilySearch Research Wiki - A Glossary of Genealogical Terms
7. FamilySearch Research Wiki: Genealogical Terms
8. FamiyTreeDNA Glossary Terms
9. Family Tree Magazine Genealogy Terms Glossary
10. Family Tree Magazine Ultimate List of DNA and Genetic Genealogy Terms (+ Free Download)
11. Genealogy in Time First Name Abbreviations
12. Genealogy in Time Genealogy Word Dictionary
13. Genealogy in Time Latin Dictionary
14. Genealogy.com Genealogy Glossary
15. Genealogy Quest Glossary of Terms
16. Genealogy Trails – Genealogy Terms Encountered While Family Researching
17. Gramps Project Genealogy Glossary
18. International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki Genetics Glossary
19. MyHeritage Genealogy Glossary: Common Genealogy Terms Explained
20. MyHeritage Genealogy Glossary: Common DNA Terms Explained
21. MyHeritage Guide to abbreviations and key genealogy terms
22. National Cemetery Administration Headstone and Marker Inscriptions
23. PBS History Detectives Genealogy Glossary
24. Root To Branches Genealogy Terms Explained
25. Roots Dictionary of Genealogy & Archaic Terms
26. RootsWeb Genealogy Abbreviations
27. RootsWeb Genealogy Terms
28. The DNA Geek – A Genetic Genealogy Glossary
29. Thomber.net Glossary of Old Medical Terms
30. Treemily Comprehensive Glossary of Genealogical Terms

For convenience, I've included all these links on my Genealogy Toolbox page (and noted my go-to favorites). This is by no means an exhaustive list. These are just the ones I've accumulated in my own research. Doing a Google search on unfamiliar words may lead you to other sites better suited to answer your specific questions. You may find resources in varied and unexpected places! Just like genealogical research, we all think we'll remember where we found a particular detail, hint or website... only to find it eluding us when we later realize we need it. Don't forget to bookmark reference sites you may want to return to in the future.

Do you have favorite sites for terminology? Leave a comment and share them with me!