"Secretary hand" developed in Europe during the early 16th century (1500s) as an easily legible style of handwriting for court and other government business. It was used in English, German, Welsh, and Gaelic.
Derived from the "book hand" of the 12th and 13th centuries, as well as the "court hand" used for government and legal documents, Secretary hand was quickly adopted for business, government, church, and personal use. It is commonly found when reading old wills, probate records, and even parish records from England, Scotland, and other European countries during the 16th and early 17th centuries.
Tip
One of the best ways to identify secretary hand is to look for letters that tend to significantly differ from their modern equivalents: e, c, t, r, s, h, and k.
Helpful resources
- The FamilySearch FamilySearch Languages and Resources Helps has a printable chart of letters and how they may look in secretary hand.
- The One-Hour Basic Tutorial from the National Records of Scotland is another free online course.
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