German Genealogical Word List

German Genealogical Word List
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Genealogical Word Lists

German Genealogical Word List

This list contains German words with their English translations. On most computers, CTL+F will search this page for the word you wish to translate. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a German-English dictionary, the online Grimm Deutsches Wörterbuch (one of the best sources), or other regional online dictionaries found at woerterbuchnetz.de.Latin words are often found in German records, and a few are included in this list. See the Latin Word List (34077).

German is spoken in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Records written in German may be found in these countries and also in parts of Poland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Hungary, and wherever German people settled. There are several different dialects in the German language. For example, in the province of Westfalen and other areas of Germany that border the Netherlands, you may notice words that are closely related to Dutch words. You may find the Dutch word list useful when working with these records.

In addition, German is found in some early records of the United States, such as in Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, and other states where Germans lived.

Language Characteristics

German words for persons, places, and things (nouns) are always capitalized. All nouns are classified as masculine, feminine, or neuter. This classification is called gender. The gender of a noun is indicated by der (masculine), die (feminine), and das (neuter), which translates as "the." Word endings may vary, depending on the way the words are used in the sentence.

Variant Forms of Words

In German, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in the sentence. Who—whose—whom or marry—marries— married are examples of words in English with variant forms. In German, the form of many words can change greatly. This word list gives the standard form of each German word. As you read German records, you will need to be aware that some words vary with usage.

The endings of words in a document may differ from those on this list. For example, the document may use the word junger, but you will find it in this word list as jung. In addition, the suffixes -chen and -lein are often added to words to indicate "little." Therefore, the word Söhnchen means "little or young son," and Töchterlein means "little or young daughter."

Adjectives describe nouns and must have the proper masculine, feminine, or neuter endings. For example, in German you would say "junger Mann" (young man) or "junges Mädchen" (young maiden) if man and maiden are the subjects of a sentence. Adjective endings can change depending on usage and gender.

Plural words are usually formed by adding -er, -en, or -e. Thus the word Kind becomes Kinder, Frau becomes Frauen, and Aufgebot becomes Aufgebote. Plurality may also change the vowel slightly. For example, Mann becomes Männer.

In German, many words are formed by joining two or more words. Very few of these compound words are included in this list. You will need to look up each part of the word separately. For example, Geburtstag is a combination of two words, Geburt (birth) and Tag (day).

Diacritic Marks

German uses diacritics over several letters, i.e. Ä (ä), Ö (ö), Ü (ü). These diacritics are not optional in German because the pronunciation and meaning of a word will be changed depending on whether the diacritic is added or omitted. There is another symbol that will be found in German, namely ß. It has the value of <ss>. Historically, German also included Ÿ (ÿ) which today has been replaced with the letters I (i) and Ü (ü).

For data entry and some searches, it is useful to know how to create these characters. Note: Do not use diacritics when searching in the FamilySearch Catalog.

From a PC keyboard, these letters may be created by using the following keystroke combinations:

Letter	Code	Letter	Code
Ä	Alt + 142	ä	Alt + 132
Ö	Alt + 153	ö	Alt + 148
Ü	Alt + 154	ü	Alt + 129
ß	Alt + 225
Ÿ	Alt + 376	ÿ	Alt + 152

Alphabetical Order

German letters with diacritic marks will be alphabetized in this publication as though they were a, o, u, and ss. However, many dictionaries and gazetteers will alphabetize these characters as if they were ae, oe, ue, and ss.

Spelling

Because spelling rules were not standardized in earlier centuries, spelling variations are common. Local dialect often affects the spelling in genealogical records. In German records, the following letters are sometimes used interchangeably:

• p used for b
• a used for e
• t used for d or dt
• s used for z
• ck used for k
• y used for i or j
• v used for w or f
• k used for g
• tz used for z
• ig used for isch or ich
• t used for th
• u used for i

Examples:

• Freytag for Freitag
• Burckhart for Burkhard
• Waldpurga for Waldburga
• undt for und

Additional Resources

This word list includes only words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, use a German-English dictionary. Several German-English dictionaries are available in the Family History Library. These are in the European collection. The call numbers begin with 433.21.

Particularly helpful dictionaries include:

• Langenscheidt New Muret-Sanders Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English and German Languages. Berlin, Germany: Langenscheidt, 1969, 1974 (FHL book 433.21 Sp83n).

• The New Cassell’s German Dictionary, German-English, English-German. New York, NY, USA: Funk and Wagnalls, Inc., 1971 (FHL book 433.211 C272 1971).

• Rudy's List of Archaic Medical Terms. German and Latin terms are included at this website.

• Das Deutsche Wörterbuch / Deutsches Wörterbuch (DWB, The "German Dictionary" / "German Dictionary") is one of the most important dictionaries of the German language. Written entirely in German, the dictionary contains 32 volumes and includes about 350,000 main entries. It is particularly useful for finding the meaning of words in genealogical documents that are no longer used in modern German. See the online version by clicking here.

• Oeconomische Encyclopädie online Encyclopedia of archaic German terms (German to German).

Additional dictionaries are listed in the subject section of the FamilySearch Catalog under GERMAN LANGUAGE - DICTIONARIES or in the locality section under GERMANY - LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES.

Key Words

To find and use specific types of German records, you will need to know some key words in German. This section gives key genealogical terms in English and the German words with the same or similar meanings.

For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find German words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, joined, and other words used in German records to indicate marriage.

English	German
birth	Geburten, Geburtsregister, Geborene, geboren
burial	Beerdigungen, begraben, Begräbnisse, bestattet, beerdigt
Catholic	katholisch
child	Kind, Kinder
christening	Taufe, Taufen, Getaufte
confirmations	Konfirmationen, Firmungen
civil registry	Standesamt
death	Tote, Tod, sterben, starb, verstorben, gestorben, Sterbefall
father	Vater
husband	Mann, Ehemann, Gatte
index	Verzeichnis, Register
Jewish	jüdisch, Jude(n), israelitisch
marriage banns	Proklamationen, Aufgebote, Verkündigungen
marriage	Heiraten, Trauungen, Getraute, Ehe, Kopulation, kopulieren, verheiratet, Verehelichungen, Eheschliessungen
month	Monat
mother	Mutter
name, given	Vorname, Name
name, surname	Zuname, Familienname, Geschlechtsname, Name
parents	Eltern
parish	Pfarrei, Kirchspiel, Gemeinde
Protestant	evangelisch, lutherisch, Protestant
Reformed	reformiert
wife	Frau, Ehegattin, Weib, Ehefrau, Hausfrau, Gattin
year	Jahr

Dates/Time

In German records, dates are often written out. For example:

Freitag den vierzehnten Februar achtzehnhundert sechs und dreißig [Friday, the 14th of February, eighteen hundred six and thirty (1836)].

To understand German dates, use the following lists as well as the preceding “Numbers” section.

Months

English	German
January	Januar, Jänner, Hartung, Jenner
February	Februar, Hornung
March	März, Frühlingsmonat
April	April, Ostermonat, Osteren
May	Mai, Wonnemonat, Blütemonat
June	Juni, Brachmonat
July	Juli, Heuert, Heumonat, Heuet
August	August, Erntemonat, Hitzmonat
September	September, Fruchtmonat, Herbstmonat, Herpsten, 7ber, 7bris
October	Oktober, Weinmonat, 8ber, 8bris
November	November, Wintermonat, 9ber, 9bris
December	Dezember, Christmonat, 10ber, 10bris, Xber, Xbris

A more extensive list of month names in German.

Days of the Week

English		German
Sunday		Sonntag
Monday		Montag
Tuesday		Dienstag
Wednesday		Mittwoch
Thursday		Donnerstag
Friday		Freitag, Freytag
Saturday		Samstag, Sonnabend

See also:

• Special symbols used for week days.

Times of the Day

German birth and death records often indicated the exact time of day when the birth or death occurred. This is usually written out.

German	English
ein Uhr	one (o’clock)
zwei Uhr	two (o’clock)
drei Uhr	three (o’clock)
halb eins	half one = 12:30
halb zwei	half two = 1:30
halbe Stunde	half hour
Stunde	hour
früh	early (a.m.)
spät	late (p.m.)
morgens	in the morning
vormittags	in the forenoon
mittags	at noon
nachmittags	in the afternoon
abends	in the evening
mitternachts	at midnight

Symbols

Sometimes a symbol is used in German genealogical sources rather than abbreviations. Some of these are shown at GenWiki, Genealogical Symbols and Signs.

Occupations

• Berufe und Sozialstatus der Vorfahren In German.
  An excellent analysis of historical German occupations and social status.
  Hint: Use a web-based translator or translator/browser like Chrome to see this in passable English.

Numbers

Number	Cardinal	Ordinal
1	eins	erste
2	zwei zweÿ	zweite
3	drei dreÿ	dritte
4	vier	vierte
5	fünf	fünfte
6	sechs	sechste
7	sieben	siebte
8	acht	achte
9	neun	neunte
10	zehn	zehnte
11	elf eilf	elfte eilfte
12	zwölf	zwölfte
13	dreizehn	dreizehnte
14	vierzehn	vierzehnte
15	fünfzehn	fünfzehnte
16	sechzehn	sechzehnte
17	siebzehn	siebzehnte
18	achtzehn	achtzehnte
19	neunzehn	neunzehnte
20	zwanzig	zwanzigste
21	einundzwanzig	einundzwanzigste
22	zweiundzwanzig	zweiundzwanzigste
23	dreiundzwanzig	dreiundzwanzigste
24	vierundzwanzig	vierundzwanzigste
25	fünfundzwanzig	fünfundzwanzigste
26	sechsundzwanzig	sechsundzwanzigste
27	siebenundzwanzig	siebenundzwanzigste
28	achtundzwanzig	achtundzwanzigste
29	neunundzwanzig	neunundzwanzigste
30	dreißig	dreißigste
31	einunddreißig	einunddreißigste
40	vierzig	vierzigste
50	fünfzig	fünfzigste
60	sechzig	sechzigste
70	siebzig	siebzigste
80	achtzig	achtzigste
90	neunzig	neunzigste
100	(ein)hundert	(ein)hundertste
101	(ein)hunderteins	(ein)hunderterste
102	(ein)hundertzwei	(ein)hundertzweite
120	(ein)hundertzwanzig	(ein)hundertzwanzigste
121	(ein)hunderteinundzwanzig	(ein)hunderteinundzwanzigste
122	(ein)hundertzweiundzwanzig	(ein)hundertzweiundzwanzigste
200	zweihundert	zweihundertste
300	dreihundert	dreihundertste
1.000	(ein)tausend	(ein)tausendste
1.001	(ein)tausendeins	(ein)tausenderste
1.002	(ein)tausendzwei	(ein)tausendzweite
1.050	(ein)tausendfünfzig	(ein)tausendfünfzigste
1.100	(ein)tausendeinhundert	(ein)tausendeinhundertste
1.500 1500	(ein)tausendfünfhundert fünfzehnhundert Fünfzehnjahrhundert (1400s century)	(ein)tausendfünfhundertste fünfzehnhundertste
1.600 1600	(ein)tausendsechshundert sechzehnhundert Sechzehnjahrhundert (1500s century)	(ein)tausendsechshundertste sechzehnhundertste
1.700 1700	(ein)tausendsiebenhundert siebzehnhundert Siebzehnjahrhundert (1600s century)	(ein)tausendsiebenhundertste siebzehnhundertste
1.800 1800	(ein)tausendachthundert achtzehnhundert Achtzehnjahrhundert (1700s century)	(ein)tausendachthundertste achtzehnhundertste
1.865 1865	(ein)tausendachthundertfünfundsechzig achtzehnhundertfünfundsechzig actzehnhundert sechzig fünf (rarely in old documents)	(ein)tausendachthundertfünfundsechzigste achtzehnhundertfünfundsechzigste
1.900 1900	(ein)tausendneunhundert neunzehnhundert Neunzehnjahrhundert (1800s century)	(ein)tausendneunhundertste neunzehnhundertste
2.000 2000	zweitausend zwanzighundert Zwanzigjahrhundert (1900s century)	zweitausendste zwanzighundertste
10.000	zehntausend	zehntausendste
100.000	hunderttausend	hunderttausendste
1.000.000	eine Million	millionste
1.000.000.000	eine Millarde	milliardste

General Word List

Note: In German, letters with diacritical marks are alphabetized as if they did not have a diacritical mark. In some other languages, they are alphabetized separately.

A

German	English
A. = Amt, Amtsbezirk	government office, official district
Ab., Abe. = Abbaue(e), Ausbau(e)	surface mine(s)
Abt. = Abteilung	department
a/d = an der, auf der	on the, by the (followed by the name of a river or other geographical feature)
A.G. = Amtsgericht	lower court, county court
Anh. = Anhalt	duchy of Anhalt
ab	from, since
Abbauer	tenant on a (new, split-off) farm; heir with a small part of a farm (usually a second son)
Abdecker	skinner
Abend	evening
Abendmahlgast	communicant
abends	in the evening
Abenteurer	jeweler, jewel trader; adventurer
aber	but
abgestorben	deceased
Ablader	longshoreman
Abnahmemann	retired farmer on life estate
Abnehmer	photographer
Abschiedsmann	man retired on life estate
absterben	to die, to die off
Abstreifer	renderer; flayer
Abzehrung	emaciation, wasting
acht	eight
achte	eighth
Achter	juryman
achtundzwanzigste	twenty-eighth
achtzehn	eighteen
achtzehnhundert	eighteen hundred
achtzehnte	eighteenth
achtzig	eighty
achtzigste	eightieth
Ackermann	farmer
Adel	gentry, nobleman
a.D. = außer Dienst	formerly employed, retired
adoptiert	adopted
Ahnen	ancestors
Ahnentafel	pedigree chart
Akten	documents
alle	all
allhier	in this place
alt	old
Altbürger	full citizen
Alter	age
Altersschwäche	weakness of old age
ältest	eldest
alt-katholisch	old Catholic
Amman	bailiff, magistrate
Amt	office, district
Anbauer	peasant
andere	other, next
Angeber	informant
angeblich	alleged, assumed
Anhalt	duchy of Anhalt
Anmerkungen	remarks
Anspänner	farmer
apostolisch	Apostolic
April	April
Arbeiter	laborer, worker
Archiv	archive
arm	poor
Armut	poverty
Arzt	physician
auch	also, too
auf	on, upon, at
aufbieten	post banns
Aufenthaltserlaubnis	residence permit
Aufenthaltsort	residence
Aufgebot	publication of banns
Aufnahmebuch	book listing debts
Aufnahmeland	country to which one immigrated
August	August
aus	from, out of
außen	outside
äußere	outside, outward, external
außerehelich	illegitimate
Auswanderer	emigrant
Auswanderung	emigration
Ausweis	identification document
Auszehrung	consumption or emaciation (especially from TB)
Auszug	extract

B

German	English
B. = Bezirk	district or area
BA. = Bezirksamt	district office
Bay. = Bayern	Bavaria
Bd. = Band	volume
Bhf. = Bahnhof	railroad station
Bkdo. = Bezirkskommando	military district command
bz. = beziehungsweise	or, respectively
Bäcker	baker
Bad	spa, resort
Badeort	spa, health resort
Band	volume
Baptist	Baptist
Baron	baron
Bauer	farmer, peasant
Bayern	Bavaria
Beamter	official, registrar
Beck(er)	baker
beerdigt	buried
Beerdigung	burial, interment
beglaubigt	certified, attested
begraben	buried
Begräbnis	burial
Beichte	confession
beide	both
Beilage	supplement
Bekannte(r)	acquaintance
Bekehrung	conversion
Belege	proof, documentation
Bemerkungen	remarks
Berg	hill, mountain
Bergmann	miner
Beruf	occupation, profession
Beschreibung	description
Besitzer	possessor, proprietor, owner
bestätigt	confirmed, verified
bestattet	buried
bettlägerig	bedridden
Bettler	beggar
Bevölkerungsregister	population register
bevorstehend	previously mentioned
Bezirk	district
Biographie	biography
Bischof	bishop
Bistum	diocese
Blattern	smallpox
blutend	bleeding
Blütenmonat	May
Blutsverwandschaft	blood relationship
Böhmen	Bohemia
Bootsmann	bargeman, boatman
Böttcher	cooper, barrel maker
Brauer	brewer
Bräune	diphtheria
Braut	bride
Bräutigam	bridegroom
Brücke	bridge
Bruder	brother
Bub	boy
Buch	book
Büdner	cottager
Burg	castle, fortress
Bürger	burgher, citizen, citizens
Bürgerbuch	citizen register
Bürgermeister	mayor
Büttner	barrel maker

C

German	English
ca. = circa	about
Chirug	surgeon
Christmonat	December
Colonist	settler, tenant farmer
Comparent	informant
copulieren	to marry
Cossate, Cossathe	cottager
cribrarius	sieve maker (Latin)

D

German	English
d. = der, dem, des, die, das	the
D. = Dorf	village
das. = daselbst	residing in this place, there, the previously mentioned place
Dachdecker	roofer
dänisch	Danish
das	the
daselbst	residing in this place, there, the previously mentioned place
Datum	date
Dekanat	deanery
dem, den	the
der	the, of the
derselbe	the same
des	of the
deutsch	German
Deutschland	Germany
Dezember	December
die	the
Diener	servant
Dienst	service, employment
Dienstag	Tuesday
Dienstmagd	servant girl
dieser	this, these
Distrikt	district
Domäne	domain
Donnerstag	Thursday
Dorf	village
dort	there
drei	three
dreißig	thirty
dreißigste	thirtieth
dreiundzwanzigste	twenty-third
dreizehn	thirteen
dreizehnte	thirteenth
dritte	third
Duplikat	duplicate record
durch	through
Durchfall	diarrhea

E

German	English
E. = Einwohner	residents, population
Eis. = Eisenbahn	railroad, train
Ev., ev. = Evangelische, evangelisch	Evangelical (Lutheran)
ebenda	at the same place
Ehe	marriage
Ehebrecher	adulterer
Ehebruch	adultery
Ehefrau	wife, housewife
Ehehindernis	hinderance to marriage
ehel. = ehelich	legitimate
eheleiblich	legitimate
Eheleute	married couple
ehelich	legitimate
ehemals	formerly
Ehemann	husband
Ehepaar	married couple
Ehescheidung	divorce
Eheschließung	marriage
Ehestand	married state
Eheverkündigungen	marriage banns
Eheversprechen, Eheverspruch	betrothal, engagement
Eidam (Eidmann)	son-in-law
Eigentümer	proprietor, property owner
ein, eine	a, one, an
Einbürgerung	naturalization
Einlieger	landless farm laborer
eins	one
Einsender	informant, declarant
eintausendachthundert	eighteen hundred
eintausendfünfhundert	fifteen hundred
eintausendneunhundert	nineteen hundred
eintausendsechshundert	sixteen hundred
eintausendsiebenhundert	seventeen hundred
einunddreissig	thirty-one
einunddreissigste	thirty-first
einundzwanzigste	twenty-first
Einwanderer	immigrant
Einwanderung	immigration
Einwilligung	permission
Einwohner	inhabitant
einzige	only
Eisenbahn	railroad
Eiterbeule	abscess
elf	eleven
elfte	eleventh
Eltern	parents
Enkel	grandson
Enkelin	granddaughter
Enkelkind	grandchild
eod(em)	the same, ditto
Epilepsie	epilepsy
er	he
Erben	heirs
Erbschaft	inheritance
erhalten	received, receive
erklärt	declared
Erlassung	dispensation, permission
Ermächtigung	authorization
Ernting	August
errechnet	approximated, calculated
erschien	appeared
erste	first
erstgeboren	firstborn
ertrank, ertrunken	drowned
erzeugen	beget
erzeugt	begat
es	it
et uxor	and wife (Latin)
evangelisch	evangelical

F

German	English
Fabrikant	manufacturer
Fallkind	illegitimate child
Familie	family
Familienbuch	family register
Familienforschung	genealogical research
Familienregister	family register
Färber	dyer
Faßbinder	cooper, barrel maker
Fäule	cancer
Fayencenhändler	porcelain merchant
Februar	February
Fehlgeburt	miscarriage
Festtag	feast day, festival day, holy day
Festung	fortress
Fieber	fever
Findling	foundling
Firmung	confirmation
Fischer	fisher
Fl. = Florin	standard monetary unit
Flecken	hamlet, also measles or spots
Fleckfieber	spotted fever, typhus
Fleischer	butcher
Fleischhauer	butcher
Flüchtling	refugee, deserter
Fluß	river
folgende	following, next
Forst	forest
Förster	forester
Fourier	quartermaster
Fraisen	convulsions, epilepsy, seizures, spasms
Frankreich	France
Frau	Mrs., wife, woman
Fräulein	Miss, unmarried woman
Freibauer	farmer who owns his own land
Freiherr	baron
Freitag	Friday
fremd	foreign, strange
Freund	friend
Friedhof	cemetery
früh	early (a.m.)
früher	former, formerly
fünf	five
fifth
fünfundzwanzigste	twenty-fifth
fünfzehn	fifteen
fünfzehnhundert	fifteen hundred
fünfzehnte	fifteenth
fünfzig	fifty
fünfzigste	fiftieth
für	for
Fürst	prince, count
Fürstentum	principality

G

German	English
G. = Gericht	court
geb. = geboren	born, maiden name
Gem. = Gemeinde	community, municipality, parish, town
gest. = gestorben	died
get. = getauft	baptized, christened
Gr. = Groß	Great (part of place name)
Gärtner	gardener
Gastwirt	innkeeper
Gatte	husband
Gattin	wife
geben, gab	given, gave
Gebiet	region, area, zone
geboren	born, maiden name
Gebühren	fees
Geburt	birth
Geburtsort	place of birth
Geburtsschein	birth certificate
Geburtsurkunde	birth certificate
gegen	against, towards
geheiratet	married
gehört	belongs (to)
Geistliche(r)	clergyman
Gelbsucht	jaundice
Geld	money
Gemahl(in)	spouse, husband, wife
Gemeinde	community, municipality, parish, town
Gemeindemann	village official, village resident
Gemeindsmann	citizen with full rights
gemelli	twins
genannt	named, alias, called
Genealogie	genealogy
Gerber	tanner
Gericht	court
Gerichtsmann	juryman
Gerichtsschreiber	court clerk
Gerichtsverwandter	member of the judicial court
gesagt	said, stated
Geschichte	history
geschieden	divorced
Geschlecht	gender, sex, lineage
Geschlechterbücher	lineage books
Geschlechtsname	surname
Geschwister	siblings, brothers and sisters
Geschwulst	swelling, tumor
Geselle	journeyman
Gesellschaft	society, group
Gesetz	law
gesetzlich	legal
gestern	yesterday
gestorben	died
Getaufte	person who was baptized
getr. = getraut	married
Getraute	married couple
Gevatter	godfather
Gewerbe	trade, occupation
Gicht	gout, arthritis
Gilde	guild
Glaube	belief, faith
Glauben	religious affiliation
gleich	same, alike, similar, right away
Graf	count (nobleman), earl
Grafschaft	county
Grenze	border
groß	big, great, large
Großeltern	grandparents
großjährig	of age
Großmutter	grandmother
Großneffe	great-nephew
Großnichte	great-niece
Großvater	grandfather
Grundbuch	land register
Gulden	standard monetary unit, florin
Gürtler	maker of straps and belts
Gut	property, estate
gut	good

H

German	English
Hann. = Hannover	Hanover
Herrsch. = Herrschaft	manor, estate, domain
Hessen-N. = Hessen-Nassau	Prussian province of Hessen-Nassau
hzl. = herzoglich	of the duke
Hzt. = Herzogtum	duchy
haben	to have
halb	half
halb drei	half three = 2:30 (time)
halb eins	half one = 12:30 (time)
halb zwei	half two = 1:30 (time)
Halbbauer	small farmer
Halbmeier	small farmer
Händler	trader, merchant, peddler
Hartung	January
Haupt-	chief, main
Haus	house
Hausfrau	housewife
Häusler	cottager
Hausmädchen	housemaid
Hebamme	midwife
Heilquelle	spa, bath
Heimat	home, native place, homeland
Heimatschein	domicile or residency certificate
Heimatsort	place of birth, home town
Heirat	marriage
heiraten	to marry
Heiratsantrag	marriage intentions
Heiratsbelege	marriage supplements
Heiratskontrakt	marriage contracts
Heiratsprotokolle	marriage records
Heiratsschein	marriage certificate
heißt	is named
Hektar	hectare (10,000 square meters or 2.47 U.S. acres)
Helfer	a helper, but in East Prussia a worker in a malt brewery
Heraldik	heraldry
Herkunftsort	place of origin
Herr	Mister, Lord, lord
Herrschaft	estate, dominion
Herzog	duke
Herzogtum	duchy
Hessische	Hessian
Heuerling	dayworker, hireling
Heuert, Heumonat	July
heute	today
hier	here
hiesiger Ort	this place
Hinterbliebene	survivors
hinterlassen	surviving, left behind
Hirt	herdsman
hitziges Fieber	burning fever, high fever
hoch	high
Hochzeit	wedding
Hof	courtyard, farm, yard, estate
Hofprediger	chaplain
Holländer	Dutchman, dairykeeper
Hornung	February
Hüfner	farmer
Hufschmied	blacksmith
Hügel	hill
hundert	hundred
Hurenkind	illegitimate child
Husten	cough

I

German	English
ihr, ihr-	their, her
im	in the
immer	always
in	in, at
Inhalt	content(s)
innerhalb	inside of
Innung	guild
Instmann	tenant farmer
ist	is

J

German	English
Jäger	hunter, rifleman in the military
Jahr	year
Jahrestag	anniversary
Jahreszeit	season
Jahrhundert	century
jährlich	annual, yearly
Jahrzehnt	decade
Jänner	January
Januar	January
jeder (jede, jedes)	each, every
Jgfr. = Jungfrau, Jungfer	maiden, virgin, unmarried woman
Joe.	Latin abbreviation for Joannem
jüdisch	Jewish
Jugend	youth, adolescence
Juli	July
Julmonat	December
jung	young
Junge	a youth (male)
Jungfrau, Jungfer	maiden, virgin, unmarried woman
Junggeselle	bachelor
Jüngling	bachelor, young man
Juni	June
Justmann	tenant farmer (East Prussian form of Instmann)

K

German	English
K.K. = kaiserlich königlich	royal imperial
Kaluppe, Kaluppner Bohemian and Polish: Chalupa Polish: chalupnik	A dilapidated house. By extension, a resident of such a house.
Kammerfrau	lady-in-waiting
Kantor	choirmaster, organist
Karpe	carpenter
Karte	map
Karrer	carter
Kartei	card index
Käthner, Kätner	cottager
katholisch	Catholic
kaufen	to buy
Kaufmann	merchant
kein	no, not any, none
Keller	wine steward; cellar, basement
Kellner	waiter, receiver of revenues; steward
Kessler	kettlemaker
Keuchhusten	whooping cough
Kiefer	cooper, barrel maker
Kind	baby
Kindbettfieber	childbed fever
Kinder	children
Kirche	church
Kirchenältester	churchwarden, church elder, vestryman
Kirchenbuch	parish register
Kirchengemeinde	parish
Kirchenpfleger	churchwarden
Kirchenrodel	parish register
Kirchensprengel	parish
Kirchenvorsteher	churchwarden
kirchlich	pertaining to church
Kirchrat	member of a church council
Kirchspiel	parish
klein	little
Knabe	boy
Knecht	servant
Kolonist	settler, colonist, farmer
Kommunikant	communicant
Kommunion	communion
Konfirmation	confirmation
König	king
königlich	royal
Königreich	kingdom
Kopulation	marriage
kopulieren	to marry
Kossat, Kossät, Kossath	cottager
Kossattin	female cottager
Kötter, Kötner	small farmer, cottager
Krämer	grocer, small retailer
Krämpfe	cramps,, convulsions
Krankheit	disease, sickness
Krebs	cancer
Kreis	county
Krieg	war
Kröger, Krogmann	innkeeper
Küfer	cooper, barrel maker
Kuhhirte	cowherd
Kupferschmied	coppersmith
Kurort	spa
Kusine	female cousin
Kutscher	coachman

L

German	English
Land	land, country
Landarbeiter	farmhand
Landkarte	map
Landwirt	farmer
lassen	to let, leave, allow
lebendig	living
ledig	single, unmarried
legitimiert	made legitimate, legitimized
Lehrer	teacher
Lehrling	apprentice
Leiche	corpse, body
Leichenpredigt	funeral sermon
Leinenweber	linen weaver
Lenz	spring (season)
letzte Ölung	last rites, extreme unction
letzte Salbung	last rites, extreme unction
Letzter	latter, last
letzter Wille	last will
links	left
Lungenentzündung	pneumonia
Lungenschwindsucht	consumption, tuberculosis
lutherisch	Lutheran

M

German	English
Mädchen	girl
Mädel	girl
Magd	maiden, maid, servant girl
Mägdlein	girl, little girl
Mai	May
Maler	painter
Mann	husband, man
männlich	male
Markt	market
März	March
Masern	measles
Matrikel	register
Maurer	mason
Meister, -meister	master
Mennoniten	Mennonites
Metzger	butcher
Militär	military
minderjährig	underaged, minor
mit	with, via, by
Mitglied	member
Mittag	midday
mittags	at noon
Mitternacht	midnight
Mittwoch	Wednesday
Monat	month
Montag	Monday
Morgen	morning, tomorrow
Morgen (morgen)	measure of land, 0.6 to 0.9 acres
morgens	in the morning
Mühle	mill
Mullnäher	Occupation: cheesecloth (gauze) stitcher (sewer)
mündlich	verbal, verbally
Mutter	Mother

N

German	English
N.N. = nomen nescio	name not known
nach	to, after, according to
Nachbar	neighbor
Nachbarschaft	neighborhood
nachgelassen	surviving
Nachlaß	estate, inheritance
Nachmittag	afternoon
nachmittags	in the afternoon
nächst(e)	next
Nacht	night
Näherin	seamstress
Name	name
nat. = natus, nata	born
natus, nata	born
neben	next to
Nebenfrau	concubine
Neffe	nephew
Nervenfieber	nervous fever
neu	new
neun	nine
neunte	ninth
neunundzwanzigte	twenty-ninth
neunzehn	nineteen
neunzehnhundert	nineteen hundred
neunzehnte	nineteenth
neunzig	ninety
neunzigste	ninetieth
Nicht	not
Nichte	niece
nichts	nothing
nie	never
nieder	lower
niederländisch	Dutch, of the Netherlands
noch	still
noch lebende	still living
noch nicht	not yet
Nord	north
Notizen	notices, miscellaneous records
Nottaufe	emergency baptism
November	November
Nummer	number
nur	only

O

German	English
O.A. = Oberamt	governing district office
ober	upper, over
ober-, Ober- (comb. form)	chief, head; upper, over
Oberamt	governing district office
oder	or
öffentlich bekanntmachen	make known publicly
oft	often
Oheim	uncle
ohne	without
Oktober	October
Onkel	uncle
Ort	place, town
Ortslexikon	gazetteer
Osten	east
Ostern	Easter (could be March or April)
Ostermonat	April
Ostern	Easter
Österreich	Austria
österreichisch	Austrian

P

German	English
Pächter	leaseholder
Pate	godfather
Paten	godparents
Pest	plague
Pfalz	Palatinate
Pfarramt	parish office
Pfarrbuch	parish register
Pfarrei	parish
Pfarrer	parish minister, pastor
Pfingsten	Pentecost
Pflegekind	foster child
Pflegesohn	foster son
Pflegetochter	foster daughter
Platz	place (location)
Pocken	pox, smallpox
Polen	Poland
polnisch	Polish
Posamentierer	A worker in the art of Posament. Posament is a technique where metal wires or threads are braided and knotted into ornaments and then sewn onto textiles. Braiding and knotting can be used together or separately.
preußisch	Prussia
Priester	priest
Prinz	prince
Prinzessin	princess
protestantisch	Protestant
Provinz	province
provinzial	provincial

R

German	English
Räbbe	rabies
Räcke	stiffness of the limbs
Racker	renderer
Rademacher, Radmacher	wheelwright
Radhauer	wheelwright
Rathaus	city hall
Ratsherr	alderman
Ratsmann	councilman; town councilor
Rechnung	account; bill
rechtgläubig	orthodox
Rechtsanwalt	lawyer
reformiert	reformed
Regierungsbezirk	administrative area (a political jurisdiction)
Register	register (a book or list)
Reich	empire; kingdom
Reifer	ropemaker; rope merchant
Reiter	rider; cavalryman
relicta	widow
relictus	widower
Religion	religion
ren. = renatus, renata	baptized, christened
Rentner	retired person
Rheuma	rheumatism
Richter	judge
Rodel	register
Röseler	whitewasher
Rössler	horseman; tanner
römisch katholisch	Roman Catholic
Röt	measles; bloody diarrhea
Rotgerber	red tanner
Ruhestand	retirement
Ruhr	dysentery
russisch	Russian
Rußland	Russia

S

German	English
S. = Seite	page
s. = siehe	see the following reference
Sachsen	Saxony
Sackhuhn	sailmaker
Säger	sawyer
Salbung	anointing
Salzmesser	a salt weigher
Salzvogt	salt works overseer
Samstag	Saturday
Sarkhauer	stonemason
Satertag	Saturday
Sattler	saddler, leather worker
Schacherer	peddler
Schäfer	shepherd
Schaffer	worker; laborer; administrator
Schäf(f)ler	cooper
Schaffmann	worker
Schaffner	conductor
Schalbelehnter, Schaalbelehnter	one who works with scales, a weigher
Schalck, Schall	servant
Scharlach, Scharlachfieber	scarlet fever
Scharnemann	merchant in a market
Scharrmacher	wagon builder
Scharwerker	day laborer on a farm
Schatter, Schattmann	tax assessor
Schatzmann	moneychanger; treasurer
Schatzmeister	treasurer
Scheibenreisser	glazier
Scheibler	salt carrier
Scheiding	September
Scheidler	knife-blade maker
Scheidung	divorce
Schein	certificate
Schenkungen	donations
Scherer	barber; beardcutter; cloth cutter
Schichtmeister	mine paymaster
Schiffbauer	shipbuilder
Schiffer	shipper; seaman
Schiffmann	sailor
Schiffsmakler	shipbroker; shipping agent
Schilderer	sign painter
Schindeldecker	roofer of shingle roofs
Schindelmacher	shingle maker
Schinner	renderer, skinner
Schirmmacher	umbrella maker
Schirrmacher	wagon maker
Schirrmeister	master wagon maker
Schlachter, Schlächter	butcher
Schlachtmann	butcher
Schlachtwanter	clothing wholesaler
Schlafbaas	innkeeper
Schlaganfall	stroke, seizure
Schlagfluß	stroke
Schlieper	knifemaker; cutler
Schlieter	merchant
Schloß	castle
Schlosser	locksmith
Schlotfeger	chimneysweep
Schlotthauer	locksmith
Schmied	smith
Schneider	tailor
Schnitzer, Schnitzler	woodcarver
Schopper	ship's carpenter
Schornsteinfeger	chimneysweep
Schosserheber	tax collector
Schösser	tax collector
Schotte	peddler
Schottler	turner; key maker
Schottilier	turner; carpenter
Schreiber	scribe, clerk
Schreiner	cabinetmaker, joiner
Schriftsetzer	typesetter
Schroder, Schröder	tailor
Schröer	tailor
Schröter	tailor; carter; driver; cooper
Schubarth, Schuberth, Schubring	shoemaker
Schuchard, Schucherd, Schuchmann, Schuckert	shoemaker
Schuhmacher	shoemaker, cobbler
Schule	school
Schullehrer	schoolteacher
Schultheiß, Schulze	village mayor, head of town council
Schüssler	bowl maker
Schuster	shoemaker, cobbler
Schuwarte	shoemaker
Schwäche	weakness
Schwager	brother-in-law
Schwägerin	sister-in-law
Schwaiger	shepherd
schwanger	pregnant
schwarz	black
schwarzer Tod	black death; plague
Schwarzgiesser	iron smelter
Schwein(e)hirt(h)	pigherd
Schweisser	welder
Schweiz	Switzerland
Schweizer	Swiss; also a dairyman
Schwendimann	settler on recently burned woodland
Schwerdtfeger	armorer
Schwester	sister
Schwiegermutter	mother-in-law
Schwiegersohn	son-in-law
Schwiegertochter	daughter-in-law
Schwiegervater	father-in-law
Schwindsucht	consumption
S.d. = Sohn des, der	son of
sechs	six
sechste	sixth
sechsundzwanzig	twenty-six
sechsundzwanzigste	twenty-sixth
sechzehnhundert	sixteen hundred
sechzehn	sixteen
sechzehnte	sixteenth
sechzig	sixty
sechzigste	sixtieth
See	lake
Seelen	souls
Seelenregister	church membership list
Seelsorger	minister, chaplain
Seemann	sailor
Segner	fisherman
Seifensieder	soap maker
Seigner	fisherman
Seiler	rope maker
sein	to be; his
seit	since
Seite	page
selige	(the) late, blessed
September	September
Sibber	sieve maker
Sibmacher	sieve maker
sich	himself, herself, itself
sie	she, they
Sie	you
sieben	seven
siebente	seventh
siebenundzwanzigste	twenty-seventh
siebte	seventh
siebzehn	seventeen
siebzehnhundert	seventeen hundred
siebzehnte	seventeenth
siebzig	seventy
siebzigste	seventieth
Sieder	soap maker
siehe	see
Sigrist	sexton
sind	are
so	as, so, thus, such
Sohn	son
Söhnlein, Söhnchen	young son
Soldat	soldier
Söldner	mercenary soldier; day laborer
sollen	should
Sonnabend	Saturday
Sonntag	Sunday
spät	late (p.m.)
Spengler	plumber; tinsmith
spur. = spurius, spuria	illegitimate
Staat	state
Staatsangehörigkeit	citizenship, nationality
Staatsarchiv	state archives
Stadt	city
Stammbaum	family tree, pedigree
Stand	occupation, status, condition
Standesamt	civil registrar’s office
starb	died
Steinhauer	stonecutter
Steinmetz	stonemason
stellen	place, put, impose
Stellmacher	wheelwright
Sterbefälle	deaths
sterben	to die
Steuer	tax
Stickfluß	asthma
Stiefbruder	half brother, stepbrother
Stiefkind	stepchild
Stiefmutter	stepmother
Stiefschwester	half sister, stepsister
Stiefvater	stepfather
Stillgeburt	stillbirth
Straße	street
Stunde	hour
Sucht	sickness, mania, rage
Süden	south
S.v. = Sohn von	son of

T

German	English
T.d. = Tochter des, der	daughter of
T.v. = Tochter von	daughter of
Tabelle	index, table
Tag	day
Tagelöhner	day laborer
Tagner	day laborer
Tal, Thal	valley
Tante	aunt
Tapazier	(wall)paper hanger
Taufe	baptism
taufen	to baptize
Taufpaten	godparents
Taufschein	baptismal certificate
tausend	thousand
Testament	will
Tischler	cabinetmaker, furniture maker
Tochter	daughter
Töchterchen	young daughter
Töchterlein	young daughter
Tochtermann	son-in-law
Tod	death
Todesart	manner of death
Töpfer	potter
tot	dead
Totengräber	grave digger
totgeboren, todtgeboren	stillborn
Trauung	marriage
Trennung	separation, divorce
tschechisch	Czech
Tschechoslowakai	Czechoslovakia
Tuberkulose	tuberculosis
Tuchmacher	cloth maker, draper
Tumor	tumor

U

über

German	English
u.d. = und des, und der	and of
über	about, concerning, over
überleben	survive
Uhr	o’clock, clock, watch
um	at, about, around, concerning
unbekannt	unknown
und	and
und der	and of
und des	and of
unehelich	illegitimate
ungarisch	Hungarian
Ungarn	Hungary
ungefähr	about, circa, approximately
uns	us
unter	under, lower
Unterleib	abdomen
Unterleibsentzündung	abdominal inflammation, peritonitis
Unterleibstyphus	typhoid fever
Unterleibsverhärtung	abdomenal hardening
Unterrichter	judge
Unterschrieben	signed
Unterschrift	signature
Unterzeichnete	the undersigned
unverheiratet	unmarried
Urenkelkind	great-grandchild
Urgroßmutter	great-grandmother
Urgroßvater	great-grandfather
Urkunde	record, document
Ururgroßmutter	great-great-grandmother
Ururgroßvater	great-great-grandfather
ux. = uxor	wife

V

German	English
Vater	father
verehelicht	married
Verehelichung	marriage
vergangen	past
vergraben	buried
verh. = verheiratet	married
Verkäufer	seller, vendor
verl. = verlobt	engaged
verlebte	deceased
verloben, sich	to become engaged
Verlobte	fiancée
Verlobter	fiancé
Verlobung	betrothal, engagement
Vermieter	landlord, lessor
Vermögen	estate, assets
Verpächter	landlord, lessor
verrichtet	performed
verschiedene	various
versehen	given the last rights, extreme unction (e.g., dates in context of a death record)
Verstopfung	constipation
verstorben	deceased, defunct
Verstorbene	the deceased
Verwaltung	administration
Verwandten	relatives
Verwandtschaft	relationship
verwitwet	widowed
Verzeichnis	register, list, index
Vetter	male cousin
vid. = viduus, vidua	widower, widow
vielleicht	perhaps, maybe
vier	four
vierte	fourth
vierundzwanzigste	twenty-fourth
vierzehn	fourteen
vierzehnte	fourteenth
vierzig	forty
vierzigste	fortieth
Vogt	steward, overseer
Voigt	steward, overseer
Volkszählung	census
volljährig	of age, of legal age
vollzogen	performed
von	of, from, by
vor	before; ago
vorherig	previous, preceding
vorheriger Tag	the previous day
vorläufig	for the time being
vormals	formerly
Vormittags	in the morning
Vormund	guardian
Vorname	given name
Vorstadt	suburbs, outskirts of town

W

German	English
Wagner	cartwright
Waise	orphan
Wald	forest, woods
wann	when
Wappen	coat of arms
Wappenkunde	heraldry
war	was
waren	were
warum	why
was	what
Wassersucht	dropsy, edema
Weber	weaver
Weduwe	widow
wegen	because of
Wehmutter	midwife
Weib	wife, woman
weiblich	female
weil. = weiland	deceased
weiland	deceased
Weiland	the deceased
Weiler	hamlet
weiß	white
Weißgerber	tanner
welche	which
wer	who
werden	to become
West	west
weyland	deceased
wie	how
Windpocken	chicken pox
Wintermonat	November
Wirt	innkeeper
Wittib	widow
Wittiber	widower
Witwer	widower
wo	where
Woche	week
Wochenbett	childbed
woher	from where
wohnen	to live, residing
Wohnort	place of residence
Wohnplatz	place of residence
Wohnung	domicile, residence
wollen	to want
Wonnemonat	May
Wörterbuch	dictionary
wurde geboren	was born
wurde getauft	was baptized
würdig	worthy
Wwe. = Witwe	widow
Wwer. = Witwer	widower

X

German	English
Xber, Xbris	December

Z

German	English
zählen	to count
Zahnkrämpfe	teething
Zahnung	teething
zehn	ten
Zehnt(en)buch	tithing book
zehnte	tenth
Zehnten	tithes
zehrendes Fieber	consumptive fever
Zehrung	consuption
Zeit	time
Zeuge	witness
Ziegler	brick maker
Ziehmutter, -sohn, -tochter	foster mother, son, daughter
Zimmermann	Carpenter
Zivilstandsamt	civil registrar's office
Zöllner	publican, tax collector
zu Hause	at home
Zukunft	future
Zuname	surname, last name
zusammen	together
zwanzig	twenty
zwanzigte	twentieth
zwei	two
zweihundert	two hundred
zwei tausend	two thousand
zweite	second
zweiundzwanzigste	twenty-second
Zwilling(e)	twin, twins
zwischen	between
zwölf	twelve
Zwölfer	member of a council
zwölfte	twelfth