DICTIONARIES: GENEALOGICAL TERMS
- Quitclaim - a deed conveying the interest of the party
at that time.
- Rector - a clergyman.
- Relict - widow; surviving spouse when one has died, husband or wife.
- Sic - Latin meaning thus; copied exactly as the original reads.
- Spinster - a woman still unmarried.
- Sponsor - a bondsman; surety.
- Statute - law.
- Surname - family name or last name.
- Territory - area of land owned by a country, not a state or province, but having its own legislature and governor.
- Testamentary - pertaining to a will.
- Testate - a person who dies leaving a valid will.
- Testator - a person who makes a valid will before his death.
- Tithable - taxable.
- Tithe - formerly, money due as a tax for support of the clergy or church.
- Township - a division of U.S. public land that contained 36 sections, or 36 square miles.
- Tradition - the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, genealogies, etc. from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth.
- Transcribe - to make a copy in writing.
- Ultimo - in the month before this one; abbreviated ult.
- Verbatim - word for word; in the same words, verbally.
- Vital Records - records of birth, death, marriage or divorce.
- Vital Statistics - data dealing with birth, death, marriage or divorce.
- Ward - chiefly the division of a city for election purposes.
- Will - document declaring how a person wants his property divided after his death.
- Witness - one who is present at a transaction, such as a sale of land or signing of a will, who can testify or affirm that it actually took place.
- Yeoman - A servant or attendant; a subordinate of a
sheriff; an independent farmer.
Source: Provided by Dan Burrows.
