GENEALOGY
Tips & Tricks
ENGLISH TRANSLATION for
GENEALOGICAL TERMS
for FIVE COUNTRIES
from
"A Guide for Genealogical Research", by Arch F. Bennett
by
Robert B. Noles
Have you ever obtained an important source record for your research efforts, only to discover that the document is not in English. Many of these basic documents can easily be interpreted if you know the English translation for the common genealogical terms and words.
The following table provides the English translation for a few of the common genealogical words that you may encounter in documents from six countries. Anyone want to send me the Latin equivalent for these terms (I'll add a column for the Latin for these words)?
| ENGLAND | FRANCE | GERMANY | SWEDEN | DENMARK | SPAIN |
| Born | Né | Geboren | Född | Født | Nacido |
| Baptized | Baptême | Getauft | Döpt | Døbt | Bautizado |
| Married | Marié | Verheiratet | Gift | Gift | Casado |
| Unmarried | Cèlibataire | Unverheiratet | Ogift | Ugift | Soltero |
| Illegitimate | Illègitime | Unehelich | Oäkta | Uægte | Natural |
| Buried | Enterré | Begraben | Begraven | Begravet | Enterrado |
| Died | Mort | Gestorben | Dött | Død | Muerto |
| Mother | Mère | Mutter | Moder | Moder | Madre |
| Father | Père | Vater | Fader | Fader | Padre |
| Parents | Parents | Eltern | Föräldrar | Forældre | Los Padres |
| Brother | Frère | Bruder | Broder | Broder | Hermano |
| Sister | Sœur | Schwester | Syster | Søster | Hermana |
| Daughter | Fille | Tochter | Dotter | Datter | Hija |
| Son | Fils | Sohn | Son | Søn | Hijo |
| Uncle | Oncle | Onkel | *** | Onkel | Tío |
| Aunt | Tante | Tante | *** | Tante | Tía |
| Boy | Garçon | Knabe | Pojke, Gosse | Dreng | Muchacho |
| Girl | Fille | Mädchen | Flicka | Pige | Muchacha |
| Child | Enfant | Kind | Barn | Barn | Niño, Niña |
| Wife | Épouse | Ehefrau | Hustru | Hustru | Mujer |
| Husband | Époux | Ehemann | Make, Man | Husbond | Marido |
| Surname | Le Nom | Familienname | Tillnamn | Efternavn | Apellido |
| Year | Année | Jahr | År | Aar | Año |
| Month | Mois | Monat | Månad | Maaned | Mes |
| Day | Jour | Tag | Dag | Dag | Día |
| County | Comté, Dépt. | Kreis | Län | Amt | Condado |
| Country | Nation | Land | Land | Land | País |
| City-town | Ville | Stadt | Stad | By | Ciudad |
| Eldest | Aîné | Älteste | Äldst | Ældste | El Mayor |
| Youngest | Cadet | Jüngste | Yngst | Yngste | El Menor |
| Parish | Paroisse | Pfarramt | Socken | Sogn | Parroquia |
| Ancestors | Ancêtres | Ahnen | Förfäder | Stamfader | Antepasados |
| Will (Test.) | Testament | Letzter Wille | Testamente | Sidste Vilje | Testamento |
| Pedigree | Pedigree | Ahnentafel | Stamtavla | Slægtsregister | Genalogía |
| Widow | Veuve | Witwe | Änka | Enke | Viuda |
| Widower | Veuf | Witwer | Änkeman | Enkemand | Viudo |
* Masculine form of adjectives given; feminine form often has final "e" added, and "Cadet" becomes "Cadette."
** Masculine form of adjectives given; feminine form usually changes final "o" to "a."
*** Uncle and Aunt in Swedish: mother's brother (Morbror), father's brother (Farbror), mother's sister (Morster) or father's sister (Farster). The same with grandparents: Mormor, Morfar, Farmor, Farfar. There are many variations in the records depending on usage of the word.
See "A Guide for Genealogical Research" by Bennett, Arch. F., for these and other countries.
