Updated:
This file contains many of the common "buzzwords", terminology and legal words found in genealogy work. If you think of any words that should be added to this list, please notify Randy Jones.
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NAIFTY
the state of being born into serfdom
NATIVI
[Latin, born] a serf or bondman. Also seen as nativi domini.
NATIVI
DE SANGUINE
[Latin, born of blood]
children, but possibly a widow, of a deceased serf. They were required to
fulfill the feudal contract contract of the serf.
NATUM
[Latin] born
NATURALEM
natural
NATURAL
CHILD
not recognized by law as lawful
offspring; an illegitimate child. See also Base
Born.
NATURALIZE
to grant full citizenship to
one of foreign birth
NECROLOGY
register book of deaths
NEE
[French, born] signifying a woman's maiden surname
NEHGS
New England Historical &
Genealogical Society.
Their magazine is the Register (NEHGR).
NEIF
a female serf
NEPHEW
practically the same usage as today,
except in very old records it could also mean niece. In Middle English it meant
grandson or granddaughter
NEPOS/NEPTIS
[Latin, nephew/niece] during medieval times, it could
mean a variety of blood relatives including nephew, grandson, or cousin
NGS
NICKNAME
an unofficial name given to a personin addition to the original name
NUNCUPATIVE
WILL
an oral will declared by the
deceased before dying, in the presence of witnesses, and transcribed by
another.
NOBILISSIMUS
[Latin] in the 3rd century
AD, a title to describe the emperor's eldest son. By the 4th century, it
became an independent title, with a dignity just below Cæsar, but was still
confined to the imperial family. Later in medieval times, the term "nobility" or part of the royal, developed from this
concept.
NOBILITY
families of high and hereditary rank.
Often descended from younger sons of kings. Often the only families which royalty would marry into. In
the English system today, the head of a noble family is a duke,
marquess, earl,
viscount,
or baron
NOBLE
(1) see NOBILITY
above
(2) [archaic] distinguished by
virtue of position, character or exploits {O}
NOBLE
MAN
In the early medieval period, the term in England was
reserved for someone of high birth or their family. This would include princes, dukes, earls and
knights of great wealth. However, from
the 1400s men of lesser knightly or gentry were addressed as “noble man”. This can be seen in the Papal Registers, and
generally in the French form as “noble homme”. – Douglas Richardson, GEN-MEDIEVAL, 13 Dec
2011
NON-TITHABLE
In 17th and 18th Century
Virginia, those persons not tithable. Reasons for being exempt from tithe included:
(1) Being a white woman
(2) Not being a citizen of Virginia
(3) Being a political employee -- everything from a constable to state governor
(4) Being a professor at a college
(5) Being a minister of the Gospel
(6) Being a soldier or sailor
(7) Being old or infirm -- the person was exempted by applying to the county
court so records of those exempt for this reason can be found in the court
order books
(8) Being a ferryman
(9) Being a non-resident -- the tax was imposed only once, so if a man owned
property in two counties, or in two different "quarters" in one
county, he was exempt from the tithe except at his place of residence
NONE
part of the monastic timetable
for liturgy, called horarium.
This worship service typically occurred between 1pm-2pm in winter and 2pm-3pm
in summer
NONES
[Latin] under the Roman calendar, the 7th of the month in
March, May, July and October; the 5th in the remaining months
NONPATERNITY
EVENT
a change in birth surname of
an individual due to adoption, illegitimacy, or deliberate name change
NOTARY
a person officially authorized
to draw up or attest to contracts, wills, deeds, or similar documents, to
protest bills of exchange
NOVEM
[Latin] nine
NOVERCA
[Latin] the other wife, or step-mother, depending on the
point of reference
NOVICE
a member of a religious house
who has not yet taken final vows
NOW
WIFE
exclusively found in wills, this term
implied that there was a former (or ex-) wife, although it sometimes had the
meaning simply that the wife listed was the current, but possible only won the testator had
NUPTUALAE
[Latin] bride/wife
NUBER
HUC ADVENTIS
[Latin] recently arrived here
NUDUS MILES
[Latin] a simple squire not wearing full armor
NUMMUS
[Latin] coins
NURUS
[Latin] usually daughter-in-law, although occasionally seen as mother-in-law, which is usually 'socrus
'.A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J
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{A}The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third
Edition copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. {B} Black's Law Dictionary, 6th Edition {E} Evans, Barbara Jean. The New A to Zax {F}The Dictionary of Genealogy by Terrick V H Fitzhugh
{H} History of the Later Roman Empire, Vol.1, J.B. Bury,
1958. {O}The Oxford English Dictionary {R} Random House Unabridged Dictionary (2006) {Q} Hinshaw, William Wade, "Encyclopedia of America Quaker Genealogy," (1938,
Rpt., Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994) {W} Webster's Collegiate Dictionary; Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA,
Inc.Sources:
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