ROOTS

Dictionary of Genealogy & Archaic Terms

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Updated: December 29, 2007

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: National Genealogical Society
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
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 inform -- 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
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
K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Sources:

{B} Black's Law Dictionary, 6th Edition

{D} Dictionary.com

{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

{P} Pepys' diary

{R} Random House Unabridged Dictionary (2006)

{Q} Hinshaw, William Wade, "Encyclopedia of America Quaker Genealogy," (1938, Rpt., Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994)

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