Introduction to the Ecclesiastical Vocabulary of Austria
The list which follows represents a sample of words that are commonly found in Austrian Catholic Church records. These words represent an interesting blend of Latin and German languages, with many individualized adaptations on the part of local Priests. This list is a work in progress and will be updated from time-to-time. It is not meant to be exhaustive in any way. Please feel free to send me corrections or important additions.
In addition to standard German-English and Latin-English dictionaries, I generally only use one very thorough genealogical dictionary to assist with my Austrian research:
German - English Genealogical Dictionary
Ernest Thode
Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.
ISBN 0-8063-1342-0
Latin Word Endings
| -a, -am, -æ, -ā | singular female |
| -us, -e, -um, -ī, -ō, -o | singular male |
| -ī, -ōs, -ōrum, -īs | plural male or mixed gender |
| -æ, -ās, -ārum, -īs | plural female |
This represents rather a gross oversimplification of Latin word endings. I am somewhat embarrassed to include them here as it reveals my lack of knowledge on this topic having never formally studied the language. What I do know is that in Latin, as in English, word endings are most often determined by gender (masculine, feminine or neuter) and by whether they are singular (one) or plural (two or more) in nature. However, there exists six cases with five declensions in Latin making things more complicated than what I have represented above. I offer this information only as a very basic and imperfect guide, but one that may assist you in deciphering many record texts. One example where this may be helpful is in discerning the gender of an unnamed child who died during or shortly after childbirth (e.g. filius vs. filia). Your suggestions on how to better present this information, as it is reflected in Austrian church records, would be very welcomed!
Link to Latin - English Genealogical Word List & Grammar Guide
Link to Latin - German Online Dictionary
Vocabulary ~Austrian Catholic Church Records
| abgedanckht/abgedankt | discharged (i.e. discharged from military service) |
| adhuc | still, as yet (i.e. adhuc in vivis - still alive) |
| aevum | age |
| alda | all from there |
| alhier | all from here (this place or parish) |
| ambo | both (i.e. ambo p.m. - both individuals are deceased) |
| Amt | office |
| ander | next or following (i.e. next day in specified month) |
| at mater dicit | then the mother said (i.e. who father of her child is) |
| auch | also (i.e. auch ledig Standes - also single) |
| baptisatus | baptized (male) |
| baptisata | baptized (female) |
| bedi/beede/beide | both (i.e. beede ledig Standes - both single status) |
| Braut | bride |
| caupo(nis) | innkeeper |
| circa | approximately |
| circiter | approximately on |
| civis | (male) citizen |
| Copulirt/copulati | those married |
| cum | with |
| daselbst(en) (das.) | there, at that place; here |
| de | from, on (i.e. de ditto - on the same) |
| defuncti | those who died |
| der | the |
| deroselben/derselbe(n) | (of) the same (i.e. of the same place) [abrev. - "dero"] |
| die | (on the) day |
| die qus supra | on the day which is above |
| ditto | the same |
| domiciliati (domicilium) | dwelling (i.e. domiciliati am Winkl) |
| e (ein, eine, etc.) | a, an |
| eadem | the same, likewise |
| eben/ebe | the same (i.e. ebe an dißen Tag - on this same day) |
| Ehemann | husband; married man |
| Eheweib | wife; married woman |
| eodem | on/at the same (i.e. eodem loco - at the same location) |
| eig. (eigentlich) | actually |
| eius/ejus (eiusdem) | of the same |
| ehrbar | honorable |
| Erben | heirs |
| erzeugt/erzeigt | conceived (i.e. erzeugt bei Michael Schuster) |
| et | and |
| ex | from, out of |
| ex nono fonte | from the ninth well (being interpreted it may mean) from a very uncertain or distant source |
| Filial/Filialkirche | branch church/ chapel (i.e. Filial Martinsberg) |
| fil. Illeg. | illegitimate child |
| fil. leg. (f.l.) | legitimate child |
| fil. naturalis | illegitimate child |
| femella | female |
| filia | daughter |
| filii (filÿ) | sons or children (plural) |
| filius | son |
| fornicatio/Fornication | sexual relations outside of marriage |
| geminus/gemini/gemelli | twins |
| gesell/gösell | journeyman (i.e. Weber gesell - journeyman weaver) |
| getauft | baptized |
| gewesen/gewester | formerly (i.e. gewester Müller - formerly a miller) |
| gfatter/gefatter | godparents or baptismal sponsors |
| heri | yesterday |
| hic | here |
| hiesig | here/of this place (i.e. hiesiger Pfarr - of this parish) |
| hinterlassen | left behind (i.e. hinterlassen Ehemann - widow) |
| hoc | at/in this (i.e. hoc anno - in this year) |
| Holzkneckt | woodsman, forest laborer |
| honestus | honorable, respectable |
| hora | hour, time |
| huig/hujus/huius | of this (e.g. of this month, etc.) |
| ibid/ibidem | in the same place |
| idem | the same, likewise |
| ignotus | unknown (i.e. miles ignotus - unknown solder) |
| in | in, at |
| incerto | not for certain (i.e. father's name) |
| incola | inhabitant; day-laborer |
| infans | infant, young child |
| Inquilinus | landless serf; tenant; lodger |
| ist | is |
| item | also |
| legitima | legitimate (female) |
| legitimus | legitimate (male) |
| levans | godparent or baptismal sponsor |
| levantes | godparents or baptismal sponsors |
| liber/libera | unmarried male/unmarried female |
| Lictor (Lictoris) | police servant |
| ledig erzeugt | conceived while single (unmarried) |
| ledig Standes/LSt: | single status (unmarried) |
| lignicida | woodcutter, carpenter |
| locus (loco) | place, location |
| maidle/maidl | girl |
| malis | bad, evil |
| marita/maritata | wife, married |
| mater/matris | mother |
| matrina | godmother or female baptismal sponsor |
| menis/Mense | month |
| miles | soldier |
| Molitor | miller |
| N.B. (nota bene) | note well! |
| natæ/nee | maiden name of female |
| nechst | next, next to (i.e. Wiehalm nechst Martinsberg) |
| nescitur | not known (i.e. nescitur pater - father not known) |
| Nikil/Nichel (nichts) | nothing |
| noch | still, yet (i.e noch ledig Standes - still single) |
| noch in leben | still alive (i.e. describing parents of bride/groom) |
| nomen | name |
| nominate (nomina) | names |
| Nothtaufe/Nottaufe | emergency baptism (by a lay person) |
| omnes/omnis | all (i.e. omnes in Kottes - all at Kottes) |
| p.m. | post mortem/individual is deceased |
| p.p.m.m. | two individuals are deceased (i.e. both parents) |
| parens/parentes | father, parent/parents |
| Parochie/parochia | parish |
| pater | father |
| patrina | godmother or female baptismal sponsor |
| patrinus | godfather or male baptismal sponsor |
| Pistor (Pistorus) | baker |
| Pfarre | parish |
| Pfarramt | parish office |
| Pfleger | administrator |
| qus (quod est) | which is |
| Regimeni | regiment |
| Richter | judge |
| rustica | farm girl |
| rusticus | farmer, farm boy |
| Saag/Säge | saw (as in Sägemühle or sawmill) |
| Sartor/Sartois | tailor |
| seelig (seel) | deceased |
| septimus | weeks |
| sepulta | buried (female) |
| sepultus | buried (male) |
| sine | without (i.e. without house number) |
| Sine Num | without [house] number |
| Sohn | son |
| solutus | single (male) |
| soluta | single (female) |
| sponsa | fiancé (female) |
| sponsus/sponsi | fiancé (male) |
| spuria/spurius | female/male born out of wedlock |
| sub | under |
| supra | above (in this record) |
| testes | witnesses |
| Traxler | (wood) turner |
| ud (und) | and |
| ux. (uxor) | wife |
| Verwalter | administrator |
| vidua/viduus | widow/widower |
| Vietor | cooper |
| vivis | living |
| von | of |
| vordem | previous(ly) |
| weiland | late; deceased |
| Wittwe (Wittib)/Wittwer | widow/widower |
| zu | at, to |
| Zwilling | twin |