Common German Genealogical Terms

SonntagSunday
MontagMonday
DienstagTuesday
MittwochWednesday
DonnerstagThursday
FreitagFriday
SamstagSaturday

JännerJanuary
JanuarJanuary
FebruarFebruary
MärzMarch
AprilApril
MaiMay
JuniJune
JuliJuly
AugustAugust
SeptemberSeptember
OktoberOctober
NovemberNovember
DezemberDecember

Ahnentafel Ancestor Chart
Akt(e) record
Aufgebot (marriage) banns
Beerdigungburial, interment
Begräbnis burial
Copulation marriage
Ehe, Eheschließungmarriage
Firmung(Catholic) confirmation
Gattehusband
Gattinwife
Geb., geboren born
Geburtsscheinbirth certificate
Geburtsurkundebirth record
gefallendied in combat, fell
geheiratetmarried
genannt called, known as
gesch., geschieden divorce
gest., gestorbendied
get., getauft baptized
getrautmarried
Hebamme midwife
Heiratmarriage
hinterlassen surviving, left behind
Hochzeit wedding
Junge boy
Jungfrau, Jungfer maiden, virgin
Junggeselle(e)bachelor
Jüngling young man
Knabeboy
Kommunikantcommunicant
Konfirmation confirmation
kopuliertjoined in marriage
ledigsingle
legitimiertlegitimized
Mädchengirl
männlich male
minderjährigunder age, minor
mündig of (legal) age
nachgelassen surviving
niedergekommen delivered (a child)
Niedeerkunft delivery (of a child)
N(omen), N(escio)name unkown(Latin)
Nattaufeemergency baptism
Patemale bamptismal sponsor
Patinfemale bamptismal sponsor
scheiden lassenget a divorce
Scheidungdivorce
schwangerpregnant
Selbstmord suicide
selig late, deceased
Sippefamily, clan
Sohn, Söhnlein son
Stammbaumfamily tree
stammenoriginate, stem
Sterbefall, Sterbendeath
sterbendie
Sterberegister death register
Sterbeurkundedeath record
Taufe baptism
taufen baptize
Taufregister baptismal register
Taufurkundebaptismal record
Tochter, Töchterlein daughter
Toddeath
Todesurkundedeath record
Todesurachecause of death
totdead
totgeboren stillborn
trauenmarry
Trauregistermarriage register
Trauungwedding
Trauurkundemarriage record
unehelich out of wedlock
Urkunderecord, document
verehelichtmarried
Verehelichungmarriage
verh., verheiratet married
Verlobungengagement
verst., verstorben deceased
verwaist orphaned
volljährigof legal age
Vormundguardian
Vornamegiven name, Christian name
Wahlkind adopted child
Waiseorphan
Weib woman, wife

Source: "A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Germanic Ancestors," By: Chris Anderson and Ernest Thode 2000