The Adventures and Misadventures of Genealogy Abbreviations

Genealogy research can be an emotional journey. One minute, you’re celebrating a major breakthrough, and the next, you’re facepalming because you misunderstood an abbreviation.

That Time I Thought My Ancestor's Last Name Was "Unk"

When I was 19 and just diving deep into my genealogy obsession—uh, I mean, interest—I was on a mission to find my 3x great-grandmother Matilda’s maiden name. I searched everywhere, hitting dead end after dead end. Then, finally, I found it! There it was, clear as day in the Dalby database! I was thrilled - I had to tell somebody! So I tell my mom, “ I finally found it! Matilda’s maiden name! It’s kind of a weird name, though… Her maiden name was Unk! It says it right here! Matilda Unk! U-N-K! 

My mom tried so hard not to laugh as she gently burst my bubble.

“Tanya… ‘Unk’ is short for ‘Unknown.’”

Oh. Well, that sucked.

My Daughter’s Rapper Ancestor

Fast forward to my own daughter, who had her own run-in with genealogy abbreviations at 15. She was researching our Wunderlich line when she stomped upstairs, clearly annoyed.

“I can’t find anything on Rev John Martin Wunderlich! And what kind of name is Rev, anyway? Who names their kid that in the 1800s? It sounds like a rapper! Like, ‘Yo, that’s my boi, Rev!’”

Cue me trying very hard not to laugh. “Um, Olivia… ‘Rev.’ is short for ‘Reverend.’ His name is just John Martin.”

The Abbreviations That Make No Sense

While these examples might seem obvious to seasoned researchers, there are ones that make zero sense. Like ‘Jno.’ for John. Why? Who decided it was a good idea to take away one letter and then scramble the rest just to mess with us?

Here are some other common ones you’ll want to watch for:

• Jas. – James

• Chas. – Charles

• Wm. – William

• Hy. – Henry

• Thos. – Thomas

• Geo. – George

These pop up in old newspapers, birth records, and even death certificates, so knowing them can save you a lot of confusion.

A Handy AI Tool (But Use With Caution!)

One of my favorite resources for navigating abbreviations and name variations is an AI tool called Perplexity. (https://www.perplexity.ai/). The best part? It's completely free to use! And while there is a paid upgrade option if you want extra features, the free version is plenty powerful for genealogy research. Now, let me be clear—I do not trust AI for cold, hard facts (because, well, it has a habit of making things up). But Perplexity does something really useful: it provides sources for the information it gives you.

I’m looking for my ancestor John Martin Wunderlich, born in 1817 in Germany and later moved to Minnesota. What are some spelling variations I should look for?

For example, if I ask, “I’m looking for my ancestor John Martin Wunderlich, born in 1817 in Germany and later moved to Minnesota. What are some spelling variations I should look for?”—it not only lists possible variations but also tells me where it found that information. That way, I can check the sources myself to see if they’re credible.

Perplexity also will give me suggestions on other questions to ask, such as “What are the most common regions where the Wunderlich family members settled.” One word of warning: It’s very easy to fall down a rabbit hole with Perplexity’s suggested questions. Next thing you know, you’ve spent an hour researching the most common Wunderlich settlement areas and completely forgotten what you were originally doing. (Not that I’ve done that… multiple times…)

Related questions suggested by Perplexity

So, whether you're deciphering confusing abbreviations or trying to track down elusive ancestors, stay sharp, and always check those source citations! Even AI tools can send you down the wrong path if you're not careful.

Happy ancestor hunting, and may all your "Unks" eventually reveal their true names! 🔍👨‍👩‍👧‍👦