For the novices, to help you understand what we are all talking about, here are some useful abbreviations:
GRO General Register Office – order certificates online at
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificate/index.asp#0GROS General Register Office for Scotland –
search & view certificates, Scottish wills (to 1901), census and OPR baptism & marriage entries online at:
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.ukNAS National Archives of Scotland - home page:
http://www.nas.gov.uk/ Online Public Access Catalogue http://www.rootschat.com/links/0z7/
LDS (Church of Jesus Christ and) Latter Day Saints (Mormon church)
TNA The National Archives (formerly PRO) online at
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.ukPRO Public Record Office (old name for the National Archives)
PRONI Public Record Office of Northern Ireland – web site
http://www.proni.gov.uk/CRO County Record Office
LMA London Metropolitan Archives
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/leisure_heritage/libraries_archives_museums_galleries/lma/lma.htm
FFHS Federation of Family History Societies – web site
http://www.ffhs.org.ukIGI International Genealogical Index – available on microfiche at many record offices and libraries. Also available online at
http://www.familysearch.orgBVRI2 British Isles Vital Record Index 2nd edition – available on CD from LDS church. complements the IGI
NBI2 National Burial Index 2nd edition – available from the Federation of Family Histoy Societies
Other abbreviations which may need some explaining:
BMD Births Marriages & Deaths
CMB Christenings Marriages & Burials - used for the "all in one registers" found most often pre 1754
otp of this parish
otsp of the same parish
BTs Bishops Transcripts
MI Memorial Inscription (or Marriage Index)
Admon Letters of Administration
MS Male Servant
FS Female Servant
J in conjunction with an occupation tends to mean Journeyman
RD Registration District
ED Enumeration District (census)
PCC Prerogative Court of Canterbury (probate of wills pre 1858)
PCY Prerogative Court of York (probate of wills pre 1858)