German Genealogical Word List

This list contains German words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a German-English dictionary. Latin words are often found in German records, and a few are included in this list. See the Latin Word List (34077).

German is spoken in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Records written in German may be found in these countries and also in parts of Poland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Hungary, and wherever German people settled. There are several different dialects in the German language. For example, in the province of Westfalen and other areas of Germany that border the Netherlands, you may notice words that are closely related to Dutch words. You may find the Dutch word list useful when working with these records.

In addition, German is found in some early records of the United States, such as in Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, and other states where Germans lived.

Language Characteristics
German words for persons, places, and things (nouns) are always capitalized. All nouns are classified as masculine, feminine, or neuter. This classification is called gender. The gender of a noun is indicated by der (masculine), die (feminine), and das (neuter), which translates as "the." Word endings may vary, depending on the way the words are used in the sentence.

Variant Forms of Words

In German, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in the sentence. Who—whose—whom or marry—marries— married are examples of words in English with variant forms. In German, the form of many words can change greatly. This word list gives the standard form of each German word. As you read German records, you will need to be aware that some words vary with usage.

The endings of words in a document may differ from those on this list. For example, the document may use the word junger, but you will find it in this word list as jung. In addition, the suffixes -chen and -lein are often added to words to indicate "little." Therefore, the word Söhnchen means "little or young son," and Töchterlein means "little or young daughter."

Adjectives describe nouns and must have the proper masculine, feminine, or neuter endings. For example, in German you would say "junger Mann" (young man) or "junges Mädchen" (young maiden) if man and maiden are the subjects of a sentence. Adjective endings can change depending on usage and gender.

Plural words are usually formed by adding -er, -en, or -e. Thus the word Kind becomes Kinder, Frau becomes Frauen, and Aufgebot becomes Aufgebote. Plurality may also change the vowel slightly. For example, Mann becomes Männer.

In German, many words are formed by joining two or more words. Very few of these compound words are included in this list. You will need to look up each part of the word separately. For example, Geburtstag is a combination of two words, Geburt (birth) and Tag (day).

Alphabetical Order
Written German uses several letters in addition to the 26 letters used in the English alphabet. These are Ä (ä), Ö (ö), Ü (ü), and ß. These letters will be alphabetized in this publication as though they were a, o, u, and ss. However, many dictionaries and gazetteers will alphabetize these characters as if they were ae, oe, ue, and ss.

Spelling
Because spelling rules were not standardized in earlier centuries, spelling variations are common. Local dialect often affects the spelling in genealogical records. In German records, the following letters are sometimes used interchangeably:


 * p used for b a used for e
 * t used for d or dt s used for z
 * ck used for k y used for i or j
 * v used for w or f k used for g
 * tz used for z ig used for isch or ich
 * t used for th u used for i
 * Examples:
 * Freytag for Freitag
 * Burckhart for Burkhard
 * Waldpurga for Waldburga
 * undt for und

Additional Resources
This word list includes only words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, use a German-English dictionary. Several German-English dictionaries are available in the Family History Library. These are in the European collection. The call numbers begin with 433.21.

Particularly helpful dictionaries include:


 * Langenscheidt New Muret-Sanders Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English and German Languages. Berlin, Germany: Langenscheidt, 1969, 1974 (FHL book 433.21 Sp83n).


 * The New Cassell’s German Dictionary, German-English, English-German. New York, NY, USA: Funk and Wagnalls, Inc., 1971 (FHL book 433.211 C272 1971).

Additional dictionaries are listed in the subject section of the Family History Library Catalog under GERMAN LANGUAGE - DICTIONARIES or in the locality section under GERMANY - LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES.

Key Words
To find and use specific types of German records, you will need to know some key words in German. This section gives key genealogical terms in English and the German words with the same or similar meanings.

For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find German words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, joined, and other words used in German records to indicate marriage.

General Word List
ab from, since Abend evening abends in the evening aber but abgestorben deceased absterben to die, to die off acht eight achte eighth achtundzwanzigste twenty-eighth achtzehn eighteen achtzehnhundert eighteen hundred achtzehnte eighteenth achtzig eighty achtzigste eightieth Ackermann farmer Adel gentry, nobleman a.D. = außer Dienst formerly employed, retired adoptiert adopted Ahnen ancestors Ahnentafel pedigree chart Akten documents alle all allhier in this place alt old Altbürger full citizen Alter age Altersschwäche weakness of old age ältest eldest alt-katholisch old Catholic Amman bailiff, magistrate Amt office, district Anbauer peasant andere other, next Angeber informant angeblich alleged, assumed Anmerkungen remarks Anspänner farmer apostolisch Apostolic April April Arbeiter laborer, worker Archiv archive arm poor Armut poverty Arzt physician auch also, too auf on, upon, at aufbieten post banns Aufenthaltserlaubnis residence permit Aufenthaltsort residence Aufgebot publication of banns August August aus from, out of außen outside äußere outside, outward, external außerehelich illegitimate Auswanderer emigrant Auswanderung emigration Auszehrung consumption or emaciation (especially from TB) Auszug extract

Bäcker baker Bad spa, resort Badeort spa, health resort Band volume Baptist Baptist Baron baron Bauer farmer, peasant Bayern Bavaria Bd. = Band volume Beamter official, registrar Beck(er) baker beerdigt buried Beerdigung burial, interment beglaubigt certified, attested begraben buried Begräbnis burial Beichte confession beide both Beilage supplement Bekannte(r) acquaintance Bekehrung conversion Belege proof, documentation Bemerkungen remarks Berg hill, mountain Bergmann miner Beruf occupation, profession Beschreibung description Besitzer possessor, proprietor, owner bestätigt confirmed, verified bestattet buried bettlägerig bedridden Bettler beggar Bevölkerungsregister population register bevorstehend previously mentioned Bezirk district Biographie biography Bischof bishop Bistum diocese Blattern smallpox blutend bleeding Blütenmonat May Blutsverwandschaft blood relationship Böhmen Bohemia Bootsmann bargeman, boatman Böttcher cooper, barrel maker Brauer brewer Bräune diptheria Braut bride Bräutigam bridegroom Brücke bridge Bruder brother Bub boy Buch book Büdner cottager Burg castle, fortress Bürger burgher, citizen, citizens Bürgerbuch citizen register Bürgermeister mayor Büttner cooper, barrel maker ca. = circa about Chirurg surgeon Christmonat December Colonist settler, tenant farmer copulieren to marry. = der, dem, des, die, das the Dachdecker roofer dänisch Danish das the daselbst residing in this place Datum date Dekanat deanery dem, den the der the, of the derselbe the same des of the deutsch German Deutschland Germany Dezember December die the Diener servant Dienst service, employment Dienstag Tuesday Dienstmagd servant girl dieser this, these Domäne domain Donnerstag Thursday Dorf village dort there drei three dreißig thirty dreißigste thirtieth dreiundzwanzigste twenty-third dreizehn thirteen dreizehnte thirteenth dritte third Duplikat duplicate record durch through Durchfall diarrhea

ebenda at the same place Ehe marriage Ehebrecher adulterer Ehebruch adultery Ehefrau wife, housewife Ehehindernis hinderance to marriage ehel. = ehelich legitimate eheleiblich legitimate Eheleute married couple ehelich legitimate ehemals formerly Ehemann husband Ehescheidung divorce Eheschließung marriage Ehestand married state Eheverkündigungen marriage banns Eheversprechen, Eheverspruch betrothal, engagement Eidam (Eidmann) son-in-law Eigentümer proprietor ein, eine a, one, an Einbürgerung naturalization Einlieger landless farm laborer eins one Einsender informant, declarant eintausendachthundert eighteen hundred eintausendfünfhundert fifteen hundred eintausendneunhundert nineteen hundred eintausendsechshundert sixteen hundred eintausendsiebenhundert seventeen hundred einunddreissig thirty-one einunddreissigste thirty-first einundzwanzigste twenty-first Einwanderer immigrant Einwanderung immigration Einwilligung permission Einwohner inhabitant einzige only Eiterbeule abscess elf eleven elfte eleventh Eltern parents Enkel grandson Enkelin granddaughter Enkelkind grandchild eod(em) the same Epilepsie epilepsy er he Erbschaft inheritance erhalten received, receive erklärt declared Erlassung dispensation, permission Ermächtigung authorization Ernting August errechnet approximated, calculated erschien appeared erste first erstgeboren firstborn ertrank, ertrunken drowned erzeugt begat es it evangelisch evangelical Fabrikant manufacturer Familie family Familienbuch family register Familienforschung genealogical research Familienregister family register Färber dyer Faßbinder cooper, barrel maker Fäule cancer Februar February Fehlgeburt miscarriage Festtag feast day, festival day, holy day Festung fortress Fieber fever Findling foundling Firmung confirmation Fischer fisher Fl. = Florin standard monetary unit Flecken hamlet, also measles or spots Fleckfieber spotted fever, typhus Fleischer butcher Fleischhauer butcher Flüchtling refugee, deserter Fluß river folgende following, next Forst forest Förster forester Fraisen convulsions, epilepsy, seizures, spasms Frankreich France Frau Mrs., wife, woman Fräulein Miss, unmarried woman Freibauer farmer who owns his own land Freiherr baron Freitag Friday fremd foreign, strange Freund friend Friedhof cemetery früh early (a.m.) früher former, formerly fünf five fünfte fifth fünfundzwanzigste twenty-fifth fünfzehn fifteen fünfzehnhundert fifteen hundred fünfzehnte fifteenth fünfzig fifty fünfzigste fiftieth für for Fürst count Fürstentum principality Gärtner gardener Gastwirt innkeeper Gatte husband Gattin wife geb. = geboren born, maiden name geben, gab given, gave Gebiet region, area, zone geboren born, maiden name Gebühren fees Geburt birth Geburtsort place of birth Geburtsschein birth certificate Geburtsurkunde birth certificate gegen against, towards geheiratet married gehört belongs (to) Geistliche(r) clergyman Gelbsucht jaundice Geld money Gemahl(in) spouse, husband, wife Gemeinde community, municipality, parish, town Gemeindemann village official, village resident Gemeindsmann citizen with full rights gemelli twins genannt named, alias, called Genealogie genealogy Gerber tanner Gericht court Gerichtsmann juryman Gerichtsschreiber court clerk Gerichtsverwandter member of the judicial court gesagt said, stated Geschichte history geschieden divorced Geschlecht gender, sex, lineage Geschlechterbücher lineage books Geschlechtsname surname Geschwister siblings, brothers and sisters Geschwulst swelling, tumor Geselle journeyman Gesellschaft society, group Gesetz law gesetzlich legal gest. = gestorben died gestern yesterday gestorben died get. = getauft baptized, christened Getaufte person who was baptized getr. = getraut married Getraute married couple Gevatter godfather Gewerbe trade, occupation Gicht gout, arthritis Gilde guild Glaube belief, faith Glauben religious affiliation gleich same, alike, similar, right away Graf count (nobleman), earl Grafschaft county Grenze border groß big, great, large Großeltern grandparents großjährig of age Großmutter grandmother Großneffe great-nephew Großnichte great-niece Großvater grandfather Grundbuch land register Gulden standard monetary unit, florin Gut property, estate gut good haben to have halb half halb drei half three = 2:30 (time) halb eins half one = 12:30 (time) halb zwei half two = 1:30 (time) Halbbauer small farmer Halbmeier small farmer Händler trader, merchant, peddler Hartung January Haupt- chief, main Haus house Hausfrau housewife Häusler cottager Hausmädchen housemaid Hebamme midwife Heilquelle spa, bath Heimat home, native place, homeland Heimatschein domicile certificate Heimatsort place of birth, home town Heirat marriage heiraten to marry Heiratsantrag marriage intentions Heiratsbelege marriage supplements Heiratskontrakt marriage contracts Heiratsprotokolle marriage records Heiratsschein marriage certificate heißt is named Hektar hectare (10,000 square meters or 2.47 U.S. acres) Heraldik heraldry Herkunftsort place of origin Herr Mister, Lord, lord Herrschaft estate, dominion Herzog duke Herzogtum duchy Hessische Hessian Heuerling dayworker, hireling Heuert, Heumonat July heute today hier here hiesiger Ort this place Hinterbliebene survivors hinterlassen surviving, left behind Hirt herdsman hitziges Fieber burning fever, high fever hoch high Hochzeit wedding Hof courtyard, farm, yard, estate Hofprediger chaplain Holländer Dutchman, dairykeeper Hornung February Hüfner farmer Hufschmied blacksmith Hügel hill hundert hundred Hurenkind illegitimate child Husten cough ihr their, her im in the immer always in in Inhalt content innerhalb inside of Innung guild Instmann tenant farmer ist is

Jäger hunter Jahr year Jahrestag anniversary Jahreszeit season Jahrhundert century jährlich annual, yearly Jahrzehnt decade Jänner January Januar January jeder (jede, jedes) each, every Jgfr. = Jungfrau, Jungfer maiden, virgin, unmarried woman jüdisch Jewish Jugend youth, adolescence Juli July Julmonat December jung young Junge boy, a youth Junggeselle bachelor Jüngling bachelor, young man Juni June Kantor choirmaster, organist Karte map Kartei card index Käthner cottager katholisch Catholic kaufen to buy Kaufmann merchant kein no, none Keuchhusten whooping cough Kiefer cooper, barrel maker Kind baby, child Kindbettfieber childbed fever Kinder children Kirche church Kirchenältester churchwarden, church elder, vestryman Kirchenbuch parish register Kirchengemeinde parish Kirchenpfleger churchwarden Kirchenrodel parish register Kirchensprengel parish Kirchenvorsteher churchwarden kirchlich pertaining to church Kirchrat member of a church council Kirchspiel parish K.K. = kaiserlich königlich royal imperial klein little, small Knabe boy Knecht servant, farmhand Kommunikant communicant Kommunion communion Konfirmation confirmation König king königlich royal Königreich kingdom Kopulation marriage kopulieren to marry Kossät, Kossath cottager Kötter (Kötner) small farmer, cottager Krämer grocer, small retailer Krämpfe cramps, convulsions Krankheit disease, sickness Krebs cancer Kreis county, district Krieg war Küfer cooper, barrel maker Kuhhirte cowherd Kupferschmied coppersmith Kurort spa, bath Kusine female cousin Küster sexton Land land, country Landarbeiter farmhand Landkarte map Landwirt farmer lassen to let, leave, allow lebendig living ledig single, unmarried legitimiert made legitimate, legitimized Lehrer teacher Lehrling apprentice Leiche corpse, body Leichenpredigt funeral sermon Leinenweber linen weaver Lenz spring (season) letzte Ölung last rites, extreme unction letzte Salbung last rites, extreme unction Letzter latter, last letzter Wille last will links left Lungenentzündung pneumonia Lungenschwindsucht consumption, tuberculosis lutherisch Lutheran Mädchen, Mädel girl Magd maiden, maid, servant girl Mägdlein girl Mai May Maler painter Mann husband, man männlich male Markt market März March Masern measles Matrikel register Maurer mason, bricklayer Meister master Mennoniten Mennonites Metzger butcher Militär military minderjährig underaged, minor mit with, via, by Mitglied member Mittag midday mittags at noon Mitternacht midnight Mittwoch Wednesday Monat month Montag Monday Morgen morning, tomorrow Morgen (morgen) measure of land, 0.6 to 0.9 acres morgens in the morning Mühle mill mündlich verbal, verbally Mutter mother nach to, after, according to Nachbar neighbor Nachbarschaft neighborhood nachgelassen surviving Nachlaß estate, inheritance Nachmittag afternoon nachmittags in the afternoon nächst(e) next Nacht night Näherin seamstress Name name nat. = natus, nata born neben next to Nebenfrau concubine Neffe nephew Nervenfieber nervous fever, typhus neu new neun nine neunte ninth neunundzwanzigte twenty-ninth neunzehn nineteen neunzehnhundert nineteen hundred neunzehnte nineteenth neunzig ninety neunzigste ninetieth nicht not Nichte niece nichts nothing nie never nieder lower Niederländisch Dutch N.N. = nomen nescio name not known noch still noch lebende still living, surviving noch nicht not yet Nord north Notizen notices, miscellaneous records Nottaufe emergency baptism November November Nummer number nur only ober upper, over ober- chief, head oder or öffentlich bekanntmachen publish, make known publicly oft often Oheim uncle ohne without Oktober October Onkel uncle Ort place, town Ortslexikon gazetteer Osten east Osteren April Ostermonat April Ostern Easter Österreich Austria österreichisch Austrian Pächter leaseholder Pate godfather Paten godparents Pest plague Pfalz Palatinate Pfarramt parish office Pfarrbuch parish register Pfarrei parish Pfarrer parish minister, pastor Pflegekind foster child Pflegesohn foster son Pflegetochter foster daughter Platz place (location) Pocken pox, smallpox Polen Poland polnisch Polish preußisch Prussian Priester priest Prinz prince Prinzessin princess protestantisch Protestant Provinz province provinzial provincial Rathaus city hall, town hall Ratsherr alderman Ratsmann councilman, town councilor Rechnung account, bill rechtgläubig orthodox reformiert reformed Regierungsbezirk administrative area Register register Reich empire, kingdom relicta widow relictus widower Religion religion ren. = renatus, renata baptized, christened Rentner retired person Rheuma rheumatism Richter judge Rodel register römisch katholisch Roman Catholic rot red Rotgerber tanner Ruhestand retirement Ruhr dysentery russisch Russian Rußland Russia S. = Seite page s. = siehe see the following reference Sachsen Saxony Salbung anointing Samstag Saturday Satertag Saturday Sattler saddler, leather worker Schäfer shepherd Scharlachfieber scarlet fever Scheiding September Scheidung divorce Schein certificate Schenkungen donations Schlaganfall stroke, seizure Schlagfluß stroke Schloß castle Schlosser locksmith Schmied smith Schneider tailor Schreiber scribe, clerk Schreiner cabinetmaker, joiner Schuhmacher shoemaker, cobbler Schule school Schullehrer schoolteacher Schultheiß (Schulze) village mayor, head of town council Schuster shoemaker, cobbler Schwäche weakness Schwager brother-in-law Schwägerin sister-in-law schwanger pregnant schwarz black Schweiz Switzerland Schweizer Swiss; also a dairyman Schwester sister Schwiegermutter mother-in-law Schwiegersohn son-in-law Schwiegertochter daughter-in-law Schwiegervater father-in-law Schwindsucht consumption S.d. = Sohn des, der son of sechs six sechste sixth sechsundzwanzig twenty-six sechsundzwanzigste twenty-sixth sechzehnhundert sixteen hundred sechzehn sixteen sechzehnte sixteenth sechzig sixty sechzigste sixtieth See lake Seelen souls Seelenregister church membership list Seemann sailor Seifensieder soap maker Seiler rope maker sein to be; his seit since Seite page selige (the) late, blessed September September sich himself, herself, itself sie she, they Sie you sieben seven siebente seventh siebenundzwanzigste twenty-seventh siebte seventh siebzehn seventeen siebzehnhundert seventeen hundred siebzehnte seventeenth siebzig seventy siebzigste seventieth Sieder soap maker siehe see Sigrist sexton sind are so as, so, thus, such Sohn son Söhnlein (Söhnchen) young son Soldat soldier sollen should Sonnabend Saturday Sonntag Sunday spät late (p.m.) spur. = spurius, spuria illegitimate Staat state Staatsangehörigkeit citizenship, nationality Staatsarchiv state archives Stadt city Stammbaum family tree, pedigree Stand occupation, status, condition Standesamt civil registrar’s office starb died stellen place, put, impose Stellmacher wheelwright Sterbefälle deaths sterben to die Steuer tax Stickfluß asthma Stiefbruder half brother, stepbrother Stiefkind stepchild Stiefmutter stepmother Stiefschwester half sister, stepsister Stiefvater stepfather Stillgeburt stillbirth Straße street Stunde hour Sucht sickness, mania, rage Süden south S.v. = Sohn von son of T.d. = Tochter des, der daughter of T.v. = Tochter von daughter of Tabelle index, table Tag day Tagelöhner day laborer Tagner day laborer Tal valley Tante aunt Taufe baptism taufen to baptize Taufpaten godparents Taufschein baptismal certificate tausend thousand Testament will Tischler cabinetmaker, furniture maker Tochter daughter Töchterchen young daughter Töchterlein young daughter Tochtermann son-in-law Tod death Todesart manner of death Töpfer potter tot dead Totengräber grave digger totgeboren stillborn Trauung marriage Trennung separation, divorce tschechisch Czech Tschechoslowakai Czechoslovakia Tuberkulose tuberculosis Tuchmacher cloth maker, draper Tumor tumor über about, concerning, over u.d. = und des, und der and of Uhr o’clock, clock, watch um at, about, around, concerning unbekannt unknown und and und der and of und des and of unehelich illegitimate ungarisch Hungarian Ungarn Hungary ungefähr about, circa, approximately uns us unter under, lower Unterrichter judge Unterschrieben signed Unterschrift signature Unterzeichnete the undersigned unverheiratet unmarried Urenkelkind great-grandchild Urgroßmutter great-grandmother Urgroßvater great-grandfather Urkunde record, document Ururgroßmutter great-great-grandmother Ururgroßvater great-great-grandfather ux. = uxor wife Vater father verehelicht married Verehelichung marriage vergangen past vergraben buried verh. = verheiratet married Verkäufer seller, vendor verl. = verlobt engaged verlebte deceased verloben, sich to become engaged Verlobte fiancée Verlobter fiancé Verlobung betrothal, engagement Vermieter landlord, lessor Vermögen estate, assets Verpächter landlord, lessor verrichtet performed verschiedene various Verstopfung constipation verstorben deceased, defunct Verstorbene the deceased Verwaltung administration Verwandten relatives Verwandtschaft relationship verwitwet widowed Verzeichnis register, list, index Vetter male cousin vid. = viduus, vidua widower, widow vielleicht perhaps, maybe vier four vierte fourth vierundzwanzigste twenty-fourth vierzehn fourteen vierzehnte fourteenth vierzig forty vierzigste fortieth Vo(i)gt steward, overseer Volkszählung census volljährig of age, of legal age vollzogen performed von of, from, by vor before; ago vorherig previous, preceding vorheriger Tag the previous day vorläufig for the time being vormals formerly Vormittags in the morning Vormund guardian Vorname given name Vorstadt suburbs, outskirts of town Wagner cartwright Waise orphan Wald forest, woods wann when Wappen coat of arms Wappenkunde heraldry war was waren were warum why was what Wassersucht dropsy, edema Weber weaver Weduwe widow wegen because of Wehmutter midwife Weib wife, woman weiblich female weiland deceased Weiland the deceased Weiler hamlet weiß white Weißgerber tanner welche which wer who werden to become West west weyland deceased wie how Windpocken chicken pox Wintermonat November Wirt(h) innkeeper Wittib widow Wittiber widower Witwe widow Witwer widower wo where Woche week Wochenbett childbed woher from where wohnen to live, residing Wohnort place of residence Wohnplatz place of residence Wohnung domicile, residence wollen to want Wonnemonat May Wörterbuch dictionary wurde geboren was born wurde getauft was baptized würdig worthy Wwe. = Witwe widow Wwer. = Witwer widower Xber (Xbris) December

zählen to count Zahnkrämpfe teething Zahnung teething zehn ten Zehnt(en)buch tithing book zehnte tenth Zehnten tithes zehrendes Fieber consumptive fever Zehrung consumption Zeit time Zeuge witness Ziegler brick maker Zimmermann carpenter Zivilstandsamt civil registrar’s office Zöllner publican, tax collector zu Hause at home Zukunft future Zuname surname, last name zusammen together zwanzig twenty zwanzigste twentieth zwei two zweihundert two hundred zweitausend two thousand zweite second zweiundzwanzigste twenty-second Zwilling(e) twin, twins zwischen between zwölf twelve Zwölfer member of a council zwölfte twelfth