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An incomplete list of abbreviations that are found used in sources and records, both published and unpublished.
0-9, symbols
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
+ |
Has attained colloquial knowledge of the Hindoostanee Language
|
A
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
A.A. and Q.M.G. |
Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General.
|
A.A.G. |
Assistant Adjutant General.
|
A.B. or B.A. |
Bachelor of Arts.
|
A.B.A.S. |
Associate of the British Archaaological Society.
|
A.D.C. |
Aide-de-Camp.
|
A.G./Adjt-Gen. |
Adjutant General.
|
A.INST.C.E. |
Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers
|
A.M. or M.A. |
Master of Arts.
|
APAC |
Asia, Pacific and Africa Collection (at the British Library)
|
A.Q.M.G. |
Assistant Quartermaster General.
|
A.R.A. |
Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts.
|
A.S.CORPS. |
Army Service Corps.
|
abp/Abp. |
Archbishop.
|
ADC |
Aide de Camp
|
Adj. |
Adjutant.
|
Adml./Adm. |
Admiral.
|
Adv-Gen. |
Advocate-General.
|
Aldmn. |
Alderman.
|
Artill. |
Artillery.
|
Asst-commiss-Gen. |
Assistant Commissary General
|
B
C
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
(c.) |
Conservative.
|
C.B. |
Companion of the Order of the Bath
|
C.B. |
Companion of the Bath.(Order of)
|
C.C. |
Commander-in-Chief
|
C.C. |
County Councillor.
|
C.C.S. |
Ceylon Civil Service.
|
C.Eng. |
Civil Engineer, or Chartered Engineer
|
C.I |
Holder of Order of the Crown of India
|
C.I. |
Order of the Crown of India.
|
C.I.E. |
Companion of the Order the Indian Empire.
|
C.J. |
Chief Justice.
|
C.M.G. |
Companion of St. Michael and St. George.
|
C.P. |
Central Provinces
|
C.S.I. |
Companion of the Order of the Star of India
|
Capt. |
Captain.
|
Cath. |
Catholic.
|
Cav./Cavy. |
Cavalry.
|
Col. |
Colonel.
|
Comm. |
Commander.
|
Commdg. |
Commanding.
|
Commdr. |
Commander.
|
Commdt. |
Commandant.
|
Comm-Gen. |
Commissary General.
|
Commr. |
Commissioner
|
D
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
D. A.G. |
Deputy Adjutant-General.
|
D./ d. |
Deceased/died.
|
D.A.A.G. |
Deputy Assistant Adjutant General
|
D.A.C.G. |
Deputy Assistant Commissary General.
|
D.A.Q.M.G. |
Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General.
|
D.C.L. or LL.D. |
Doctor of Civil Law.
|
D.D. |
Doctor of Divinity.
|
D.L. |
Deputy Lieutenant for the County of.
|
D.Q.M.G. |
Deputy - Quarter - Master- General.
|
D.S.O. |
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.
|
Dau./dau. |
Daughter
|
Dep. |
Deputy.
|
Dep-Adv-Gen. |
Deputy Advocate General,
|
Dist. |
District.
|
Dow. |
Dowager.
|
E
F
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
F.C.S. |
Fellow of the Chemical Society.
|
F.E.HIST.S. |
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
|
F.G.S. |
Fellow of the Geological Society.
|
F.L.S. |
Fellow of the Linnean Society.
|
F.M. |
Field Marshal.
|
F.P.S. |
Fellow of Philosophical Society of Great Britain
|
F.R.A.S. |
Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.
|
F.R.C.I. |
Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute.
|
F.R.C.P. |
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.
|
F.R.C.S. |
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
|
F.R.G.S. |
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
|
F.R.HORT.S. |
Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society.
|
F.R.INST.B.A. |
Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
|
F.R.S. |
Fellow of the Royal Society.
|
F.R.S.L. |
Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
|
F.S.A. |
Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
|
F.S.S. |
Fellow of the Statistical Society.
|
F.S.Sc.A. |
Fellow of the Society of Science and Art of London
|
FHC |
Family History Centres
|
FHL |
Family History Library
|
FRC |
Family Records Centre (Islington, London)
|
G
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
G.C.B. |
Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
|
G.C.B. |
Knight Grand Cross of the Bath
|
G.C.H. |
Knight Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order.
|
G.C.I.E. |
Knight Grand Cross of the Indian Empire
|
G.C.M.G. |
Knight Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George.
|
G.C.S.I. |
Knight Grand Cross of the Star of India
|
(G.L.) |
Gladstone Liberal.
|
G.G. |
Governor-General
|
G.O.C.C. |
General Orders by Commander-in-Chief
|
G.O.G |
General Orders by Government
|
G.S. |
Governor of Scinde
|
GCM |
Good Conduct Medal
|
GIPR |
Great Indian Peninsula Railway
|
Gov. |
Governor.
|
Gov-Gen. |
Governor General.
|
Grdau. |
Granddaughter.
|
GRO |
General Register Office (Southport)
|
Grs. |
Grandson.
|
Gt. B. |
Great Britain.
|
H
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
h. p.... |
half pay.
|
H.A.C. |
Honourable Artillery Company.
|
H.A.D.C. |
Honorary Aide-de-Camp
|
H.E.I.C.S. |
Honourable East India Civil Service.
|
H.M. |
His (Her) Majesty
|
H.M.l.N. |
Her Majesty's Indian Navy.
|
H.M.S. |
His (Her) Majesty’s Ship
|
H.M.S. |
His (Her) Majesty’s Service
|
(H.R.) |
Home Ruler.
|
H.R.H. |
His or Her Royal Highness.
|
HEIC |
Honourable East India Company
|
HEICS |
Honourable East India Company's (Civil) Service
|
heir pres. |
Heir presumptive.
|
(hon.) (Hon) |
Honourable by right of office.
|
hon /Hon. |
Honourable,
|
Huss. |
Hussar.
|
I
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
I.S.M.D. |
Indian Subordinate Medical Dept
|
ICS |
Indian Civil Service
|
I.M.L. |
India(n) Miscellaneous List
|
inc. |
Incumbent.
|
Indian NCO |
Indian Non-Commissioned Officer
|
Inf. |
Infantry.
|
Insp. |
Inspector.
|
Insp-Gen. |
Inspector General of…
|
IOR |
India Office Records
|
Ir. |
Irish.
|
Irel. |
Ireland.
|
J
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
J.P. |
Magistrate for the county of.
|
Jnr. |
Junior.
|
K
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
K.C.B. |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
|
K.C.B. |
Knight Commander of the Bath.
|
K.C.H. |
Knight Commander of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order
|
K.C.H. |
Knight Commander of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order.
|
K.C.l.E. |
Knight Commander of the Indian Empire.
|
K.C.M.G. |
Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George.
|
K.C.S.l. |
Knight Commander of the Star of India.
|
K.C.T.S. |
Knight Commander of the Tower and Sword.
|
K.G. |
Knight of the Order of the Garter.
|
K.H. |
Knight of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order.
|
K.P. |
Knight of the Order of St. Patrick,
|
K.T |
Knight of the Order of the Thistle. .
|
K.T.S |
Knight of the Tower and Sword.
|
Knt/Knt. leg, hon. |
Knight of the Legion of Honor.
|
L
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
(L.) |
Liberal.
|
L.C.J. |
Lord Chief Justice.
|
L.G. |
Lieutenant-General
|
L.G.N.W.P. |
Lieutenant-Governor, North-Western Provinces
|
L.R.C.P. Lon. |
Licentiate of Royal College of Physicians, London.
|
l.S.C. |
Indian Staff Corps
|
LDS |
Latter Day Saints
|
Lieut. or Lt |
Lieutenant.
|
LL.M. |
Master of Laws.
|
Lt-Col/Lt.Col. |
Lieutenant-Colonel.
|
Lt-Gen/Lt.Gen. |
Lieutenant- General
|
(L.U.) |
Liberal Unionist.
|
M
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
M./ m. |
married.
|
M.A. |
Master of Arts.
|
M.B. |
Bachelor of Medicine.
|
M.C.S. |
Madras Civil Service.
|
M.D. |
Doctor of Medicine.
|
M.G. |
Major-General
|
M.INST.C.E |
Member of Institute of Civil Engineers
|
M.P. |
Member of Parliament.
|
M.R. |
Master of the Bolls.
|
M.R.A.S. |
Member of Royal Asiatic Society.
|
M.R.C.P. Lon. |
Member of the Royal College of Physicians, London
|
M.R.I. |
Member of Royal Institute.
|
M.R.S.P.W.C. |
Member of Royal Society of Painters in WaterColours.
|
M.S. |
Military Secretary
|
M.S.C. |
Madras Staff Corps.
|
Maj. |
Major.
|
Maj-Gen. |
Major General.
|
Marq. |
Marquess.
|
Med.Est. |
Medical Establishment.
|
Mil. |
militia.
|
Mil. Sec. |
Military Secretary.
|
Mily. |
Military.
|
MUS. D. |
Doctor of Music.
|
N
O
P
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
P. |
Passed District Examination in the Persian & Hindoostanee Languages
|
P.A. |
Private Affairs
|
P.C. |
Passed College Examination in the Persian & Hindoostanee Languages
|
P.C. |
Privy Councillor.
|
P.C.H. |
Passed College Examination in the Hindoostanee Language
|
P.H. |
Passed District Examination in the Hindoostanee Language
|
P.S. |
Private Secretary
|
preb. |
Prebendary.
|
pres/Pres. |
president.
|
PRO |
Public Records Office (now called TNA, The National Archives)
|
PWD |
Public Works Department
|
PWI |
Permanent Way Inspector (Railways)
|
Q
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
Q.C. |
Queen's Counsel.
|
Q.M.G |
Quartermaster-General.
|
R
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
(R.) |
Radical.
|
r. f. p/ Ret.f.p. |
Retired on full pay.
|
R.A. |
Royal Artillery.
|
R.A. |
Royal Academician.
|
R.C. |
Roman Catholic.
|
R.D. |
Rural Dean.
|
R.E. |
Royal Engineers.
|
R.H.A. |
Royal Horse Artillery.
|
R.M. |
Royal Marines.
|
R.M.A. |
Royal Marines Artillery,
|
R.N. |
Royal Navy.
|
R.N.R |
Royal Naval Beserve.
|
Rect. |
Rector.
|
Rev. |
Reverend.
|
RHA |
Royal Horse Artillery
|
Rif/Rifl. |
Rifle (Regiment/Brigade)
|
RN |
Royal Navy
|
S
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
S. or s. |
Son.
|
(S) (s.) |
Socialist.
|
S.C. |
Sick Certificate
|
(sic.) |
As written.
|
Sco. |
Scotch.
|
SIR |
South Indian Railway
|
Supt/ Supt. |
Superintendent.
|
Surg./ Surg-Gen. |
Surgeon/Surgeon General.
|
Surv. |
Surveyor
|
Survg. |
Surviving.
|
T
U
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
U.K. |
United Kingdom.
|
unemplyd.supernumy. |
Unemployed Supernumerary(list)
|
V
Abbreviation |
Definition
|
V.C. |
Victoria Cross.
|
V.P |
Vice-President.
|
VCO(s) |
Viceroy's Commissioned Officer(s) (Refer: Indian Ranks)
|
Visc. |
Viscount.
|
Vol. |
Volunteers.
|
W
X,Y,Z