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This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter T.

TABERN – Cellar under a building

TABERNA -inn/tavern

TABERNARIUS – innkeeper

TACKMAN – Manorial officer responsible for collecting rents and fines due to the Lord

TALENT – a weight and denomination of money

TALLAGE – an arbitraty tax levied by the Normans early Angevin Kings on towns and DEMSNE lands of the crown

tandem – at length

TANTRELL – Idle, unsettled person

TANTUM – so much, so greatly, so; only, merely

TAPSTER – Archaic term for for someone who sells beer/ale

TASTATOR 9CERVISIE) – ale taster

TEMPLUM – Church

TENANT-IN-CHIEF – a LORD holding his land directly from the King.

TENANT AT WILL – tenants who paid a rent and whose tenure was entirely dependent on the good will of the lord

TENATURA – feudal holding, tenure, tenement

tenebat sibi pro termino vito sue – he/she held (it) for him/herself to the end of his/her life

TENEMENT – parcel of land occupied by a tenant

tenens/entis – tenant

tenens custumarius – customary tenant

teneo/ere – to hold

tenementum – tenement

TENTIO – holding a court

tenura/ae – tenure(s)

TENURE – the conditions upon which land was held under the FEUDAL SYSTEM by a VASSAL from a LORD who was a MESNE TENANT, a TENANT-IN-CHIEF or the King.

TERMINARIUS – Lessee (legal)

TERMINO – to determine, decide a case (legal); to terminate

TERRA – land, piece of land, tenement, strip; arable land; earth (as opposed to heaven)

terre arabilis – arable land

TERRIER – Topographical account of the manor, giving whereabouts and size of the lord’s and the tenants’ land

TESTAMENTUM – Will, testament

TETHINGA – TITHING

THEGN – a VASSAL, usually a manorial LORD, holding land by military or administrative services in Anglo-Saxon and early Norman England

TIED COTTAGE by a farm worker subject to his continued employment

TITHE – Ancient obligation of all parishioners to maintain their parish priest from the fruits of teh land in his parish (GREAT TITHES e.g corn, hay, wood; SMALL TITHES e.g. wool, fruit, eggs etc)

TITHING – group of usually 10 or 12 men under the FRANKPLEDGE system who were mutually responsible for the good behaviour of each member of the group

TITHINGMAN – one of a group of ten men with a mutual responsibility for their good behaviour

Totum illud – In total

TRADO AD FIRMAM – to farm, to let at farm (for a specified term and for a specified payment)

TRINKLEMENTS – Odds and ends, miscellaneous small belongings

TUMULATUS – buried

TUMULUS – tomb

TUN – vessel holding 252 gallons, usually of wine

TUNC – then

TUNC TEMPORIS – at that time

Turbary – Manorial right to cut turf.

TURNPIKE TRUST – Trust set up to build and maintain roads for which tolls were charged to use

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter R.

Rape – An area of jurisdiction in Sussex

Recepta/ae – money(ies) received

RECEPTACULUM – part of a house which on the death of the owner or tenant was to be retained by the elderly members of the family residing there – supposedly one third of the house, but usually two rooms

RECOGNISANCE – Sum of money pledged as security by a bond for preforming an act or avoiding an offence – sum was forfeited if the act was not performed or the offence was committed

RECUSANTS – nonconformists – those who refused to attend the parish church, esp. Roman Catholics

Redditus – rent

REEVE – ‘foreman’ of the manor

RELICT – Widow/Widower

Relictae et executrices in dicto testament nominate – relict and executrix named in the said will

RELIEF – Payment made by an heir to succeed to a freehold inheritance, often the value of the annual rent

Remisse, relaxasse et quietclamasse – have remised, relaxed and quitclaimed

REMOVAL – removal of a person back to the parish of settlement, who was or was potentially a burden on the parish i.e. did or would require poor relief

Renatus – baptised

RESIANT – resident of a manor

REVERSATION/REVERSIO – Reversion (see below)

REVERSION – Return of land to the donor or grantor or his heir where there are no heirs to a fee tail at the end of a life tenancy or at the end of a lease

RIVULUS – stream/brook

ROD – aka a POLE or PERCH – a standard measure equal to about five and a half yards or sixteen and a half feet

Roda/ae – rood(s) (see below)

ROGUE MONEY – Payment by the constable of each parish to the High Constable of the county for the maintenance of the prisoners in the county gaol

ROOD – a measurement of land of about one quarter of an acre or 660 feet long or 40 square perches in area

ROPE MONDAY – the second Monday after Easter Day

ROTULATIO – enrolment, entry on a roll

ROYAL OAK DAY – 29th May – the anniversary of the Restoration (1660) once celebrated by wearing of oak-leaevs, recalling the Bosocobel Oak near Worcester, the hiding place of Charles II

R.R – Regni Regis/Regina – in the year of King/Queen….

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter Q.

QUANDOCUMQUE – whenever, as often as

QUANDOQUIDEM – since, seeing that

QUANTOPERE – how greatly

QUARENTENE – a linear measure, a furlong

QUARTER DAYS – 25th March (Lady Day); 24th June (Midsummer); 29th September (Michaelmas); 25 December (Christmas)

QUARTER SESSIONS – General sessions court of the peace for the county, held quarterly dealing with both criminal matters (until 1971) and administrative business (akin to local government before they were established in the 1880’s)

QUASI – as if, just as

QUERELA – plea, suit, legal action; fine paid by tenants

QUERELO – to bring a legal action; to complain

QUICUNQUE/QUECUMQUE/QUODCUMQUE – whosoever, whatsoever

QUILIBET/WUELIBET/QUODLIBET – anyone at all, anyone you like; each; everyone whosoever

QUIS/QUID – who? what? which?; anyone, anything; someone, something

QUIT CLAIM – release and disclaimer of all rights, interest and potential legal actions from a grantor to a grantee

QUIT RENT – annual payment to the Lord in lieu of services due

QUITTANTIA – immunity, discharge, quittance

QUO – where, whither; so that

QUOD – because; that; which, what

QUO WARRANT – a legal documtn requiring someone to prove their right to a claim of office or franchise

QUONDAM – formerly, in the past

QUONIAM – since, whereas

QUOQUE – also

QUOTIENSCUMQUE – as often soever as, whensoever

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter P.

PACK RAG DAY – Old May Day

PACK WAY – Narrow way along wich goods could only be transported by pask horse

PADDINGTON FAIR – A public execution at Tyburn in the parish of Paddington

PAID SITTING – payment made for the right to sit in a pew a church aka pew rates

pain – a rule/regulation of the manor

PALATINATE – Territory under the governance of a count palatine, usually an Earl or a Bishop, who enjoyed royal privileges and exclusive jurisdiction by way of Palatine Courts e.g. Durham

PANNAGE – payment made by tenants to the Lord of the Manor for the right to pasture pigs in the Lord’s woods

paterfamilias – the male head of the family or household

pater – father

PECULIAR – Ecclesiastical district exempt from jurisdiction on the bishop of the diocese

pena/ae – pain/penalty

PER DIEM – for each day

per homagium – by the homage

per virgam – by the rod

pertinentia/ae – appurtenance(s)

perquisitum/i – profit(s)

peto/ere – to claim

petivit admitti tenens – he petitioned to be admitted tenant

PETTY SESSIONS – Lowest court developed in the 18th century to remove some of the workload from the Quarter Sessons; types of cases inc. larceny, drunkeness, bastardy etc

PINDER – kept the manorial pound/pinfold

PIPE ROLLS – the record of the annual audit of the Accounts of Sheriffs and other debtors of the Crown “The Great Roll of the Exchequer”

Piscaries – fishing rights.

PIT MONEY – Customary fee for burial within the church

post meridiem – afternoon (pm)

postridie – on the day after

post ultimam curiam et ante hanc curiam – since the last court and before this court

post conquestum – after the conquest (1066)

POTWALLOPER – prior to 1832 a man entitled to vote by viture of having a fireplace of his own thus being classed as a householder

Pratum/prati -meadow

precept – order issued to the bailiff of the manor for the holding of a court

predictus – aforesaid

premissa predicta – premises aforesaid

prepositus/i – reeve(s)

presentatio/onis – presentment(s)

presentment – a statement by the jury of matters to be dealt with by the manorial court

prius – formerly

probatum – something proved

probatum fuit huiusmodi testametum apud – this will was proved at

PROVOST – Constable

proxima post festum sancti – next after the feast of st

puer – boy

puella – girl

PURGATORY – Receptacle for ashes beneath or in front of a fire

PUTRID FEVER – an Old name for a groupd diseases which included typhus and smallpox

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter O.

obitus – death

OBLIGATIO – bond

obolus/I (abrev ob) – halfpenny(ies)

Occidens – west

OCCUPO – to seize, occupy

OECONPMUS – Steward, Churchwarden

omnia bene – all is well

onus – burden, load; force, effect; charge(s) [in accounts]

OPELLA – shop, workshop

OPEN FIELDS – the major divisions, normally two or three, of the cultivated arable area of a medieval village outside the Highland Zone of England and Wales, in which one field each year in succession was left in rotation-fallow, the other one or two being communally ploughed and sown with winter and spring grains.

OPPORTUNUS – seasonal

AD OPUS – for the use of (a person)

ORBUS – orphan

ORREUM – barn, granary

Orrientem – east

OUTFANGTHIEF – right of a Lord of the Manor to pursue a thief beyond his own jurisdiction to bring him back for trial and if convicted to keep any forfeited goods

OVERSEER (OF THE POOR) – parich officer concerned with the administration and enforcement of the Poor Law between 1601 and 1834

OWLER – Smuggler

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter N.

NATALE – birth, birthday

natus – born

naturalia filia – illegitimate girl/daughter

NEC – Nor, and not

NEMUS – a wood

NEPOS – grandson, nephew, descendant

NEPTIS – niece

NICHIL/NIHIL – nothing

NINE – indefinite period between a week and a forthnight

nocte – at night

NOCUMENTUM – harm, injury, nuisance; harmful thing

noia/nomina – the names

NOMEN – name, title

nominates – named/christened

non – not

NOTHUS – bastard

noverint universi per presents (me) – know all men by these presents (that i)

nunc – now

NUNCUPATIVE WILL – a will declared verbally rather than in writing

Nuper – lately

nuper in tenure – in recent tenure

nupsit – married

NUTRIX – nurse, wet-nurse

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter M.

MAG – Halfpenny

MAGIS – more

magister/i – master(s)

MAINPAST – One for whom another is legally responsible

MALE – badly

MANADGE MAN – Itinerant seller of goods on creidt for household requirements

Mane – in the morning

manerium/i – manor(s)

MANOR – a landed estate, usually comprising a DEMESNE and lands held by VILLAGERs, BORDARs, or COTTAGERs and sometimes also FREE MEN, FRENCHMEN, RIDING MEN etc, which could vary in size from part of one village to several villages over a wide area; power over men (and women), ranging from civil to criminal jurisdiction; an estate in land giving authority and prestige; a land title giving superiority and gentility

MANUMISSION – the act of a feudal Lord that gave a villein his freedom

manus/us – hand(s)

manus domini – into the hands of the lord

marca – mark (6s 8d)

MARE – Sea, lake, mere

MARITUS – husband

matrimoniumsolemnizat – marriage solemnised

matrimonio conjuncti sunt – were married

MEDALE – Drinking feast after the Lord of the Manor’s meadow had been mown

MENSIS – Month

merchetum/i – merchet(s) – payment made for obtaining permission for a daughter to marry

MERCY – Amercement or Fine

Meridiem – southerly

messor/oris – hayward(s)

misercordia/ae – amercement(s)

messuagium – messuage/plot of land, usually with house or cottage and perhaps garden or outbuildings

MIGRO – to die

MILITIA – mustering of local forces comprising part time volunteers organised by county

MOB – Close-fitting cap with two lappets; a woman’s night-cap

MOETY/MOITY – Half share

MONETA – Money, coin

MOROR – to delay, remain; to dwell, live

MULIER – wife, woman

MURAGE – Tax levied for the building and upkeep of the walls of a town

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week I’m combining two letters, K and L, because words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter K are few and far between!

K’s

KAVEL – a ballot by which the working places in a pit are fixed; or strips of tillage lands in common fields

KEEPER – a person who attends to the sick and dying in place of a relative

KENNIN/KENNINE – a measure equivalent to half a bushel or two pecks

KID – a bunch of twigs, brushwood or gorse used for burning; To Kid is to bind up in faggots

KIDELLA – Fish-trap

KINE – Cows, usually dairy cows

KING ALE – Church ale

KING’S EVIL – Scrofula, a disease of the lymphatic glands, once thought to be cured by a touch from the King’s or Queen’s hand

KIRKMASTER – Churchwarden

KLICKER – someone who stands outside a shop to entice customers in

KNIGHT SERVICE – MIlitary service which a Knight was bound to render to the lord of the manor or crown as a condition of holding his land under the feudal system

KNOBSTICK WEDDING – Wedding of a pregnant woman compelled by the Churchwarden and attended by them in state

KNOWLEDGE MONEY – a gift from tenants to a new Bishop of Abott

KNOWN LAND – unenclosed land marked out by stones or natural boundaries to indicate ownership

Interesting to see the old meaning of KID! Perhaps today’s meaning as a slang for child originates from children being used to make the bunches of twigs etc?

L’s

LADDER – a flight of shelves, particularly for storing cheese

LAIRSTALL/LEYSTALL – a graev inside a church

LAKE – a type of fine linen which shirts were formerly made from

LAMMAS LAND – common land, arable of meadow, which was occupied for part of the year but after crops were harvested the owner(s) were able to use as pasture land

LANDLOUPER – a person who flies from the country because of crime or debt

LANDMALE – Reserved rent/annual sum of money charged on a piece of land by the Lord who held in Fee

LAND TAX – Tax on land payable between 1693 and 1963

LANSCOT – an assessment of land for the maintenance of the church

LARCENCY – Petty Larceny (theft) and Grand Laceny (Stealing property worth more than 12 pence

LATH – Barn

LEA – measure of yarn, 300 yards

LEASEHOLD – land let out in a way which was not restricted or governed by the custom of the manor

LEGALIA – laws, customs

LEGALITER – lawfully, legally

LEGANTIA – legacy, bequest

LEGES – laws

LEGGER – a man emplyed by a canal owner to push boats through narrow tunnels

Legitime procreates – lawfully begotten

LEGITIMUS – law worthy, of legal status

Legare – To leave/bequeath

LETTERS PATENT – document under seal of the state granting some privilege or authority or exclusive right to use an invention or design

LIBER – book (noun), Free (adj)

LIBERE – freely

LIBERI – children

L/l LIBRA/UM – pound £

LICENTIA – permission, authority, licence

LIFTING MONDAY – aka Hocktide Monday, when it was custom for men, in couples, to pift up and kiss each woman they met

LIFTING TUESDAY – when women returned the above compliment to men

LIGEUS – bound by allegience

LIGHTERMAN – the operator of flat-bottomed type of barge known as a LIGHTER

LIGNUM – wood, timber, beam, post

LITTEN- Churchyard

LOQUELA – suit, action, plea (legal)

LOQUELOR – to plead, implead, to confer, discuss

LORD – feudal superior of a VASSAL, a Manorial Lord

LORD LIEUTENANT – the Crown’s direct county representative first introduced in the 1540’s, responsible for raising and managing county MILITIA

It’s always interesting to se how the meaning of words has evolved through the centuries.

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk

This week it’s all about words and phrases found in genealogy, family and house history research beginning with the letter J.

At the start of last weeks blog I pointed out that ‘i’ should not be confused with ‘j’ and it is important to note this as ‘i’ and ‘j’ were often used interchangeably although as a general rule ‘j’ would be used as a consonant and ‘i’ as a vowel, with only ‘I’ being used as a capital letter until about the 17th century. Thus, John may be found spelt ‘Iohn’. Conversely ‘j’ would be used instead of ‘i’ where more that one ‘i’ ended a word and when writing in roman numberal i.e. ‘xii’ would be written ‘xij’.

Bearing this is mind, all the following words may be found spelt starting with an ‘I’ in early records.

JACENS – Lying, being, situated

JAM – Mow, at present, already, hitherto

JAMPA – Heath, gorse, furze

JOINTURE – Property settled on a woman at marriage which would become hers on the death of her husband

JONATHAN – An instrument used by smokers to light a pipe

JOSEPH – An ancient riding habit with buttons down to the skirts

JOURNEYMAN – a skilled worker, who has completed an apprenticeship, hired to work on a daily basis

JOVIS (DIES JOVIS)- Thursday

JUDEX – Judge

JUDICIUM – Judgement, statute, right, jurisdiction, suit, trial, court

JUGUM – yoke, a measurement of land

JULIAN CALENDAR – Old style calendar in use in England and Wales before 1752 when new years day fell on Lady Day, the 24th March.

JUNCTUS – Joined

JURAMENTUM – Oath

JURATOR/ORIS – Juror

DE JURE – By rights, lawfully

JURE – Justly, lawfully

JURO – to swear

JURO AD/SUPER – To swear on or by

JURO PRO FIDELITATE – To swear fealty

JUS, JURIS – Law, right, due, privilege

JUS COMMUNE – Common law

JUSSUM – Command, order

JUSTE – Justly

JUSTICIARIUS – Judge, justice

JUSTIFICO – To justify, set right, to bring to justice

JUSTITIA – Sentance, punishment, justice

JUVENCA – Heifer

JUVENCUS – Bullock

JUVENIS – Young, young man

JUXTA – near to, beside, according to

I would love to hear what obscure words and phrases you have found in your research – sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk