The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is May 2026)
Practical solutions for real genealogy research problems. Explore the new Field Guides
Land records frequently contain abbreviations to conserve space in deeds, plats, grants, and survey descriptions. Understanding these shortened forms is essential for properly interpreting property boundaries, ownership transfers, and legal descriptions.
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
| A/C | Account |
| Agt. | Agent |
| Bk. | Book |
| Bnd. | Bound or Bond |
| Bldg. | Building |
| Co. | County or Company |
| Cor. | Corner |
| Dft. | Defendant |
| Dist. | District |
| Do. | Ditto (same as above) |
| Exr. | Executor |
| Exrx. | Executrix |
| Et al. | And others |
| Et ux. | And wife |
| Et vir. | And husband |
| FBO | For benefit of |
| Gov’t | Government |
| Grantee | Person receiving property |
| Grantor | Person conveying property |
| Heirs | Legal successors |
| Hrs. | Heirs |
| Inst. | Instrument |
| J.P. | Justice of the Peace |
| Lds. | Lands |
| Lt. | Lot |
| Metes & Bds. | Metes and bounds (property description method) |
| Mtg. | Mortgage |
| N | North |
| NE | Northeast |
| NW | Northwest |
| No. | Number |
| POB | Place of beginning |
| Pt. | Part |
| Pltf. | Plaintiff |
| QCD | Quitclaim Deed |
| R/W | Right of way |
| Rec’d | Received |
| Reg. | Register |
| Sec. | Section |
| SE | Southeast |
| S | South |
| SW | Southwest |
| Subd. | Subdivision |
| Surv. | Survey or Surveyor |
| T | Township |
| Tp. | Township |
| Tr. | Tract |
| W | West |
| Wd. | Ward |
| Wtn. | Witness |
Download the Quicksheet PDF
To obtain the Quicksheet PDF of this information, download it by clicking on the Download button below:
For all the previously published Quick Reference Guides, click on QuickSheets.
If you use Quicksheets often, the Quicksheet Vault puts 390+ of them in one organized place — clean, printable, and easy to reuse whenever you need them. Whether you keep digital references handy or build your own genealogy binder, the Vault makes research simpler. Learn more about the Quicksheet Vault HERE