This is an edited version of a guide that was produced for Irish Family History Foundation (IFHF) centres across Ireland compiled from material provided by genealogical practitioners from throughout the island, some operating in IFHF centres, others drawing on their personal experience in the field. It should be noted that there is no definitive source of translations which covers every case and which provides an answer to every query. The possibility of expanding this guide by drawing on further grass-root experience of researchers and even names unique to individual localities is very considerable.

Baptism register

Conventions

The basic rule adopted by the IFHF is that if the Latin form has several possible English translations the Latin form should be retained, otherwise translate. Thus, for example, Gaufrido which could be translated as Geoffrey or Godfrey remains unaltered, while Guglielmus or Guilmus will be rendered as William.

First Name Abbreviations and Pet Names

It must be said that there is no definitive source which covers every abbreviation or pet name tying it absolutely to a single standard first name. The list is thus intended as a guide. Almost all of the entries on it are both well established and well known.

Guide to Spelling Variations

When researching historical documents, you will often find names spelled differently in Latin compared to English. The following guide highlights the most common vowel shifts, consonant changes, and abbreviations to look out for.

Glossary of Latin Terms and Comments

This glossary of basic terminology is intended to aid in the reading and understanding of comments attaching to entries in church registers which are written in Latin. Generally speaking, a very small vocabulary will enable the user to understand what the original record keeper intended to convey. 

Forenames and Petnames: Latin to English

Historical documents frequently recorded both full first names and informal pet names (nicknames) in Latin. The lists below will help you match some common Latin entries back to their familiar English forms.