Foreign Language Word Lists

The Genealogical Society of Utah is the parent organization which sponsors the huge Family History Library (FHL): www.familysearch.org in Salt Lake City. On the FamilySearch website is a hidden, but essential research tool for understanding foreign languages. These are guides to words you will find in your genealogical research. Since the Irish historically went just about everywhere, these online guides are a virtual database to help you in your immigrant research.

These are little known, because they are so difficult to find on the website. Here’s the key to accessing these free guides is:

*Go to the FamilySearch website

*Click the “Learn” tab at the top of the page

*Click on “Research Wiki”

*Type in [language] Genealogical Word List

For example, if you type in Latin Genealogical Word List, you will find an incredible discussion of Latin words, abbreviations, Roman Numerals, terms, and an A-Z dictionary of Latin words you will find in your research. It simply does not get better than this.

I’ve had to refer to various Genealogical Word List publications more often than I can count. From my experience, the ones affecting the Irish the most would be Afrikaans, Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. There are of course others, but these will be the major ones you will encounter. Be aware, there are secondary lists and articles on the FamilySearch Wiki breaking out a  specific country or topic within the county. For example, “France Language and Languages.” FamilySearch Wiki is a research tool in itself.

The Wiki will have external links as well as references at the FHL from which to consult. These Word List articles and the associated articles are well worth your time. They are a gold mine for your worldwide Irish family history.