Researching your female ancestors is often tricky, but historical newspapers can help you break through those frustrating brick walls. So we’re launching a 3-part series on how to do newspaper research into the women in your family tree.
Last week, we shared our top search tips for finding your female ancestor in the papers on Newspapers.com. In this final post, we’ll be focusing on some vocabulary that you’re likely to come across while researching your female relatives.
Fri, Dec 8, 1911 – 1 · The McLouth Times (McLouth, Kansas) · Newspapers.com
Have you ever been reading about a female ancestor in the newspaper and seen them called a “relict”? Learning words like this can help us wring every last bit of information from a newspaper piece we find about our relative.
Brush up on 10 genealogy vocab words you might encounter while researching your female ancestors!
- Consort: Spouse.
- Dower: A widow’s legal share of her deceased husband’s estate.
- Executrix: A woman appointed by the deceased to carry out the terms, directions, and requests in a will. The feminine version of “executor.”
- Goodwife. A title (similar to Mrs.) used before the surname of a married woman. Or, the female head of a household.
- Granddame/grande dame: Grandmother. Or, an influential or prestigious woman, often elderly.
- Matron: A married woman, often of a mature age.
- Nee/née: “Born.” Used to indicate a woman’s maiden name.
- Relict: Widow.
- Spinster: An unmarried woman, often older than what is considered the usual marriage age.
- Testatrix: A woman who has written a will. The feminine version of “testator.”
Got any more genealogy vocab words you think might be helpful? Share them with us in the comments!
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For your list:
Dowager – a widow inheriting a title from a late husband. Casually used to connote an impressive, honored older married woman.
mesdames – plural of madam (term of address, not a proprietor of a brothel)