*   symbol used in many bygdebøker to indicate marriage
†  symbol used in many bygdebøker to indicate death

       A
ald.  abbr. for "alder" - age
antfam abbr. for  number in family
auk.  abbr. for "auksjon" - auction

       B
b.  abbr. for "barn" - children
beststed abbr for "bestemmelsessted" - place of destination
bg.  abbr. for "bondegods" - land owned by the farmers themselves, not by the king or the church
Bg./Ber.  abbr. for "Bergen" - city on the southwest coast of Norway
bl.a. abbr for "blant annet" - among other things
br.  abbr. for "bruk" – part of farm. (Note: Norwegian farms were usually subdivided over the centuries into smaller "bruk". Each of these "bruk" were numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Many "bruk" were only about 5 to 15 acres in size)
br.  abbr. for "bruker" (also spelled "brukar")  - farmer
br. heile g.  abbr. for "bruker heile gården" - used the whole farm
bnr. abbr for "bruksnummer" - subfarm unit number
bs.  abbr. for "busett" - settled, residing in

       C

       D
d. abbr. for "død" - died
d. a. abbr. for "datter av" - daughter from
d. a. abbr. for "dicto anno" – in the said year
d.e. abbr. for "den eldre" - the older
d.s.s. abbr. for "det samme som" – the same as
d.s.å. abbr. for "det samme året" – same year
dvs abbr  for "det vil si" -  i.e.
d.y. abbr. for "den yngre" - the younger
d.å. abbr. for "det år" – that year
dl. abbr. for "dalar" - old currency

       E
etc. et cetera, and so on (abbr)

       F
f.  abbr. for "fødd" - born
f.eks. abbr  - e.g.
f.t. abbr for "for tiden" - for the time being
fam. abbr for "familie" - family
fam. still. abbr for "familiestilling" - position in the family, family status
fosterb. abbr for "fosterbarn” - foster child
fosterd. abbr for "fosterdatter" - foster daughter
fosters. abbr for "fostersønn" - foster son
fosterb. abbr. for "fosterbarn" - foster child
fosterd. abbr. for "fosterdatter" - foster daughter
fosters. abbr. for "fostersønn" - foster son
fa'en a contraction of "fanden" - (devil) when something goes bad

       G
g. abbr. for "gift" - married
g. abbr. for "gård" - farm
gift m. abbr. for "gift med" - married to
gl.  abbr. for "gammel" - as in “23 years old”
g.m.  abbr. for "gift med" - married to
gnr. abbr. for "gårdsnummer") - farm number

       H
hpg. abbr. for "hospitalgods" - land belonging to a hospital and leased out to farmers
hr. abbr. for "Herr"
husmann m. j.  abbr. for "husmann med jord" - person who rented a house with small plot of land on a larger farm
husmann u. j.  abbr. for "husmann uten jord" - person who rented a house without any land on a larger farm

       I
ikr.  abbr. for "ikring" - about, approximately
innrull. abbr. for "innrullert" - enlisted (military)
ind. abbr. for "inderst" - renter

       J
jfr. abbr. for "jamfor" - compare with

       K
k. abbr. for "kone" - wife, or "kvinne" - woman
kj. abbr. for "kjønn" - sex/gender
kl. abbr. for "klokke" - clock
konf. abbr. for “konfirmert” - confirmed
krg. abbr. for "krungods" - land belonging to the king and leased out to farmers
krung. abbr. for "krungods" - land belonging to the king and leased out to farmers

       L
l. abbr. for "laup" - old measurement
ld. abbr. for "lodd" - old measurement
lnr. abbr. for "løpenummer" - serial number
lsk. abbr. for "landskyld" - yearly fee for leasing land
ltn. abbr. for "løytnant" - lieutenant

       M
m. abbr. for "mann" - man
m. abbr. for "med" - with
m.a. abbr. for "med annet" - among other things
m.v. abbr. for "med videre" - et cetera, and so on
matr. abbr. for "matrikkel" - land register
mk. abbr. for "mark" - old measurement
mmb. abbr. for "månadsmatabol" - old measurement

       N
n.  abbr. for "navn" - name
nsj. abbr. for "nasjonalitet" - nationality

       O
odg. abbr. for "odelsgutt" - oldest son who had right to inherit the farm
odj. abbr. for "odelsjente" - oldest daughter who had right to inherit the farm, there being no sons
odr. abbr. for "odelsrett" - allodial right of the oldest child to inherit the parents' farm
o.s.v. abbr. for "og så videre" - and so on

       P
pants. abbr. for "pantsette" - mortgage, give as collateral for loan
pd. abbr. for "pund" - old measurement
pg.  abbr. for "pige" - girl (archaic)
pk.  abbr. for "pike" - girl
prb. abbr. for "prestebol" - land belonging to a parish, usually refers to the farm house where the priest lived (the vicarage)
prgj. abbr. for "prestegjeld" - parish

       Q

       R
rbdl. abbr. for "riksbankdalar" - old currency
rdl. abbr. for "riksdalar" - old currency

       S
s. abbr. for "samme" - same
s. abbr. for "sønn" – son
s. abbr. for "side" – page
s. a. abbr. for "sønn av" - son from
s.å. abbr. for "samme året" - the same year
sk. abbr. for "skøyte" - transfer ownership of real estate
skld. abbr. for "skylddalar" - taxes owed in "dalar"
skill. abbr. for "skilling" - old currency
skmk. abbr. for "skyldmark" - taxes owed in "mark"
spd. abbr. for "speciedalar" - old currency
St. abbr. for "Sancte", "Sancta" - Saint

       T
t. abbr. for “tønne” - keg
T. abbr. for "tellingssted" or "tellingskrets" - location of census, enumeration place
trossamf. abbr. for "trossamfunn" - religious belief

       U
ug. abbr. for "ugift" - single, not married
       V

       W

       X

       Y

       Z

       Æ

       Ø

       Å