“What is a suffix in a name?” It is among the genealogical mysteries no one really discusses: What to make of those pesky letters and abbreviations that arbitrarily appear after an individual’s name in old files and records.

These letters, frequently and collectively called a suffix or name suffix, can supply game-changing clues as to our forefather’s identities, relationships, and accomplishments– no matter how random they might seem. Let’s take a better look.

What is a suffix in a name, and how do they work?
In basic terms, a suffix is one type of affix (something that is contributed to the end of a word). This includes endings of verbs like -ing or -ed, which alter the tense, and endings like -ism and -ship, which alter a noun’s meaning.

Genealogists might also be familiar with a name suffix like -child which in ancient days was added to a dad’s name (patriarch), producing a new surname (e.g. Jacobson) which showed kinship (” child of Jacob”). For our purposes, however, we’re interested in another method they are usages: When an abbreviation, an acronym, or other word or notation is included to the end of a person’s full name to use some sort of significance.

How generational suffixes like Sr, Jr and III work
The most typical examples American household historians will recognize are those suggesting generational relationships, like Jr and Sr

. These are typically included as Senior, Sr or Sr. for a dad– Junior, Jr or Jr. for a kid– or the roman characters II, III, or IV for generations that follow. These are called patronymic or generational suffixes, and are typically used when a male is provided the specific complete name of his dad.

In that case, Sr. or I will be contributed to the dad’s name, while the child will be offered a Jr. or II. When a name is carried on to a third and fourth generation, the majority of families switch to the mathematical use of III and IV. When a household is the first to start designating these suffixes the daddy will not show a Sr. on records till he has actually fathered the boy who will end up being Jr

. Naturally, having three or four males with the very same specific first, middle, and surnames can be bothersome, particularly in modern-day times, where longer life spans imply several generations are co-existing. For this factor, the more youthful generations often embrace labels that show their place in the generational line-up, like “Trey” or “Tripp” if they are a III, or “Quaid” or “Cort” for the 4th in the namesake line.

Some people get quite imaginative with their generational labels; for instance, NFL quarterback Patrick Lavon Mahomes II, boy of baseball terrific Patrick Lavon Mahomes, Sr., just recently named his child Patrick Lavon Mahomes III, however calls him “Bronze” to indicate that he comes in “3rd location” in the line.
Important exceptions to the rule
Similar to many “rules” of genealogy, there are exceptions to the Jr. and Sr. or I, II, III naming conventions. For example, a scientist can not just presume that two individuals with the exact same complete name and Sr. and Jr. are daddy and child. In some communities, two guys with the same name who were unrelated or distantly associated were provided Sr. or Jr. only to help the townspeople tell them apart in files (” Sr.” being the older of the two).
Often, a son will be provided Jr. informally even if he does not share the exact name as his father– maybe they have a little various middle names. A popular example accompanied Francis Albert Sinatra and his child Francis Wayne Sinatra, who was often called “Jr.”.

Another abnormality occurs when a Sr. passes away; in some cases, his same-named child, formerly a Jr., will drop the Jr. from his official name. In other cases, the child will assume Sr.; this is especially typical when there is a 3rd generation with the very same name.

Males who are named after a relative who is not their daddy (e.g. an uncle, a grandpa, or even a departed sibling) can also use a naming suffix; nevertheless, they typically choose the numerical kind of II (” the second”), rather than Jr

. We understand that the father of King Charles III was Prince Philip, and was not called Charles; rather, King Charles III is the third queen to use the name Charles.

Did women ever use Sr or Jr?
Periodically, females who were given the exact name as their mom would include a Jr. to their name, but that calling convention is unusual– maybe because ladies would ultimately change their surname (also referred to as family name) to that of their spouse.
The couple gave their 3rd boy their father’s name, calling him Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr. They likewise provided their only child her mom’s name, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, and historians frequently refer to the daughter as a Jr

.
To even more muddy the water, it’s essential to comprehend that the generational options discussed earlier aren’t the only ones you’ll discover in your genealogy pursuits. The majority have absolutely nothing to do with familial relationships, but they can be simply as useful. Collectively, these letters are called post-nominals, and may suggest scholastic degrees, social standing, expert titles, achievements or affiliation, and even religious associations.

Here’s an enjoyable one.

What the heck does esquire actually imply?
It’s not at all uncommon to see the word “Esquire” or the abbreviation “Esq.” following male names in early American files, like the 1829 listing listed below.
Today, “Esquire” is usually utilized by the legal community as a title of courtesy for attorneys, or its abbreviation “Esq.” after their surname, primarily in formal correspondence. In England, it is not utilized expertly, however was when an honorific for principal parish landowners, holders of knights’ estates who had not taken up their knighthood, oldest children of more youthful children of peers, oldest boys of baronets and knights, and some authorities.

The English honorific has actually mostly fallen out of fashion, however till the early 19th century, it held a place in American social society. Usually, a male’s name may be followed by Esq. if he held a local office, belonged to a fraternal organization, was rich or a company owner, or was just considered of high social standing.

In truth, at one time in the late 1700s, lots of people complained that it was being excessive used, and was provided to any male who did not already have a different one. Therefore, it’s probably best not to assume that your ancestor with Esq. held a specific position or role, when it might represent numerous different honors.

The significance of scholastic post-nominals such as bachelor’s degree, MBA or PhD.
An academic suffix would be utilized to suggest a degree which the person earned at a college or university, and generally suggest the particular area of research study in which the degree was achieved.

For example, BA represents Bachelor of Arts, BS for Bachelor of Science– showing different types of Bachelor’s degrees, etc. Master’s degrees follow the same match (MA for Master of Arts, MBA for Master of Business Administration, and so on), as do academic and professional doctorates, including JD for Juris Doctorate (law degree) and PhD for Doctor of Philosophy.

Individuals holding advanced degrees are also entitled to use other options, such as Esq. for a lawyer who has actually earned a Juris Doctorate, or the name prefix Dr. for somebody who has their PhD. Typically, though, they will utilize one or the other notation (Dr. John Smith or John Smith, PhD), however not both (Dr. John Smith, PhD).

It is used today in the USA mostly as an honorary degree, the Doctor of Laws degree, which uses LLD, was a popular doctorate-level option in legal studies in early American universities. It is still awarded by schools in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and a number of European nations.
It’s also intriguing to keep in mind that in some early documents, such as the Catalog of Officers and Graduates of Columbian University above, the suffixes for bachelor’s and master’s degrees were written in reverse of what we use today. For example, a Master’s of Art was abbreviated as AM, while a Bachelor’s of Art was AB, an acronym for the Latin phrase artium baccalaureus.

Making sense of spiritual suffixes.
Another variation you might come across during your genealogical research are spiritual ones. These letters, which are mainly acronyms, represent the religious order or institute to which an individual belonged. They are especially popular in the Catholic Church, as priests, nuns, monks, and other members of the clergy will normally use their specific spiritual suffix in their formal signature.

In the example listed below, the priest’s signature, “Fr. Clement OSB,” in this 1923 baptismal register shows that Father Clement was a member of the Order of Saint Benedict, a monastic religious order of the Catholic Church. There are hundreds of different orders and institutes in the Catholic Church alone, and therefore hundreds of various post-nominals.
Clergy from other faiths likewise used suffixes. VDM (Verbi Dei minister or verbi divini minister) was frequently used by ministers or pastors within Lutheran and Reformed churches. Clergy from numerous spiritual used MG to represent their function as a Minister of the Gospel.

Post-nominals for doctrinal degrees are also typically discovered in genealogical records. DD, for instance, suggests a Doctorate in Divinity, while MTh is utilized for a Master’s in Theology.

Professional and military suffixes.
If you’ve studied any United States marital relationship records, you’re bound to have actually stumbled upon “JP.” Most family historians rapidly learn that this is an acronym for Justice of the Peace, a judicial authorities who commands a variety of court proceedings.

You’ll most often find JP after the name of the official who performed your forefathers’ wedding events, if they were not wed by a member of the clergy. In the example below, the marriage record of Horace Elliott and Mary Davis was carried out by Justice of the Peace R.F. Love.
Military post-nominals prevail also. For instance, USN is typically included in the signature of an individual in the U.S. Navy, while CSA was the option used by individuals fighting for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.

In addition to a specific profession, expert additions frequently show a certification or subscription in an organization. Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution may add DAR to their names, while Sons of Confederate Veterans may utilize the SCV.

Today, professional association or credential options exist for virtually every type of industry or location of know-how, from accounting to veterinary medicine. PHR after a name means a person has finished the requirements to become a Professional in Human Resources, while CRT implies they are a Certified Respiratory Therapist. Obviously, most of the expert choices utilized today came about in the 20th century, so running across these within your genealogical research studies prior to the early 1900s will be unusual.

What about Mr. and Mrs.? The distinction between a prefix and a suffix.
Common titles, in some cases called name prefixes, include Mr., Mrs., Miss, and Dr., along with military classifications, like Col. for Colonel, Sgt. for Sergeant, Pvt. for Private, and so on and come before an offered name. These are not suffixes.

While we haven’t covered every possible variation you may find in old records and documents, you can probably collect that they, whether signifying a scholastic, social, spiritual, or professional status or a generational continuation, are rather commonplace. Most genealogical software application includes a “Suffix” field where you can add the suitable classification (as seen in the “Add New Person” forms from Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org below).

Screenshot of suffix name entry from Ancestry.

Screenshot from Add a Person suffix field from FamilySearch.

You’ll notice that the 2nd example above from FamilySearch.org consists of a field for Title and is where prefixes, as explained above, must be included.

Some family history researchers will utilize the Suffix field for other purposes, like nicknames or individual notes, which can be aggravating and confusing if the tree is online and public. Most genealogical software and online programs consist of fields for nicknames, notes, and other classifications, such as Ancestry’s “Also Known As” reality field, shown listed below. For uniformity, it’s best to always utilize the fields offered in the system for the details they actually represent, or develop a Custom Event or fact for your specific details.

Screenshot of Ancestry Add Fact or Event dropdown menu.

How to consist of a suffix in a name.
Figuring out how to include a suffix can be confusing. As mentioned, when including this information in your family tree, constantly put it in the designated box. When composing it out, you can utilize the basic format seen below.

In the past, a comma was utilized to separate the suffix from the surname and this is still an appropriate way to do so, but is less common today. Note that when surnames are listed before offered names a comma is still utilized.

Examples of suffix usage:.
Single suffix: Andrew Jones West, Jr
. Multiple suffixes: Andrew Jones West, Jr., PhD.
Surname First: West, Andrew Jones, Jr., PhD.
In the past you may also have actually seen a wife using her spouse’s name together with one of more suffixes– such as Mrs. Andrew Jones West, Jr

. If your forefather has actually attained several additions to their name, etiquette dictates that they be listed in a preferred order.

Here is the correct order for adding suffixes:.
Generational.
Religious orders.
Doctrinal degrees.
Academic degrees, arts before professions.
Honorary degrees, honors, designs.
Expert licenses.
Professional accreditations.
Professional associations & associations.
Why this research is essential to your ancestral tree.
Discovering a suffix associated with an ancestor’s name can supply all sorts of ideas for the family historian, whether it’s a “II” that supplies a cause a close household good friend or relative who was honored as a namesake or a professional one that suggests their profession or religious association.

The secret to puzzling these letter and number mixes out is to put them into context, considering the kind of file on which it appears (court records, church files, military files, etc) and performing extensive research study on the exact significance.

As a family historian, it’s important to look at these with a certain degree of apprehension, and not just presume that the Sr. (father) and a Jr. or II held the very same name. The only method to verify these relationships is to carry out exhaustive research study.

Keep in mind that the scenarios we’ve talked about here are common usages in western culture in the English language, however differing countries and cultures have different traditions when it comes to naming their offspring or assigning post-nominals.

And when looking for forefathers with a name suffix, please remember that they were not constantly included in documents or may have been included in various forms. You might see, for example, Jr., Jr, J, II or junior for a son– or the record keeper may have skipped it entirely. Typically it is best to search for names and to use the dates of birth and other relationships (such as partner or children) to ensure you have the appropriate generation.