How to read old handwriting

Styles of handwriting have changed dramatically over time. In early parish registers, clerks often wrote in 'secretary hand' - a script filled with flourishes and unfamiliar letter forms. By the 18th and 19th centuries, copperplate handwriting became popular, but ink blots, abbreviations, and personal quirks still make reading handwritten documents difficult. 

Other common challenges include: 

• Spelling variations - 'Anne', 'Ann', and 'An' may all refer to the same person. 
• Ink fading – Especially in registers or wills stored in damp conditions. 
• Abbreviations – 'Wm” for William or 'Jn' for John appear regularly in parish and military records. 

Recognising these patterns is the first step toward unlocking the stories hidden in your ancestors' documents. 

Common abbreviations in handwritten genealogy records 

Genealogists often encounter shorthand within old documents. Within English records relating to the Catholic church, Latin abbreviations are also fairly common. When exploring your ancestors' paper trails, remember these commonly used abbreviations: 

• 'Bp' for baptised 
• 'Wd' for widow 
• 's' or 'd' for son or daughter 
• Latin phrases like uxor (wife) or filius (son) in 16th–17th century registers 

From 19th-century census returns to military attestations, many key records used in family history contain handwriting. Most are made up of a combination of typed text (like the pre-filled sections on a census return) and handwritten details, filled in by a record-taking official or the person whose information was being recorded. 

Some of the richest sources for family historians are also the hardest to read. Examples include: 

• Parish registers for England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Baptisms, marriages, and burials from the 1500s onwards are available to explore online. The original records were often written in cramped or stylised script. 
• Wills and probate records. These reveal property, relationships, and occupations, but legal scribes often used complex secretary hand. 
• Poor Law records. Settlement examinations, bastardy bonds, and admission registers can contain long handwritten narratives, with cursive handwriting typical of the era. 
• Censuses. Enumerators or the heads of households who filled out census forms sometimes had poor handwriting or may have made errors when recording names. 
• Military service papers. Muster rolls or pension records may include shorthand symbols or notations alongside flowing cursive. 

Learning to decipher these handwritten records will help you to understand your past in vivid detail. 

Start with familiar words. Scan a document for repeated terms like 'baptised', 'son' or common surnames, as recognising these anchors helps you to decode the rest. 

Compare letters. Once you identify how a clerk wrote 'h' or 's', apply that knowledge throughout the text, making it easier to recognise the full alphabet. You can also compare the letters to neighbouring record entries to see how other names or dates have been recorded. 

Read aloud. Speaking the words phonetically can help when spelling is inconsistent. 

Zoom in and readjust. When exploring digitised genealogy records, you can use magnification tools to bring faded ink or tiny notes into focus. If the record is too light or dark, consider downloading it as an image and adjusting the brightness, contrast and saturation until it's clearer to read. 

Reading old handwriting is like learning a new language – the more you practice, the easier it becomes. If you're really stumped, consider reaching out to the genealogy community for help. The Findmypast Forum offers a place for family history fans to connect and work together - another researcher's keen eye may be able to decipher something that you can't. 

Each handwritten record is a bridge back in time, carrying the voices of those who lived before us. By learning to read them, you’re glimpsing the daily lives, struggles, and resilience of your ancestors.