Abbreviations from Rudolph's Ortslexikon
In German with English translation Copyright © 1996-1998: text by Gordon McDaniel; all rights reserved
1. What is it?
Rudolph's Ortslexikon is a major source for locating places within Prussia, the Austrian (or Austro-Hungarian) Empire, and other German lands during the 19th century. The full title is:
Vollständigstes geographisch-topographische-statistisches Orts-lexikon von Deutschland, sowie der unter Österreichs und Preussens Botmässigkeit stehenden nichtdeutschen Länder. Von H. Rudolph.
The most complete geographical, topographical and statistical gazetteer of Germany, as well as non-German lands governed by Austria and Prussia. By H. Rudolph.
Names are listed predominantly in German, but if no German name existed for a place, the name is given in the local language, which may include Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Croatian and Italian.
A typical entry includes the name of the place, type of place (estate, village, etc.), administrative jurisdiction, location in reference to some other place, and population. Entries often include the name of the nearest post office or administrative office.
Examples:
Here are the entries for the three places named Hammermühle in West Prussia.
- Hammermühle, Mhle., Pr., Westpr., Rgbz. u Kr. Danzig, zu Staszyn geh.
- Hammermühle, Etabl., ebd., Rgbz. Marienwerder, Kr. Flatow, bei Vandsburg; 25 E.
- Hammermühle, 2 Hsr., ebd., Kr. u 1/4 Ml. SO v. Marienwerder; 18 E.
Place (1) is a mill in Prussia, province of West Prussia, administrative area and district of Danzig, belongs to the commune of Staszyn.
Place (2) is a business establishment, also in Prussia, province of West Prussia, but in the administrative area of Marienwerder, district of Flatow, near Vandsburg, with 25 inhabitants.
Place (3) is two houses, also in Prussia, province of West Prussia, administrative area of Marienwerder, in the district of Marienwerder, and located 1/4 German mile (about 2 km) southeast of Marienwerder, with 18 inhabitants.
| N | O | S | W |
| NgO | OgS | SgW | WgN |
| NNO | OSO | SSW | WNW |
| NOgN | SOgO | SWgS | NWgW |
| NO | SO | SW | NW |
| NOgO | SOgS | SWgW | NWgN |
| ONO | SSO | WSW | NNW |
| OgN | SgO | WgS | NgW |
Where can I find it?
At your nearest LDS Family History Center. LDS microfilm numbers:
- A-R is on film number 1256334, items 2-3
- S-Z is on film number 1256335, item 1
According to OCLC (Online Computer Library Catalog), these libraries hold the Rudolph gazetteer in one of its editions:
- Leipzig, 1870-1872 edition:
- Library of Congress (cataloging division)
- Library of Congress (microfilm)
- University of Chicago
- University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (microfilm)
- Ohio State University (microfilm)
- Weimar, undated edition:
- Cleveland Public Library
- Cincinnati Public Library
- Bibliotheque Central, Musee Nationale de Histoire Naturelle, Paris
- Leipzig, 1862-1866 edition (5 vols.)
- St. Louis Public Library
- Zurich, 1868 edition, publisher: E. Ernst's Verlag
- Stanford University Green (main) Library: call number: DD14.R8
- Rudolph also published in 1872 an addendum to this gazetteer covering Alsace-Lorraine (under German rule from 1866), held by:
- Library of Congress (microfilm)
- Harvard University (microfilm)
Why should I use it?
Because it covers ALL Germanic locations in the German AND Austro-Hungarian Empires. This contrasts with Meyer's Ortslexikon which is less complete and covers only the German Empire.
How do I read it?
There is a list, given below, of abbreviations as used in the Ortslexikon. In general, administrative jurisdictions are abbreviated.
Not all of those abbreviations are listed below, i.e., Mähr. = Mähren = Moravia.
Abbreviation (Rudolph).....German full text (Rudolph).....English translation (McDaniel)
a. ..........am..........at the, on the
A. ...........Amt..........jurisdiction, office
a.d. .........an der, den..........at the, on the
adel. ..........adeliges..........noble
Ahpt. ..........Amtshauptmannschaft (Sachsen)..........captaincy (Saxony)
b. ..........bei..........near
Bauersch. ..........Bauerschaft..........farm
Bay. .........Bayern..........Bavaria
Böhm. .........Böhmen..........Bohemia
Brandenb. ..........Brandenburg..........Brandenburg
Braunschw. ...........Braunschweig.........Braunschweig
Bza. ..........Bezirksamt (Oestreich.)..........district office (Austria)
Cant. ..........Canton (Bayern, Hessen, Luxemb.)..........canton (Bavaria, Hesse, Luxembourg)
Col. .........Colonie..........colony
Com. ..........Comitat (Ungarn)..........county (Hungary)
d. ...........der, dem..........of the
D. ..........Dampfschiffstation..........steamship station
Df. ..........Dorf..........village
Dfch. ..........Dörfchen..........small village
Dfr. ..........Dörfer..........villages
Dfthl. ..........Dorftheil..........part of a village
Distr. ..........Distrikt..........district
Dom. ..........Domaine..........domain, government-owned estate
Donaukr. ..........Donaukreis (Würtemberg)..........Donaukreis (Würtemberg)
Düsseld. ..........Düsseldorf..........Düsseldorf
E. .........Einwohner..........inhabitants
Eb. ...........Eisenbahnstation..........rail station
ebd. ..........ebendaselbst..........in the same place*
e. Hsr. ..........einige, einzelne Häuser.......... single houses
eig. ..........eignes (Gut)..........own (freehold)
Einfl. ..........Einfluss..........influx (of river)
Einsch. ..........Einschichte..........wilderness or desolate place
Etabl. ..........Etablissement..........business establishment
Fabr. ..........Fabrik..........factory
Forsth. ...........Forsthaus.........forester's house
Frankf. ..........Frankfurt..........Frankfurt
Fürstenth. ..........Fürstenthum..........principality
G. A. ..........Gerichtsamt (Sachsen)..........judicial office (Saxony)
Galiz. ..........Galizien..........Galicia
geh. ..........gehörig..........belongs to
gleichnam. ..........gleichnamig..........of the same name
Gmde. ..........Gemeinde..........community, congregation
Gmdeth. ..........Gemeindetheil..........part of a community, congregation
Gr. ..........Gross..........large, great (part of place name)
Grafsch. ..........Grafschaft..........county
Hannov. ..............................Hannover...................................Hannover
Hausruckkr. ........................Hausruckkreis (Oestreich)...........Hausruckkreis (Austria)
Herrsch. ..............................Herrschaft.................................estate
Herrschger. .........................Herrschaftsgericht......................estate court
Hildesh. ..............................Hildesheim..................................Hildesheim
Hohenz. ..............................Hohenzollern...............................Hohenzollern
Hsr. ....................................Häuser.......................................houses
i. .........................................in..........in
Innkr. ..................................Innkreis (Oestreich)....................Inn district (Austria)
Innsbr. ................................Innsbruck (Oestreich)..................Innsbruck (Austria)
j. L. .....................................jüngere Linie (Reuss).................younger line (Reuss)
Jaxtkr. .................................Jaxtkreis (Würtemberg)..............Jaxtkreis (Würtemberg)
Kdf. ....................................Kirchdorf...................................church village
Kl. ......................................Klein..........................................small, lesser (part of place name)
Königsb...............................Königsberg................................Königsberg
Kr. ......................................Kreis.........................................district
Krsger. ...............................Kreisgericht...............................district court
Kroat. .................................Kroatien....................................Croatia
Kroat. Slavon. Militär. ..........Kroat.-Slav. Militärgrenze..........Croatian-Slavonian Military Frontier
Kwlr. ..................................Kirchweiler...............................church hamlet
l. ..........................................links.........................................left
Ldg. ....................................Landgericht...............................county court
Ldhs. ...................................Landhaus..................................country house
Ldr. .....................................Landdrostei (Hannover)...........bailiwick
Ldrbz. ..................................Landrathsbezirk (Hessen).........magistracy district (Hesse)
Lomb. ..................................Lombardie................................Lombardy
Lüneb. .................................Lüneburg..................................Lüneburg
Luxemb. ..............................Luxemburg................................Luxembourg
m. ..........mit..........with
Magdeb. ..........Magdeburg..........Magdeburg
Manuf. ..........Manufaktur..........factory
Mecklenb. ..........Mecklenburg..........Mecklenburg
Merseb. ..........Merseburg..........Merseburg
Mfl. ..........Marktflecken..........small market town
Mhl. ..........Mühle..........mills
Mittelfr. ..........Mittelfranken (Bayern)..........Middle Franconia (Bavaria)
Mittelrhnkr. ..........Mittelrheinkreis (Baden)..........Middle Rhine district (Baden)
Ml. ....................Meile..........(German) miles (1 mile approx 7.5 km)
Mrlbad. ..........Mineralbad..........mineral spa
Mrlql. ..........Mineralquelle..........mineral source
Mühlkr. ..........Mühlkreis (Ostreich)..........Mühl district (Austria)
Musikinstr. ..........Musikinstrumente..........musical instruments
N. ..........Nord..........north
N. Br. ..........nördlicher Breite..........north latitude
Neckarkr. ..........Neckarkreis..........Neckar district
Nied. ..........Nieder..........lower
Niederb. ..........Niederbayern..........Lower Bavaria
Niederh. ..........Niederhessen..........Lower Hesse
O. ..........Ost..........east
O. A. ..........Ober-Amt (Würtemberg)..........district office (Würtemberg)
Ob. ..........Ober..........upper
ob d. K. ..........ob der Kans (Oestreich)..........Ob der Kans (Austria)
Oberb. ..........Oberbayern..........Upper Bavaria
Oberfr. ..........Oberfranken (Bayern)..........Upper Franconia (Bavaria)
Oberh. ..........Oberhessen..........Upper Hesse
Oberpf. ..........Oberpfalz (Bayern)..........Upper Pfalz (Bavaria)
Oberrhnkr. ..........Oberrheinkreis..........Upper Rhine district
Ob. M. B. ..........Ober-Manhartsberg (Oestreich)..........Upper Manhartsberg (Austria)
Ob. W. W. ..........Ober-Wienerwald (Oestreich)..........Upper Wienerwald Austria)
ö.L. ..........östlicher Länge..........east longitude
Oestr. ..........Oestreich..........Austria
Ortsch. ..........Ortschaft..........village
Ostfriesl. ..........Ostfriesland (Hannover)..........East Frisia (Hannover)
Ostpr. ..........Ostpreussen..........East Prussia
P. ..........Postanstalt..........post office
Papierm. ..........Papiermühle..........paper mill
Patr. Ger. .........Patrimonialgericht..........patrimonial court
Pfr. ..........Pfarrei..........parish
Pfrdf. .........Pfarrdorf..........parish village
Pfrhof ...........Pfarrhof..........parish manor
Pfrwlr. ..........Pfarrweiler..........parish hamlet
Pom. ..........Pommern (Preussen)...........Pomerania (Prussia)
Potsd. ..........Potsdam..........Potsdam
Pr. ..........Preussen..........Prussia
Prov. ..........Provinz..........province
r. ...........rechts..........right
Rgbz. ..........Regierungsbezirk..........administrative area
Rgmtsbz. ..........Regimentsbezirk (Oestreich)..........regimental area (Austria)
Rheinh. ..........Rheinhessen..........Rhine-Hesse
Rheinpr. ..........Rheinprovinz..........Rhine province
Rittg. ..........Rittergut..........noble estate
s. ..........siehe..........see
S. .........Süd oder San..........south or San (St. = Saint)
Sach. ..........Sachsen..........Saxony
Salzb. ..........Salzburg..........Salzburg
Schäf. ..........Schäferei..........sheepfarm
Schaumb. ..........Schaumburg..........Schaumburg
Schl. ..........Schloss..........castle
Schles. ..........Schlesien..........Silesia
Schönb. ..........Schönburg (Sachsen)..........Schönburg (Saxony)
Schwarzb. ..........Schwarzburg..........Schwarzburg
Schwarzwaldkr. ..........Schwarzwaldkreis..........Black Forest district
Seekr. ..........Seekreis (Baden)..........Seekreis (Baden)
Siebenb. ..........Siebenbüurgen..........Transylvania
St. ..........Sanct..........saint
Starkenb. ..........Starkenburg (Hessen)..........Starkenburg (Hesse)
Stbz. ..........Stadtbezirk (Ungarn)..........ward, district
Steierm. ..........Steiermark..........Styria
Szt. ..........Szent (Ungarn, Siebenb. Kroatien)..........saint (Hungary, Transylvania, Croatia)
T. ..........Telegraphenstation..........telegraph station
u. ...........und..........and
üb. d. M. ..........über dem Meere..........above sea level
Ung. ..........Ungarn..........Hungary
Ungar. ..........Ungarisch..........Hungarian
Unt. ..........Unter..........lower, below
unt. d. E. ..........Unter der Enns (Ostreich)..........Below the Enns (Austria)
Unterfr. ..........Unterfranken (Bayern)..........Lower Franconia (Bavaria)
Unterrhnkr. ..........Unterrheinkreis (Baden)..........Lower Rhine district (Baden)
Unt. M. B. ..........Unter-Manhartsberg (Oestreich)..........Lower Manhartsberg (Austria)
Unt. W. W. ..........Unter-Wienerwald (Oestreich)..........Lower Wienerwald (Austria)
unw. ..........unweit..........near
v. ..........von..........from
Vened. ...............Venedig......................................Venice, Veneto
Vorw. ..........Vorwerk..........farmstead
vorzügl. ..........vorzüglich..........principal
W. ..........West..........west
Web. ..........Weberei..........weaving mill
Wend. ..........Wendlicher Kreis (Mecklenburg)..........Wend district (Mecklenburg)
Westph. ..........Westphalen (Preussen)..........Westphalia (Prussia)
Westpr. ..........Westpreussen..........West Prussia
Wirthsh. ..........Wirthshaus..........inn
Wlr. ..........Weiler..........hamlet
Woiwod. ..........Woiwodina (Oestreich)..........Vojvodina (Austria)
Würtemb. ..........Würtemberg..........Würtemberg
Note:
* = used by Rudolph to repeat political jurisdictions from the preceding entry