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Texas Tombstone Abbreviations & their Meanings


Below is a list of tombstone abbreviations that can be found across Texas, and their meanings. This list is by no means comprehensive. If you have examples of tombstone abbreviations in our state that are not included here, please send them to: txghn@outlook.com.

For a list of symbols found on Texas tombstones and their meanings, visit our Tombstone Symbols & their Meanings page.

 

TOMBSTONE ABBREVIATIONS & their MEANINGS
EXAMPLE
ABBRIEVIATION
DEFINITION / NOTES
AAONMS Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (the Shriners).
  a.a.s. anno aetitis suae (died in the year of his/her age).
AASR Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (Masonic).
  ABA American Benefit Association.
AF & AM Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
ALOH American Legion of Honor.
AMD Allied Masonic Degree.
AMORC Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (Rosicrucians).
  AMOS Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (Odd Fellows).
  AOF Ancient Order Of Foresters.
AOH Ancient Order of Hibernians.
  AOM Ancient Order of Mysteries (Masons).
AOUW Ancient Order Of United Workmen.
  APA American Protective Association.
ATO Alpha Tao Omega Fraternity.
AUSA Association of the United States Army.
B of RTM Brotherhood of Railroad Track Men.
BARE Benefit Association Of Railway Employees.
BAY Brotherhood of American Yeomen.
  BK of M Black Knights of Molders.
  BKA Benevolent Knights Association.
BLE Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
  BLF&E Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Engineers.
BPOE Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks.
BRT Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.
CAR Children of the American Revolution.
  CBKA Commandery Benevolent Knights Association.
  CBL Catholic Benevolent Legion.
CD of A Catholic Daughters of America.
  CK of A Catholic Knights of America.
Cons. / Consort Usually used with women. It means the woman's husband was still living at the time of her death.
COOF Catholic Order of Foresters.
CW Columbia Woodmen
  D of A Daughters of America.
D of P Daughters of Pocahontas.
DAC Daughters of the American Colonists.
DAN Daughters of the Nile (Masonic).
DAR Daughters of the American Revolution.
DAV Disabled American Veterans.
DDS Doctor of Dentistry.
DOKK Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan (Knights of Pythias).
  DOL Daughters of Liberty.
DOR Daughters of Rebekah.
  DOLLUS Dames of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
  d.s.p. decessit sine prole legitima (died without issue).
  d.s.p.l. decessit sine prole mascula supersita (died without legitimate issue).
  d.s.p.m.s. decessit sine prole mascula supersita (died without surviving male issue).
  d.s.p.s. decessit sine prole supersita (died without surviving issue) .
  d.unm died unmarried.
  d.v.m. decessit vita matris (died in the lifetime of his mother).
  d.v.p. decessit vita patris (died in the lifetime of his father).
  EAU Equitable Aid Union.
  EBA Emerald Beneficial Association.
  ECV E Clampus Vitus.
  Et al et alia (and others)
F&AM / FAM Free and Accepted Masons.
FATAL Eastern Star Motto "Fairest Among Thousands, Altogether Lovely."
FCB Knights of Pythias.
FLT Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
FNDOZBTKC "Fear Not Daughter Of Zion Behold The King Cometh" - Female Masonic Symbol.
FOE Fraternal Order of Eagles.
  FOF Fraternal Order of Firefighters.
FOP Fraternal Order of Police.
  GLAUM Grand Lodge Ancient Order of Mysteries (Masonic).
  GLDS Grand Lodge Daughters of Scotia.
GUO of OF Grand United Order of Odd Fellows.
HHHH 4H Club.
HTWSSTSH Royal Arch Masons. "Hiram the Widows Son Sent to King Solomon"
  HZ Haro Zaro.
HOJ Heroines of Jericho (Masonic).
  IBBH International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths and Helpers.
IB of EW International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
IHS in hoc salus (there is safety in this); in hoc signo spes mea (In this sign (the cross of Christ) is my hope).
IHSV Red Cross of Constantine (Masonic).
  inst instans (present month)
IOA International Order of Alhambra.
  IODE Independent Order, Daughters of the Empire.
IOF Independent Order of Foresters.
  IOGT International Order of Good Templars.
  IOH Improved Order of Heptasophs.
IOHH International Order of Hoo-Hoo.
  IOI Independent Order of Immaculates.
IOJD International Order of Job's Daughters.
IOKP Independent Order of Knights of Pythias.
IOOF Independant Order of Odd Fellows.
  IOOF PM Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Past Master.
  IOR Independent Order of Rechabites.
IORG International Order of Rainbow Girls (Masonic).
IORM Improved Order of Red Men (Sons of Liberty).
  IOStL Independent Order of St. Luke.
IOV International Order of Vikings.
ISDA Italian Sons and Daughters of America.
ISH Independent Sons of Honor.
  IUOM Independent United Order of Mechanics.
  IWW Industrial Workers of the World.
IYOB International Order of Job's Daughters.
  JAOUW Junior Order-Ancient Order of United Workmen.
  JOAM Junior Order of American Mechanics.
  JOUAM Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
K of C Knights of Columbus.
  K of H Knights of Honor.
  K of L Knights of Loyola.
K of P Knights of Pythias.
K of SJ Knights of St. John.
K of STP Knights of St. Patrick.
  K of STW Knights of St. Wenceslas.
  K of T Knights of Tabor.
K of TM Knights of the Macabees.
KC Knights of Columbus.
  KFM Knights of Father Matthew.
  KG Knights of St. George.
KGC Knights of the Golden Chain; Knights of the Golden Circle.
  KGE Knights of the Golden Eagle.
  KGL Knight Grand Legion.
  KHC Knights of Holy Cross.
KKK Knights of Ku Klux Klan.
  KLH Knights and Ladies of Honor.
KM Knights of Malta (Masonic); Knights Militant (KKK).
  KMC Knights of the Mystic Chain.
  KOL Knights of Labor.
KOTM Knights of the Macabees.
KP Knights of Pythias.
KPC / K of PC Knights of Peter Claver.
  KSC Knights of St. Columbkille.
  KSF Knights of Sherwood Forest.
  KSL Knights of St. Lawrence.
  KSTG Knights of St. George.
  KSTI Knights of St. Ignatius.
  KSTJ Knights of St. Joseph.
  KSTM Knights of St. Martin.
  KSTP Knights of St. Paul.
KSTP Knights of St. Peter.
KSTT Knights of St. Thomas.
KT Knights Templar.
  KT Knights of Tabor.
  KWM Knights of Wise Men.
LAOH Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.
  LGAR Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic.
  LK of A Loyal Knights of America.
  LOL Loyal Order Orange Lodge.
LOM Loyal Order of Moose; Legion of the Moose.
LOOM Loyal Order of the Moose.
LOVUS Legion of Valor of the United States.
LPN Licensed Practical Nurse.
  MBS Mutual Benefit Society.
MCL Marine Corps League.
MHP Mississippi Highway Patrol.
MOLLUS Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
MOOSE Loyal Order of the Moose.
MOPH Military Order of the Purple Heart.
  MOVPER Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Mystic Realm (Masonic).
MRA Royal Arcanum.
MUS Short for Musician (seen on Confederate tombstones).
MWA Modern Woodmen of America.
  NCOA Non-Commissioned Officers Association.
  Nepos grandson.
NL Navy League.
NOK New Order Knights (KKK).
NOW Neighbors of Woodcraft.
NSDAR National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
  NU National Union.
O of A Order of Amaranth (Masonic).
  O of UF Order of United Friends.
OOA Order of Ahepa.
OOD / OD Order of DeMolay.
  OCF Order of Chosen Friends.
  ODSH Des Schwestern Verbandes (Sisters of the Federation).
OES Order of the Eastern Star.
  OGC Order of the Golden Cross.
  OSC Order of Scottish Clans.
  OUAM Order of United American Mechanics.
  PF of A Patriotic Friends of America.
PH The Order of Patrons of Husbandry (The Grange).
PM Patriarchs Militant (Independent Order of Odd Fellows).
  POSA Patriotic Order of the Sons of America.
  RA Royal Academy; Royal Arcanum.
RAM Royal Arch Masons.
  RC Republican Club.
  Rel. (see Relict)
  Relict Usually used with women. It means the woman's husband was already deceased at the time of her death.
  Res. (see Residue)
  Residue widow or widower.
  RK Roman Knights.
RMOKHSJ The Religious and Military Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
RN Registered Nurse.
  RNA Royal Neighbors of America.
ROJ Royal Order of Jesters (Masonic).
  RSGF Royal Society of Good Fellows.
RSM Royal and Select Masons.
  RSTV Rite of St. Vaclara; Rite of St. Vita.
  RTT Royal Templars of Temperance.
  S of StG Sons of St. George.
SAR Sons of the American Revolution; Sisters of the American Revolution.
  SBCL Saint Bonifazius Catholic Union.
  SBL Society B. Lafayette.
SCV Sons of the Confederate Veterans.
SFWC Supreme Forest Woodmen Circle.
  SNA AUM Shrine of North America.
SR Scottish Rite (Masonic Order).
ST Sons of Temperance.
  SV Sons of Veterans of the United States of America.
TCL Tall Ceders of Lebanon (Masonic).
  TH Temple of Honor and Temperance-Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
TOTE Improved Order of Redmen.
  TPLF Temple of Honor and Temperance.
  TROA The Retired Officer's Association.
  UAOD United Ancient Order of Druids.
UCV United Confederate Veterans.
UDC United Daughters of the Confederacy.
  UFL Union Fraternal League.
  ult. ultimo (late).
UMC United Methodist Clergy
UMWA United Mine Workers of America.
  UOPF United Order of Pilgrim Fathers.
USA United States Army.
  USA United States of America.
USAF United States Air Force.
USMC United States Marine Corp.
USN United States Navy.
USNR United States Navy Reserve.
  Ux. uxor (wife)
VFW Veterans of Foreign Wars.
VMC Royal Arcanum.
  Vs. uxor (wife)
WC Woodmen Circle.
  WKSC White Knights of the Southern Cross (KKK).
WOW Woodmen of the World.
WOW Women of Woodcraft.
  YMCA Young Men's Christian Association.
  YWCA Young Women's Christian Association.