City Directory Abbreviations
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City directories are a valuable source of information. They typically list the name, occupation and address of all residents in a town, city or region. To conserve space for each listing, city directories often use abbreviations. Below is a reference list of the most common abbreviations found in city directories.
A couple of things to note:
• If no identifier is given after an address, it is assumed to be a street.
• For a list of first name abbreviations, see the article First Name Abbreviations.
• For a list of occupation abbreviations, see the article List of Occupation Abbreviations.
| ab | above |
| agcy | agency |
| agt | agent |
| al | alley |
| agrl | agricultural |
| apt | apartment |
| assn, Assn | Association |
| auto | automobile |
| av, Av | avenue |
| b, bdg, bds | boards (room and board) |
| bdg hse | boarding house |
| bel | below |
| bet | between |
| bld, bldg | building |
| blk | block |
| blvd, boul | boulevard |
| br | branch |
| bros | brothers |
| c, cor | corner |
| causew | causeway |
| ch, Ch | church |
| chmbrs | chambers |
| civ | civil, civic |
| ck | creek |
| co | county |
| col, col'd | colored |
| coll | college |
| com | commission, commons |
| com'l | commercial |
| confry | confectionary |
| cres | crescent |
| ct | court |
| dept | department |
| dist | district |
| div | division |
| do | ditto (or the same as above) |
| dom | domestic |
| drugst | drugstore |
| e, E | east |
| Ea | east |
| ec | east central |
| elec | electric |
| e.s. | east side |
| est | estate |
| ex, exch | exchange |
| f | freeholder |
| fcty | factory |
| fl | floor |
| for | forest |
| ft | foot |
| frt | freight |
| gdns | gardens |
| gds | goods |
| gen, genl | general |
| govt | government |
| gr fl | ground floor |
| gt | great |
| h | house, householder (owns the house) |
| hd | hand |
| hdqtrs | headquarters |
| hdw | hardware |
| heth | heath |
| hngr | hangar |
| ho | house |
| hosp | hospital |
| imp | import |
| implts | implements |
| imptr | importer |
| inc | incorporated |
| ins | insurance |
| jct | junction |
| l | lives |
| la | lane |
| lbr | lumber |
| ldg | lodging |
| ltd, Ltd | Limited |
| mdse | merchandise |
| mer | merchant |
| mfg | manufacturing |
| mfr | manufacturer |
| mkt | market |
| mn | man |
| mut | mutual |
| n, N | north |
| n, nr | near |
| nc | north central |
| n.e. | northeast |
| n.s. | north side |
| n.w. | northwest |
| natl | national |
| off | office |
| op, opp | opposite |
| pass | passenger |
| ph | penthouse |
| pk | park |
| pkwy | parkway |
| pl | place |
| p.o. | post office |
| pt | point |
| propr | proprietor (owner) |
| prov | province |
| r | roomer or resides (renter) |
| r, rr | rear |
| R.C. | Roman Catholic |
| rd | road |
| regd | registered |
| real est | real estate |
| res | residence, resides |
| ret | retail, retired |
| rm | room |
| rms | rooms (renter) |
| RR | rural route |
| rw | row |
| Ry | railway |
| s, S | south |
| sc | south central |
| sch | school |
| s.e. | southeast or side entrance |
| ship | shipping |
| side | side entrance |
| soc | society |
| spec | special |
| sq | square |
| st | store |
| s.s. | south side |
| sta | stable |
| sta, stn | station |
| sum res | summer residence |
| s.w. | southwest |
| t | tenant |
| tav | tavern |
| tel | telephone |
| teleg | telegraph |
| ter | terrace |
| tn | town |
| tp | township |
| trans | transportation |
| trans | transfer |
| trav | travelling |
| up | upper |
| var | variety |
| w, W | west |
| wc | west central |
| ware | warehouse |
| wf, whf | wharf |
| w.s. | west side |
| whol | wholesale |
| wid | widow |
| wks | works |
| wlk | walk |
| wmn | woman |
| yd | yard |
