Reading 19th-Century Handwriting

Nothing stops a genealogical research project faster than a document written in a hand you cannot read. Whether it is a German Kurrent church register, an English Secretary Hand probate record, or a Latin-abbreviated Catholic baptismal entry, old handwriting is a skill — and like any skill, it can be learned.

This is the most common barrier I encounter when working with clients on pre-1900 German, British, and early American records. The good news: you do not need to master every script style. You need to recognize the patterns, understand the letter forms, and develop a tolerance for ambiguity.

German Kurrent

Kurrent was the standard German cursive script until the mid-20th century. Its letter forms look nothing like modern Latin-based cursive — the lowercase 'e' looks like two small humps, the 'n' looks like a modern 'u', and the 'h' bears little resemblance to its printed counterpart.

The most effective approach is to learn the alphabet first using a Kurrent chart, then practice on known documents — records where you already know some of the names and can use context to decode unfamiliar letters. The German Genealogy Group maintains excellent free Kurrent learning materials.

Secretary Hand

Used in English records from roughly 1500 to 1700, Secretary Hand presents its own challenges — particularly the letters 'e', 'c', 'r', and 'w', which differ significantly from their modern forms. Probate records, land deeds, and early church registers from the colonial era are often written in this script.

Secretary Hand is well-documented by Palaeography: Reading Old Handwriting 1500–1800, a free online resource from the UK National Archives that provides practice exercises with transcriptions.