m, md married.
m, M male.
maiden name A woman's family name before marriage.
major A person who has reached legal age. Sometimes appended to a person's name to distinguish him from his son or younger brother.
majores Ancestors.
majority Legal age of adulthood.
Manor An estate and community. The unit of local government in England from the Norman Conquest to the 16th century.
manse Minister's house especially in Scotland or the Presbyterian Church.
manifest The detailed and duly authenticated list of passengers, crew, and cargo on board a ship.
manorial system The feudal relationship between men and the lord of a manor.
manumission Formal grant of freedom to a slave or indentured servant.
marriage allegation A sworn statment ensuring the law of the Church of England had been complied with and that there were no known lawful impediments to the marriage; if one or both of the parties were minors, written consent of the parents or guardians had to be furnished.
marriage contract A legal agreement made before marriage to determine property rights and those of any children.
marriage entry Entry in a civil or church register that gives the details about a marriage
maternal ancestry Relationship through one's mother; mother's father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, great-grandfather or great-grandmother, etc.
matron An older married woman with children.
mensis Month.
MI, M.I. Monumental inscription.
microfilm Strips of film containing images that must be magnified to be read; generally images of documents, books, manuscripts, etc.
microfiche Sheets of film containing, usually archival, images that have been greatly reduced and must be magnified on a microfiche reader.
middle class The social class consisting of families making their living as businessmen, physicians, surgeons, solicitors, master tradesmen, and yeomen farmers.
migrant A person who moves from place to place, generally in search of work.
mil. military.
Minor A person who is under legal age of adulthood. Often, but not always, under the age of twenty-one. Legal age varies according to time and place, in some places at times it has been as young as fourteen.
M.L. Marriage Licence records.
mo. month.
mortality Death; death rate.
Mother-in-law The mother of a spouse.
M.S. (Census)Male servant.
MS, Mss. manuscript.
muster roll List of officers or men in a regiment or ship's company.