Reading old handwriting in historical documents can be challenging, especially if the handwriting is difficult to interpret or if the document is written in a foreign language.
Handwriting comes in many forms and many genealogists will quickly think of church records as a possible “headache”. But both letters and notes in family bibles can be good sources for the lives of our ancestors.
Genealogists will quickly become familiar with Gothic handwriting, which was commonly used in Europe from the 12th to the 17th/18th centuries. The font is also known as “black script”.
One of the most distinctive features of Gothic handwriting is the use of “ligatures,” which are combinations of two or more letters written as a unit. Ligatures were used to save space and make the text easier to read, since they eliminated the need for spaces between words.
Reading Gothic handwriting can be challenging, especially if the handwriting is difficult to interpret or if the document is written in a foreign language. It can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the different letterforms and to practice writing the script yourself to understand it better.
Whether the handwriting is written in Gothic or more modern script, the tips below can help you decipher what is actually written.
- Start by identifying the most common letters of the alphabet. These letters will be the building blocks for interpreting the rest of the document.
- Look for characteristics of the handwriting, such as the way certain letters are formed or the way the scribe dots their “i”s and crosses their “t”s. These characteristics can help you distinguish one letter from another.
- Practice writing the letters yourself. This can help you get a feel for how the letters are formed and how they connect to each other.
- Try printing the entire alphabet in cursive to familiarize yourself with the different letter shapes.
- Take breaks as needed. Reading cursive handwriting can be tiring, especially if the handwriting is difficult to interpret. Don’t be afraid to take breaks to give your eyes and brain a rest.
- Consider seeking help from a professional. If you’re having trouble reading the document, consider seeking help from a professional, such as a historian or a language expert, who may have more experience reading manuscripts from the period the document was written.”
- Get help from a Facebook group such as“Vi som driver genealogy” or“Slektshjørnet“.
- Identify the context of the document to help you interpret what is written.
- Look for clues in the text. Did the writer often use abbreviations or special symbols? Understanding these can help you decipher the handwriting.
- Enlarge the font either by zooming in on the screen by pressing “Ctrl+” on your keyboard or using your fingers on a mobile or tablet. If the document is on paper, magnifying glasses or a scanner can be good solutions to make the text larger.
