Tags in the GEDCOM 5.5 Standard
ABBR {ABBREVIATION} A short name of a title, description, or name.
ADDR
{ADDRESS} The contemporary place, usually required for postal purposes,
of an individual, a submitter of information, a repository, a business,
a school, or a company.
ADR1 {ADDRESS1} The first line of an address.
ADR2 {ADDRESS2} The second line of an address.
ADOP {ADOPTION} Pertaining to creation of a child-parent relationship that does not exist biologically.
AFN {AFN} A unique permanent record file number of an individual record stored in Ancestral File.
AGE {AGE} The age of the individual at the time an event occurred, or the age listed in the document.
AGNC {AGENCY} The institution or individual having authority and/or responsibility to manage or govern.
ALIA {ALIAS} An indicator to link different record descriptions of a person who may be the same person.
ANCE {ANCESTORS} Pertaining to forbearers of an individual.
ANCI {ANCES_INTEREST} Indicates an interest in additional research for ancestors of this individual. (See also DESI)
ANUL {ANNULMENT} Declaring a marriage void from the beginning (never existed).
ASSO {ASSOCIATES} An indicator to link friends, neighbors, relatives, or associates of an individual.
AUTH {AUTHOR} The name of the individual who created or compiled information.
BAPL
{BAPTISM-LDS} The event of baptism performed at age eight or later by
priesthood authority of the LDS Church. (See also BAPM, next)
BAPM {BAPTISM} The event of baptism (not LDS), performed in infancy or later. (See also BAPL, above, and CHR, page 73.)
BARM {BAR_MITZVAH} The ceremonial event held when a Jewish boy reaches age 13.
BASM {BAS_MITZVAH} The ceremonial event held when a Jewish girl reaches age 13, also known as "Bat Mitzvah."
BIRT {BIRTH} The event of entering into life.
BLES
{BLESSING} A religious event of bestowing divine care or intercession.
Sometimes given in connection with a naming ceremony.
BLOB
{BINARY_OBJECT} A grouping of data used as input to a multimedia system
that processes binary data to represent images, sound, and video.
BURI {BURIAL} The event of the proper disposing of the mortal remains of a deceased person.
CALN {CALL_NUMBER} The number used by a repository to identify the specific items in its collections.
CAST
{CASTE} The name of an individual's rank or status in society, based on
racial or religious differences, or differences in wealth, inherited
rank, profession, occupation, etc.
CAUS {CAUSE} A description of the cause of the associated event or fact, such as the cause of death.
CENS {CENSUS} The event of the periodic count of the population for a designated locality, such as a national or state Census.
CHAN
{CHANGE} Indicates a change, correction, or modification. Typically
used in connection with a DATE to specify when a change in information
occurred.
CHAR {CHARACTER} An indicator of the character set used in writing this automated information.
CHIL {CHILD} The natural, adopted, or sealed (LDS) child of a father and a mother.
CHR {CHRISTENING} The religious event (not LDS) of baptizing and/or naming a child.
CHRA {ADULT_CHRISTENING} The religious event (not LDS) of baptizing and/or naming an adult person.
CITY {CITY} A lower level jurisdictional unit. Normally an incorporated municipal unit.
CONC
{CONCATENATION} An indicator that additional data belongs to the
superior value. The information from the CONC value is to be connected
to the value of the superior preceding line without a space and without
a carriage return and/or new line character. Values that are split for
a CONC tag must always be split at a non-space. If the value is split
on a space the space will be lost when concatenation takes place. This
is because of the treatment that spaces get as a GEDCOM delimiter, many
GEDCOM values are trimmed of trailing spaces and some systems look for
the first non-space starting after the tag to determine the beginning
of the value.
CONF {CONFIRMATION} The religious event (not LDS) of
conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost and, among protestants, full
church membership.
CONL {CONFIRMATION_L} The religious event by which a person receives membership in the LDS Church.
CONT
{CONTINUED} An indicator that additional data belongs to the superior
value. The information from the CONT value is to be connected to the
value of the superior preceding line with a carriage return and/or new
line character. Leading spaces could be important to the formatting of
the resultant text. When importing values from CONT lines the reader
should assume only one delimiter character following the CONT tag.
Assume that the rest of the leading spaces are to be a part of the
value.
COPR {COPYRIGHT} A statement that accompanies data to protect it from unlawful duplication and distribution.
CORP {CORPORATE} A name of an institution, agency, corporation, or company.
CREM {CREMATION} Disposal of the remains of a person's body by fire.
CTRY {COUNTRY} The name or code of the country.
DATA {DATA} Pertaining to stored automated information.
DATE {DATE} The time of an event in a calendar format.
DEAT {DEATH} The event when mortal life terminates.
DESC {DESCENDANTS} Pertaining to offspring of an individual.
DESI {DESCENDANT_INT} Indicates an interest in research to identify additional descendants of this individual. (See also ANCI)
DEST {DESTINATION} A system receiving data.
DIV {DIVORCE} An event of dissolving a marriage through civil action.
DIVF {DIVORCE_FILED} An event of filing for a divorce by a spouse.
DSCR {PHY_DESCRIPTION} The physical characteristics of a person, place, or thing.
EDUC {EDUCATION} Indicator of a level of education attained.
EMIG {EMIGRATION} An event of leaving one's homeland with the intent of residing elsewhere.
ENDL
{ENDOWMENT} A religious event where an endowment ordinance for an
individual was performed by priesthood authority in an LDS temple.
ENGA {ENGAGEMENT} An event of recording or announcing an agreement between two people to become married.
EVEN {EVENT} A noteworthy happening related to an individual, a group, or an organization.
FAM
{FAMILY} Identifies a legal, common law, or other customary
relationship of man and woman and their children, if any, or a family
created by virtue of the birth of a child to its biological father and
mother.
FAMC {FAMILY_CHILD} Identifies the family in which an individual appears as a child.
FAMF
{FAMILY_FILE} Pertaining to, or the name of, a family file. Names
stored in a file that are assigned to a family for doing temple
ordinance work.
FAMS {FAMILY_SPOUSE} Identifies the family in which an individual appears as a spouse.
FCOM {FIRST_COMMUNION} A religious rite, the first act of sharing in the Lord's supper as part of church worship.
FILE {FILE} An information storage place that is ordered and arranged for preservation and reference.
FORM {FORMAT} An assigned name given to a consistent format in which information can be conveyed.
GEDC {GEDCOM} Information about the use of GEDCOM in a transmission.
GIVN {GIVEN_NAME} A given or earned name used for official identification of a person.
GRAD {GRADUATION} An event of awarding educational diplomas or degrees to individuals.
HEAD {HEADER} Identifies information pertaining to an entire GEDCOM transmission.
HUSB {HUSBAND} An individual in the family role of a married man or father.
IDNO {IDENT_NUMBER} A number assigned to identify a person within some significant external system.
IMMI {IMMIGRATION} An event of entering into a new locality with the intent of residing there.
INDI {INDIVIDUAL} A person.
INFL {TempleReady} Indicates if an INFANT - data is "Y" (or "N"??)
LANG {LANGUAGE} The name of the language used in a communication or transmission of information.
LEGA {LEGATEE} A role of an individual acting as a person receiving a bequest or legal devise.
MARB {MARRIAGE_BANN} An event of an official public notice given that two people intend to marry.
MARC
{MARR_CONTRACT} An event of recording a formal agreement of marriage,
including the prenuptial agreement in which marriage partners reach
agreement about the property rights of one or both, securing property
to their children.
MARL {MARR_LICENSE} An event of obtaining a legal license to marry.
MARR {MARRIAGE} A legal, common-law, or customary event of creating a family unit of a man and a woman as husband and wife.
MARS
{MARR_SETTLEMENT} An event of creating an agreement between two people
contemplating marriage, at which time they agree to release or modify
property rights that would otherwise arise from the marriage.
MEDI {MEDIA} Identifies information about the media or having to do with the medium in which information is stored.
NAME
{NAME} A word or combination of words used to help identify an
individual, title, or other item. More than one NAME line should be
used for people who were known by multiple names.
NATI {NATIONALITY} The national heritage of an individual.
NATU {NATURALIZATION} The event of obtaining citizenship.
NCHI
{CHILDREN_COUNT} The number of children that this person is known to be
the parent of (all marriages) when subordinate to an individual, or
that belong to this family when subordinate to a FAM_RECORD.
NICK {NICKNAME} A descriptive or familiar that is used instead of, or in addition to, one's proper name.
NMR {MARRIAGE_COUNT} The number of times this person has participated in a family as a spouse or parent.
NOTE {NOTE} Additional information provided by the submitter for understanding the enclosing data.
NPFX
{NAME_PREFIX} Text which appears on a name line before the given and
surname parts of a name. i.e. (Lt. Cmndr.) Joseph /Allen/ jr.
NSFX
{NAME_SUFFIX} Text which appears on a name line after or behind the
given and surname parts of a name. i.e. Lt. Cmndr. Joseph /Allen/ (jr.)
In this example jr. is considered as the name suffix portion.
OBJE
{OBJECT} Pertaining to a grouping of attributes used in describing
something. Usually referring to the data required to represent a
multimedia object, such an audio recording, a photograph of a person,
or an image of a document.
OCCU {OCCUPATION} The type of work or profession of an individual.
ORDI {ORDINANCE} Pertaining to a religious ordinance in general.
ORDN {ORDINATION} A religious event of receiving authority to act in religious matters.
PAGE {PAGE} A number or description to identify where information can be found in a referenced work.
PEDI {PEDIGREE} Information pertaining to an individual to parent lineage chart.
PHON {PHONE} A unique number assigned to access a specific telephone.
PLAC {PLACE} A jurisdictional name to identify the place or location of an event.
POST {POSTAL_CODE} A code used by a postal service to identify an area to facilitate mail handling.
PROB
{PROBATE} An event of judicial determination of the validity of a will.
May indicate several related court activities over several dates.
PROP {PROPERTY} Pertaining to possessions such as real estate or other property of interest.
PUBL {PUBLICATION} Refers to when and/or were a work was published or created.
QUAY
{QUALITY_OF_DATA} An assessment of the certainty of the evidence to
support the conclusion drawn from evidence. Values: [0|1|2|3]
REFN {REFERENCE} A description or number used to identify an item for filing, storage, or other reference purposes.
RELA {RELATIONSHIP} A relationship value between the indicated contexts.
RELI {RELIGION} A religious denomination to which a person is affiliated or for which a record applies.
REPO {REPOSITORY} An institution or person that has the specified item as part of their collection(s).
RESI {RESIDENCE} The act of dwelling at an address for a period of time.
RESN {RESTRICTION} A processing indicator signifying access to information has been denied or otherwise restricted.
RETI {RETIREMENT} An event of exiting an occupational relationship with an employer after a qualifying time period.
RFN {REC_FILE_NUMBER} A permanent number assigned to a record that uniquely identifies it within a known file.
RIN
{REC_ID_NUMBER} A number assigned to a record by an originating
automated system that can be used by a receiving system to report
results pertaining to that record.
ROLE {ROLE} A name given to a role played by an individual in connection with an event.
SEX {SEX} Indicates the sex of an individual--male or female.
SLGC {SEALING_CHILD} A religious event pertaining to the sealing of a child to his or her parents in an LDS temple ceremony.
SLGS {SEALING_SPOUSE} A religious event pertaining to the sealing of a husband and wife in an LDS temple ceremony.
SOUR {SOURCE} The initial or original material from which information was obtained.
SPFX {SURN_PREFIX} A name piece used as a non-indexing pre-part of a surname.
SSN
{SOC_SEC_NUMBER} A number assigned by the United States Social Security
Administration. Used for tax identification purposes.
STAE {STATE} A geographical division of a larger jurisdictional area, such as a State within the United States of America.
STAT {STATUS} An assessment of the state or condition of something.
SUBM {SUBMITTER} An individual or organization who contributes genealogical data to a file or transfers it to someone else.
SUBN {SUBMISSION} Pertains to a collection of data issued for processing.
SURN {SURNAME} A family name passed on or used by members of a family.
TEMP {TEMPLE} The name or code that represents the name OF a temple of the LDS Church.
TEXT {TEXT} The exact wording found in an original source document.
TIME
{TIME} A time value in a 24-hour clock format, including hours,
minutes, and optional seconds, separated by a colon (:). Fractions of
seconds are shown in decimal notation.
TITL {TITLE} A description of
a specific writing or other work, such as the title of a book when used
in a source context, or a formal designation used by an individual in
connection with positions of royalty or other social status, such as
Grand Duke.
TRLR {TRAILER} At level 0, specifies the end of a GEDCOM transmission.
TYPE
{TYPE} A further qualification to the meaning of the associated
superior tag. The value does not have any computer processing
reliability. It is more in the form of a short one or two word note
that should be displayed any time the associated data is displayed.
VERS {VERSION} Indicates which version of a product, item, or publication is being used or referenced.
WIFE {WIFE} An individual in the role as a mother and/or married woman.
WILL
{WILL} A legal document treated as an event, by which a person disposes
of his or her estate, to take effect after death. The event date is the
date the will was signed while the person was alive. (See also PROBate)
User-Defined GEDCOM Tags
Below
are two lists of tags that may be found in GEDCOM files that you might
encounter. These tags are not part of the GEDCOM 5.5
standard. They have been created and used by various genealogy
programs in order to handle pieces of information that are not
accounted for in the GEDCOM 5.5 specification. Adding new tags is
allowed in GEDCOM files. Any new tag is supposed to begin with an
underscore character (_). Other programs that import GEDCOM files
containing these new tag may or may not recognize them. New tags
that do not begin with an underscore have also been created and used by
many genealogy programs. This is against the "rules" but is very
common. Again, other programs that import GEDCOM files with these
"illegal" tags may or may not recognize them.
Legacy also
uses many tags that start with an underscore to handle information that
isn't defined in the GEDCOM 5.5 specification. See
HYPERLINK
"mk:@MSITStore:C:\\Legacy\\Legacy6.chm::/html/custom_gedcom_tags.htm"
Custom GEDCOM Tags for a list of these tags.
In the following lists, use this key to identify the programs using the tags:
AQ = Ancestral Quest
BKW = Brother's Keeper (Windows)
FamHer = Family Heritage
FO = Family Origins
FTM = Family Tree Maker (DOS)
FTW = Family Tree Maker (Windows)
Gen = Generations
Leg = Legacy
PAF = Personal Ancestral File
Reunion = Reunion for the MAC
RootsIII = Roots III
RM = RootsMagic
TMG = The Master Genealogist
Program-defined Tags
These
are tags that are not defined in the GEDCOM 5.5 specification.
All program-defined tags should begin with an underscore (_).
Tag Program Description
_ADPN
BKW6, PAF5 Adopted name
_AKA AQ3, PAF4, PAF5 used for the "also know as" name
_AKAN BKW6, PAF5 Also known as
_BIRN BKW6, PAF5 Birth name
_BRTM
BKW6
Brit Mila (Circumcise on the eighth day after the birth of a Jewish
boy.)
_CENN
BKW6
Census name
_CONF_FLAG
PAF5
Confidential Flag
_COML
BKW6
Common law Marriage
_CORR
FO7
Correspondence entry
_CURN
BKW6, PAF5 Current know as
_DATE_TYPE PAF5
_DATE2
AQ3
used for second date in a date range
_DESC_FLAG PAF5
_DETS FTM, FTW ???
_ELEC
FTW8
???
_EMAIL BKW6, FO9, PAF The email address of the individual
_EYEC
BKW6
Eye color
_EYES
Gen
Eyes color
_EXCM
FTM
Excommunicated
_EVENT_DEFN
PAF5
Event sentence definition
_FA1 to 13 FTM, FTW definitions for facts
_FARN BKW6, PAF5 Farm name
_FKAN
BKW6
Formally known as
_FNRL
BKW6
Funeral
_FREL
FTW
Relationship to Father
_GERN BKW6, PAF5 German name
_HEBN
BKW6
Hebrew name
_HAIR
BKW6
Hair color
_HEIG
BKW6
Height
_HUSB
AQ3
used to indicate a child status within a family
_INDN
BKW6
Indian name Indiansk navn
_INTE
BKW6
Interred Where ashes are stored if cremated or put a body in a
tomb
_ITALIC
AQ3
indicates source title to be in italics
_MARN
BKW6
Married name
_MARNM
AQ3, PAF5 Used for married
name
_MASTER
AQ3
indicates source is to appear in Master listing
_MBON
BKW6
Marriage Bond Marriage Bond
_MEDC
PAF5
_MEND
FTW
Marriage Ending Status
_MDCL
FTM, FTW Medical entry
_MILT
FTM7
Military Services
_MISN
FTM
Mission
_MREL
FTW
Relationship to Mother
_MSTAT
FTW
Marriage Beginning Status
_NAME
FO, PAF5 used for name
in the address group of tags
_NLIV
BKW6
Not living
_NMAR
BKW6
Never married (person)
_NMR
BKW6
Not married
_OTHN
BKW6
Other name
_PAREN
AQ3
indicatres source facts are to be enclosed in parentheses
_PLACE_TYPE PAF5
_PRMN
BKW6
Permanent number
_PRIM
AQ3, PAF5 indicates preferred
image
_PRIM
FO7
In the OBJE record to indicate if this is the primary photo for this
person.
_PRIMARY
AQ3
Indicated primary family for adopted child
_PRIMARY
PAF5
Indicated primary family for adopted child
_QUAY
Quality
_RELN
BKW6
Religious name
_SCBK
AQ3, FO7, PAF5 In the OBJE record to indicate if the
multimedia object should be in the scrapbook.
_SCHEMA
FTW 5.0 heads a
section defining tags - subordinate to the "0 HEAD" tag.
_SENM
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Male
_SENDOM
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Male (Date Only)
_SENPOM
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Male (Place Only)
_SENDPM
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Male (Date and Place)
_SENF
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Female
_SENDOF
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Female (Date Only)
_SENPOF
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Female (Place Only)
_SENDPF
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Female (Date and Place)
_SENU
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Unknown Gender
_SENDOU
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Unknown Gender (Date Only)
_SENPOU
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Unknown Gender (Place Only)
_SENDPU
PAF5
Event sentence definition for a Unknown Gender (Date and Place)
_SEPR BKW6 & FTM & FTW Separated
_SLDN
BKW6
Soldier name
_SHON
BKW6
Short name
_SSHOW
AQ3, PAF5 indicates if image
is included in slideshow
_SUBQ
RM Subsequent source citation
format
_TODO
FO7
To-do item
_TYPE
AQ3, FO7, PAF5 In the OBJE record to indicate the type of
the object.
_UID
PAF5
special individual ID code inserted for later file comparisons
_UNKN
FTW8
special individual ID code inserted for later file comparisons
_VERB
AQ11
_YART
BKW6
Yartzeit
_WEIG
BKW6
Weight
_WIFE
AQ3
used to indicate a child status within a family
Tags Not Specified in GEDCOM 5.5
(Unspecified tag should start with an underscore but many do not.)
Tag Program Description
ADR3
???
Third address line
AKA FO, FTM, Leg, PAF Also Known as
ANCE
???
Ancestor
ANUL
Reunion
Annulment
ARVL
FTW5
Arrival
ASSO
FamHer
Association to a parent
ATTR FTW5, TMG Attribute
AUTH Reunion Author
BIC
TMG
Born in Covenant
BLESS Reunion Blessing
BLSL
FTW5
Blessing LDS
CANC
TMG
Cancel Sealing
CEME
FTW5
Cemetery
CIRC
Gen
Circumcision
CITN Reunion, Gen Citizenship
CLAW
Reunion
Common Law
CLER Reunion, Gen Clergy
CNTC
Reunion
???
CODI
TMG
Codicil
COLO FTW5, Gen, Reunion Skin color
COMML
FTW5
Comment
COMP Reunion ???
COYN
FTW5
County
CPLR Reunion, Gen Compiler
CRIM
TMG
Criminal
CSTA
Reunion
Child Status
CUTOFFYR FTW5 Cutoff year
DATV Reunion ???
DAU
FTW5
Daughter
DEGR
Reunion
Degree
DESC
Reunion
Description
DESR
TMG
Description
DETA
Reunion
Source Detail
DETS
Gen
???
DPRT
FTW5
Departure
DWEL
FTW5
Dwelling
EARL Reunion ???
EDTN Reunion, Gen Edition
EDTR Reunion Editor
EMAL
Gen
Email address
ENMPL
TMG
Employment
EXCO FO, Gen, TMG Excommunicated
EYES Reunion Eyes
FATH
FTW5
Father
FAX Gen, RM Fax phone number
FEMA
FTW5
Female
FILN Reunion, Gen File number
FMT
FTW5
Date format
FOST
FTW5
Foster child
FRND
Gen
Friends
HAIR Gen, Reunion Hair color
HEAL
Reunion
Medical
HEIG Gen, Reunion Height
HIST
Reunion
Research notes
HISTID
FTW5
History ID#
HISTB Reunion ???
HOBB Gen, Reunion Hobbies
HONO Gen, Reunion Honors
HOSP
Gen
Hospitalization
IDNO Ancestral Quest Reference number
ILLN
Gen
Illness
ILLE
FTW5
Illegitimate
INFO
FTW5
Information
INTE
Reunion
Interviewer
INTV
Reunion
Interviewed
ISA
FTW5
Is a kind of...
ISSU
Reunion
Issue (Children)
LABL
FTW3-5
Defines label for given fact, under the _SCHEMA
LDS
FTW5
LDS
LOCA
Gen
Source locality
LVG
FTW5
Living
LVNG
Gen
Living
MALE
FTW5
Male
MILA
Gen
Military Award
MILD
Gen
Military Discharge
MILF Reunion, Gen Served in Military
MILI
Reunion
Military
MILT
Gen
Military Services
MISC FTW5, Gen Miscellaneous
MIDSC
TMG
Miscellaneous diverse
MISN
Gen
Mission
MOTH
FTW5
Mother
MOVE
Gen
Move
MSTAT Mac Gene Death status
NAMG
Gen
Naming
NAMM
Reunion
Name ???
NAMR FTW5, Gen, Reunion Religious Name
NAMS FO, TMG, Reunion Name Sake
NATI
Reunion
Nationality
NMAR
FTW5
Number of Marriages
NOTP
WinFamily
Private note
NULL
TMG
Nullify LDS
NUMB FTW5, RootsIII, TMG Number
OWNR Reunion Owner
ORDI
???
Ordinance
ORDL
FTW5
Ordination LDS
ORIG
???
Origin
PART
Gen
Partners
PASL
TMG
Passenger
PERI
Reunion
Periodical ???
PPFX
RM Place
Prefix for event definition
PRES
TMG
Presumed cancelled
PRTY
FTW7
???
PUBL
Reunion
Publication
PURC Reunion, Gen Land Purchase
RACE FTW, Gen, Reunion Race
RATI
??
Ratification
REAS
FO7
Reason (sub-tag to _CORR)
REBA
TMG
Re-baptized
RECO
Reunion
Recorder
REGI Reunion, Gen Register
REMA
FTW5
Remarks
RESE
TMG
Resealed
RESIR Reunion Residence
RESP
FO7
Response (for Correspondence)
REST
TMG
Restored
RFN
???
Record Number
RIN
???
Record Number
RPLY
FO7
Reply Status for Correspondence [Y|N]
SCHEMA
FTW5
Schema (see _SCHEMA)
SENT RM Sentence for event definition
SEPA Reunion, Gen Separation
SIBL
FTW5
Sibling
SLGP
FTW5
Sealing to Parent
SON
FTW5
Son
STAKE
FTW5
Stake
STAL
TMG
Stake LDS
STLB
Gen
Stillborn
STIL FTW5, TMG Stillborn
SUBM
FamHer
Association to a parent
SUBN
???
???
TOWN
FTW5
Town
UMAR
Reunion
Unmarried
UNIT
FTW5
Unit
URL
Reunion
URL
VOIL
TMG
Void living
VOL Reunion, Gen Volume
WEIG Gen, Reunion Weight
WWW RM Internet Address