| A/ | Acting |
| AAMC | Australian Army Medical Corps |
| Aber | The University of Aberdeen |
| AC | Companion of the Order of Australia |
| AC gen | Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia |
| AC mil | Companion in the Military Divison of the Order of Australia |
| ACAD | A Cambridge Alumni Database |
| ACM | Air Chief Marshal |
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory |
| ACTDI | ACT death index |
| ACTh | Australian College of Theology |
| AD | Dame of the Order of Australia |
| ADB | Australian Dictionary of Biography |
| Adel | Adelaide; The University of Adelaide |
| Adm | Admiral |
| Admitted | Admitted to practise (as a lawyer in a specific court) |
| aeg | ad eundum gradum |
| AFC | Air Force Cross |
| Age | The Age, newspaper published in Melbourne (accessed via Trove) |
| AIF | Australian Imperial Force (First AIF unless otherwise indicated) |
| AIF file | AIF file for the individual concerned, National Archives of Australia |
| AIF, 1st | First Australian Imperial Force (1914-19) |
| AIF, 2nd | Second Australian Imperial Force (1939-45) |
| Air Cdre | Air Commodore |
| AK | Knight of the Order of Australia |
| AM | Member of the Order of Australia |
| AM gen | Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia |
| AM mil | Member in the Military Divison of the Order of Australia |
| AMPI | Australian Medical Pioneers Index |
| AN&MEF | Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (1914-19) |
| Annable | Rosemary Annable, Biographical Register: The Women’s College within the University of Sydney, vol 1 (1995) |
| ANU | The Australian National University |
| AO | Officer of the Order of Australia |
| AO gen | Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia |
| AO mil | Officer in the Military Divison of the Order of Australia |
| Argus | The Argus, newspaper published in Melbourne (accessed via Trove) |
| Assn | Association |
| Assoc | Associates |
| AVM | Air Vice-Marshal |
| b | born |
| BA | Bachelor of Arts |
| BA (War) | Bachelor of Arts (War Degree) |
| BAgrSc | Bachelor of Science in Agriculture; Bachelor of Agricultural Science |
| BAO | Bachelor of Obstetric Arts |
| BArch | Bachelor of Architecture |
| BCE | Bachelor of Civil Engineering |
| BCh | Bachelor of Surgery |
| BChir | Bachelor of Surgery |
| BCL | Bachelor of Civil Law |
| BCom | Bachelor of Commerce |
| BD | Bachelor of Divinity |
| BDS | Bachelor of Dental Surgery |
| BDSc | Bachelor of Dental Science |
| BDWA | The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians pre-1829 – 1888 (general editor, Rica Erickson) (1987) |
| BE | Bachelor of Engineering |
| BEc | Bachelor of Economics |
| BEd | Bachelor of Education |
| BEE | Bachelor of Electrical Engineering |
| BEngSc | Bachelor of Engineering Science |
| BL | Bachelor of Law |
| BLitt | Bachelor of Letters |
| BM | Bachelor of Medicine |
| BME | Bachelor of Mining Engineering |
| BMechE | Bachelor of Mechancial Engineering |
| BMed | Bachelor of Medicine |
| BMetE | Bachelor of Metallurgical Engineering |
| BMus | Bachelor of Music |
| BR | A Biographical Register 1788–1939: Notes from the Name Index of the ADB |
| Brig | Brigadier |
| Brig-Gen | Brigadier-General |
| BS | Bachelor of Surgery; Bachelor of Science (US) |
| BSc | Bachelor of Science |
| BScAgr | Bachelor of Science in Agriculture |
| BScApp | Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Chemistry |
| BScDom | Bachelor of Science in Domestic Science |
| BScEng | Bachelor of Science in Engineering |
| BScF | Bachelor of Science in Forestry |
| BScFor | Bachelor of Science in Forestry |
| BSurv | Bachelor of Surveying |
| Bt | Baronet |
| BVSc | Bachelor of Veterinary Science |
| c | circa |
| Cable | Cable Clerical Index of Clergy Who Served in the Anglican Church of Australia 1788-1961 (2013) |
| Cantab | The University of Cambridge |
| Cantuar | Archbishop of Canterbury (‘Lambeth’ degree) |
| Capt | Captain |
| CB | Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| CB civ | Companion in the Civil Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| CB mil | Companion in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| CBE | Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| CBE civ | Commander in the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| CBE mil | Commander in the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| Cdr | Commander |
| Cdre | Commodore |
| Chap | Chaplain |
| Chap1 | Chaplain First Class |
| ChB | Bachelor of Surgery |
| ChD | Doctor of Surgery |
| ChM | Master of Surgery |
| CJ | Chief Justice |
| CM | Master of Surgery |
| CMG | Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George |
| CofAG | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette |
| Col | Colonel |
| Col-Comdt | Colonel-Commandant |
| Cpl | Corporal |
| CPO | Chief Petty Officer |
| CVO | Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
| Cwlth | Commonwealth |
| d | died |
| DAgrSc | Doctor of Agricultural Science |
| DBE | Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| DCL | Doctor of Civil Law |
| DCM | Distinguished Conduct Medal |
| DCVO | Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
| DD | Doctor of Divinity |
| DDSc | Doctor of Dental Science |
| DE | Doctor of Engineering |
| DEng | Doctor of Engineering |
| Dept | Department |
| DFC | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| DipEd | Diploma of Education |
| Dir | Director |
| Dist | District |
| Div | Division; Divisional |
| DLit | Doctor of Literature |
| DLitt | Doctor of Letters |
| DM | Doctor of Medicine |
| DMed | Doctor of Medicine |
| DMus | Doctor of Music |
| DPH | Diploma of Public Health |
| DSc | Doctor of Science |
| DScAgr | Doctor of Science in Agriculture |
| DScEng | Doctor of Science in Engineering |
| DSO | Companion of the Distinguished Service Order |
| Dubl | Dublin; The University of Dublin (Trinity College) |
| Dunelm | The University of Durham |
| DVA | The Department of Veterans’ Affairs Nominal Rolls website |
| DVSc | Doctor of Veterinary Science |
| Edin | Edinburgh; The University of Edinburgh |
| Eng | England |
| F/O | Flying Officer |
| F/Sgt | Flight Sergeant |
| FAA | Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science |
| FAHA | Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities |
| FASSA | Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia |
| FFPS Glas | Fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
| FKQCP Ire | Fellow of the King’s and Queen’s College of Physicians of Ireland |
| Flg Offr | Flying Officer |
| Flt Lt | Flight Lieutenant |
| FRACP | Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians |
| FRACS | Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons |
| FRCP Edin | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| FRCP Ire | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland |
| FRCP Lond | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London) |
| FRCS Edin | Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh |
| FRCS Eng | Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (England) |
| FRCS Ire | Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland |
| FreeBMD | FreeBMD, website of indexes of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales |
| FRFPS Glas | Fellow of the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow |
| FRS | Fellow of the Royal Society of London |
| FTSE | Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering |
| GBE | Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| GCB | Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| GCIE | Knight Grand Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire |
| GCMG | Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George |
| GCSI | Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India |
| GCVO | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order |
| Gen | General |
| GG | Government gazette |
| GGNSW | Government Gazette of the State of NSW |
| GGWA | Government Gazette of Western Australia |
| Glas | Glasgow; The University of Glasgow |
| Gp Capt | Group Captain |
| GRO Eng | General Register Office for England and Wales, index of births, deaths and marriages |
| H/ | Honorary |
| HA | House of Assembly |
| hc | honoris causa |
| HCA | High Court of Australia |
| HDAE | Historical Data on Australian Elites |
| Henderson (EPF) | Alexander Henderson, Early Pioneer Families of Victoria and Riverina (1936) |
| Henderson (HAF) | Alexander Henderson, Henderson’s Australian Families (1941) |
| Hon | Honourable; honorary |
| Hons | Honours |
| IBVM | Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loreto Sisters) |
| Ire | Ireland |
| IreBI | Irish birth index |
| ISO | Companion of the Imperial Service Order |
| Jnr | Junior |
| KBE | Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| KBE civ | Knight Commander in the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| KBE mil | Knight Commander in the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| KC | King’s Counsel |
| KCB | Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| KCB civ | Knight Commander in the Civil Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| KCB mil | Knight Commander in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| KCMG | Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George |
| KCVO | Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
| KG | Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter |
| KP | Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick |
| KT | Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle |
| Kt bach | Knight bachelor |
| L/Cpl | Lance-Corporal |
| L/Sgt | Lance-Sergeant |
| LA | Legislative Assembly |
| LAH | Licentiate of Apothecaries Hall, Dublin |
| LC | Legislative Council |
| Leask | Leask’s Genealogical Guide to Some Australian Families Their Antecedents and Genealogies (1979) |
| LittD | Doctor of Letters |
| Liv | The University of Liverpool |
| LLB | Bachelor of Laws |
| LLD | Doctor of Laws |
| LLM | Master of Laws |
| LM | Licentiate in Midwifery |
| Lond | London; The University of London |
| LRCP Edin | Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| LRCP Lond | Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (London) |
| LRCS Edin | Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh |
| LRCS Eng | Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons (England) |
| LSA | Licentiate of the Worshipful Company of Apothecaries of London |
| Lt | Lieutenant |
| Lt, 2nd | Second Lieutenant |
| Lt-Cdr | Lieutenant-Commander |
| Lt-Col | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Lt-Gen | Lieutenant-General |
| LVO | Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order |
| MA | Master of Arts |
| MAgrSc | Master of Agricultural Science |
| Maj | Major |
| Maj-Gen | Major-General |
| Manc | The University of Manchester |
| MAppSc | Master of Applied Science |
| MB | Bachelor of Medicine |
| MB BS | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery |
| MBE | Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| MBE civ | Member in the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| MBE mil | Member in the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| MC | Military Cross; Master of Surgery |
| MCD | Melbourne College of Divinity |
| MCE | Master of Civil Engineering |
| McG | McGill University (Montreal) |
| MCom | Master of Commerce |
| MD | Doctor of Medicine |
| MDS | Master of Dental Surgery |
| MDS | Master of Dental Surgery |
| MDSc | Master of Dental Science |
| ME | Master of Engineering |
| MEc | Master of Economics |
| MEd | Master of Education |
| Med Coll Pac | Medical College of the Pacific (San Francisco) |
| Med Reg | Medical register |
| Melb | Melbourne; The University of Melbourne |
| MEngSc | Master of Engineering Science |
| MF | Master of Forestry |
| MHA | Member of the House of Assembly |
| MHR | Member of the House of Representatives |
| MLA | Member of the Legislative Assembly |
| MLC | Member of the Legislative Council |
| MME | Master of Mechanical Engineering |
| MMechEng | Master of Mechanical Engineering |
| Moore | Peter Moore (editor), The Roll of Practitioners Admitted in the Supreme Court of South Australia 1837 to 1945 (2013) |
| Mowle | P C Mowle, A Genealogical History of the Pioneer Families of Australia (4th edition, 1948) |
| MP | Member of Parliament |
| MRACP | Member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians |
| MRACS | Member of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons |
| MRCP Edin | Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| MRCP Lond | Member of the Royal College of Physicians (London) |
| MRCS Edin | Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh |
| MRCS Eng | Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (England) |
| MS | Master of Surgery; Master of Science (US) |
| MSc | Master of Science |
| MSc(For) | Master of Science in Forestry |
| MScAgr | Master of Science in Agriculture |
| MScApp | Master of Applied Science |
| MScEng | Master of Engineering Science |
| Msgr | Monsignor |
| MSM | Meritorious Service Medal |
| MusB | Bachelor of Music |
| MusBac | Bachelor of Music |
| MusD | Doctor of Music |
| MusDoc | Doctor of Music |
| MVO | Member of the Royal Victorian Order |
| NAA | National Archives of Australia |
| New Eng | The University of New England (Armidale, NSW) |
| NSW | New South Wales |
| NSWBI | NSW birth index |
| NSWDI | NSW death index |
| NSWGG | NSW Government Gazette |
| NSWMI | NSW marriage index |
| NT | Northern Territory of Australia; Northern Territory of South Australia |
| NZ | New Zealand; The University of New Zealand |
| NZBI | NZ birth index |
| NZDI | NZ death index |
| NZMI | NZ marriage index |
| OA | Obituaries Australia, a digital repository of obituaries published online |
| OAM | Order of Australia Medal |
| OBE | Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| OBE civ | Officer in the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| OBE mil | Officer in the Military Divison of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |
| Offr | Officer |
| OM | Member of the Order of Merit |
| OSB | Ordo Sancti Benedicti (Order of St Benedict) |
| Oxon | The University of Oxford |
| P/O | Pilot Officer |
| PC | Privy Counsellor |
| Penn | The University of Pennsylvania |
| PhD | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Plt Offr | Pilot Officer |
| PO | Petty Officer |
| PP | Port Phillip District of NSW |
| Pres | President |
| PROV | Public Records Office of Victoria |
| PRS | President of the Royal Society of London |
| Pte | Private |
| QC | Queen’s Counsel |
| Qld | Queensland; The University of Queensland |
| QldBI | Queensland birth index |
| QldDI | Queensland death index |
| QldGG | Queensland Government Gazette |
| QldMI | Queensland marriage index |
| QU Can | The Queen’s University of Canada |
| QUI | The Queen’s University of Ireland |
| RAAF | Royal Australian Air Force |
| RAAMC | Royal Australian Army Medical Corps |
| RAMC | Royal Army Medical Corps (British Army) |
| RAN | Royal Australian Navy |
| RANR | Royal Australian Naval Reserve |
| RANVR | Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| Rear-Adm | Rear-Admiral |
| Revd | Reverend |
| RN | Royal Navy |
| RNR | Royal Naval Reserve |
| RNVR | Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| RSC | Religious Sisters of Charity |
| Rt Hon | Right Honourable |
| Rt Revd | Right Reverend |
| RUI | The Royal University of Ireland |
| Ryerson | The Ryerson Index |
| S/Sgt | Staff Sergeant |
| SA | South Australia |
| SABI | SA birth index |
| SADI | SA death index |
| SAGG | South Australian Government Gazette |
| SAMI | SA marriage index |
| SC | Supreme Court |
| SCACT | Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory |
| ScD | Doctor of Science |
| SCNSW | Supreme Court of New South Wales |
| SCNT | Supreme Court of the Northern Territory |
| SCNZ | Supreme Court of New Zealand |
| Scot | Scotland |
| ScotBI | Scottish birth index |
| SCQ | Supreme Court of Queensland |
| SCSA | Supreme Court of South Australia |
| SCT | Supreme Court of Tasmania |
| SCV | Supreme Court of Victoria |
| SCWA | Supreme Court of Western Australia |
| Sec | Secretary |
| SGS | Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan |
| Sgt | Sergeant |
| SMH | The Sydney Morning Herald (accessed via Trove) |
| Snr | Senior |
| Sqn Ldr | Squadron Leader |
| St And | The University of St Andrews |
| Sub-Lt | Sub-Lieutenant |
| Syd | Sydney; The University of Sydney |
| T/ | Temporary |
| Tas | Tasmania; The University of Tasmania |
| Tas roll | Roll of legal practitioners, Tasmania |
| TasNI | Tasmanian Names Index |
| Terr | Territory |
| Tor | The University of Toronto |
| Trin Coll (Tor) | Trinity College (Toronto) |
| UK W&P | Find a Will, online wills and probate service of the UK Government |
| UMA | University of Melbourne Archives database of matriculating students |
| VC | Victoria Cross |
| VD | Volunteer Officers’ Decoration |
| VDL | Van Diemen’s Land |
| Ven | Venerable |
| VGG | Victorian Government Gazette |
| Vic | Victoria |
| Vic Manc | The Victoria University of Manchester |
| Vic roll | Roll of legal practitioners, Victoria |
| Vic Uni | The Victoria University (England) |
| Vic W&P | Victorian wills and probates |
| VicBI | Victorian birth index |
| VicDI | Victorian death index |
| Vice-Adm | Vice-Admiral |
| VicGG | Victorian Government Gazette |
| VicMI | Victorian marriage index |
| WA | Western Australia; The University of Western Australia |
| WABI | WA birth index |
| WADI | WA death index |
| WAGG | Western Australian Government Gazette |
| WAMI | WA marriage index |
| Ward & Prentis | Rowland S Ward and Malcolm D Prentis, Presbyterian Ministers in Australia 1822-1901: Biographical Register (3rd edition, 2012) |
| Wg Cdr | Wing Commander |
| WO | Warrant Officer |