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Abbreviations used in Polish gravestone inscriptions


rushicman
20 Nov 2017 #1
Two questions; 1) Can anyone tell me what the capital letter R means when it is inscribed immediately after the year of birth and immediately after the year of death on a gravestone?

2) What do the letters Go. mean when used as follows in the date of birth and the date of death? "8 - Go. Grudnia 1881" (translation, 8 December 1881) and, "25 - Go. Sierpnia 1943" (translation, 25 August 1943). I think I have the months right but have no idea what Go. might mean.

Thank you in advance!
Roger
KoszalinChris - | 5
20 Nov 2017 #2
Hi Roger,

I can only help you with your first question I'm afraid. the R stands for 'rok' I do believe, which translates as year. I'm sure someone will be able to help you with the 'Go', which now has me intrigued.
kaprys 3 | 2,249
20 Nov 2017 #3
It's 'the 8th' and 'the 25th' respectively as 'ósmego' is 'eighth' and 'dwudziestego piątego' is 'twenty-fifth'.
r. does stand for 'roku' (rok-year), indeed.
You got the months right.
NoToForeigners 9 | 998
20 Nov 2017 #4
1. R means rok/roku.

2. -go means that the number before should be read as its declined form and is actually an error. In proper Polish we use "." after the number to do just that and we can skip "." altogether if the context clearly indicates that the number should be declined by cases.

"Zmarł 8. Grudnia 1935r." is correct.
"Był uczniem 8 (no dot) klasy" is correct as well.

Adding "-ego" or "-go" is not correct Polish.

sjp.pwn.pl/zasady/;629746
OP rushicman
20 Nov 2017 #5
Thank you all for your explanations! They were all very helpful and informative. The gravestone in question memorializes a Polish speaking family in Rhode Island, USA, I have been researching, and contains inscriptions for eleven members of that family. Some of the inscriptions are in English but most are in Polish. Since I am a person who speaks only English, I am very grateful that there are sites like this and people who are willing to help.

Thank you again!
Roger
RAS85
15 Oct 2018 #6
Zyt lat 74 z.m.d.21
Pazdziernika 1918,
Prosi o zdro MARYA,
Te pamiątke kladzie
syn Antoni
Rich Mazur 4 | 3,053
15 Oct 2018 #7
I read all six posts and declare Polish customs insane. "R" for "roku"? Is a typical Polish gravestone so tiny that "roku" won't fit or do they charge per letter?

How about the American way: January 1, 1945 - December 31, 2018
No stupid abbreviations, no ambiguities, no need to go to a forum for a guide what means what.
Anyone who does not understand the above example should be in a padded room for life.
delphiandomine 88 | 18,163
15 Oct 2018 #8
"R" for "roku"?

You've just definitely proven that you don't speak Polish.
jon357 74 | 22,087
15 Oct 2018 #9
Quite.

or do they charge per letter?

Usually...
RAS85
16 Oct 2018 #11
Zyt lat 74 z.m.d.21
Pazdziernika 1918,
Prosi o zdro MARYA,
Tę pamiątke kladzie
syn Antoni

I am sorry, but I posted this with any explanation. I have a very limited knowledge of Polish.
Does anyone know if z.m.d. has something to do with zginął, perished?
I am also not very clear on the rest of it. I have seen "Prosi O Zdrowas Marya", but I am not certain of the meaning of "Prosi o zdro MARYA " .

Also I could use help with "Tę pamiątke kladzie".
Thank you for any help.
Chemikiem
16 Oct 2018 #12
z.m.d.

I'm not 100% sure but my guess is it means zmarł dzień. This person was 74 years old and died on 21st October 1918.
I'm not that familiar with gravestone inscriptions, but I think the rest of it is something to do with Mary's health and the souvenir/memento was put there by son Antoni?

Someone Polish can probably give a better translation.
RAS85
18 Oct 2018 #13
Thank you for your help. At least now I have a good idea of the inscription's meaning.
It is my great grandfather's grave and I only just recently found a picture of it, but I don't know where it is. It is almost the 100th anniversary of his death.

Thanks again.
searchingfamily
30 Sep 2019 #14
Could some let me know what D.O.M. means on a Polish headstone? Thank you.
kaprys 3 | 2,249
1 Oct 2019 #15
It's probably from Latin Deo Optimo Maximo
Jessa rok
29 Feb 2020 #16
@searchingfamily
Means deo optimo maximo
Kelly3aac
25 Sep 2020 #17
on my great uncle's stone it reads...
UM C. SIERPINA 1943
What does the C. mean?
pawian 222 | 24,060
25 Sep 2020 #18
Is the stone a little illegible? Um means died, sierpnia August so that C must be the day in August, probably 8, 10 or whatever.
polczynskim
1 Apr 2021 #19
Greetings! What does the abbreviation BŁ. P. mean on a headstone? Thanks.
pawian 222 | 24,060
1 Apr 2021 #20
błogosławionej pamięci - of blessed memory
Novichok 5 | 8,187
1 Apr 2021 #21
BŁ. P.

This is dumber than skipping vowels texting.
Are Poles so poor they can't afford full words? Or just stupid and stubborn?
At least be consistent. How about: B.P. or Bl. Pa.?
GSUEBEE157
17 Jul 2021 #22
Can anyone help me with this inscription on the gravestone of my Polish relative please?
UR.25 Lut 1918
UM.15 Stycz 1919
Is it Born 25 February 1918
Died 16 January 1919
Novichok 5 | 8,187
17 Jul 2021 #24
How about:
1918 - 1919
Too cryptic?

BTW, gravestones are not birth and death certificates.
pawian 222 | 24,060
17 Jul 2021 #25
How about:
1918 - 1919
Too cryptic?

Now think a little harder than you normally do and try to guess why the date includes days and months.
Novichok 5 | 8,187
17 Jul 2021 #26
Because Poles use gravestones as birth and death certificates. That's why Poles are so muscular.
pawian 222 | 24,060
17 Jul 2021 #27
hahaha funny. I must admit.

No, that`s because Poles, apart from All Saints` Day, visit the graves at anniversaries like birth or deathday. Also at Easter and Christmas. Seeing the full date reminds them of the next visit.

Poniał?
Novichok 5 | 8,187
17 Jul 2021 #28
Seeing the full date reminds them of the next visit.

Then Poles are lucky to live where nobody steals identities. That being the case, why not engrave the dead guy's social security number and mother's maiden name. You know, just in case the living forget...

Sorry, I meant PESEL.
pawian 222 | 24,060
17 Jul 2021 #29
why not engrave the dead guy's social security number and mother's maiden name.

Each letter/symbol costs extra money, remember. Only indispensable details are engraved.

That is Polish culture. Accept it as it is or leave. It is very infantile oand boorish of you to try to change another nation`s culture. We, Poles, don`t ridicule American cemeteries. Ha!
Novichok 5 | 8,187
17 Jul 2021 #30
Each letter/symbol costs extra money, remember. Only indispensable details are engraved.

What could those two dates mean? OK, I got! No, still thinking...
If those URs and UMs are "indispensable", you guys have a bigger problem than you realize.


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