http://gencom.org.nz/GEDCOM_tags.html
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