d.s.p.l.
D.s.p.l. (decessit sine prole legitima) means the person "died without legitimate issue," leaving no children born within marriage.
D.s.p.l. tells you that the person left no children born to a lawful marriage. It does not say there were no children at all; a child born outside marriage could exist and simply not count as an heir.
It is found in pedigrees and inheritance notes, where legitimacy decided who could inherit. If you suspect a child was left out, look at bastardy bonds, guardianship records and the person's will, which might still name the child.
As seen in a recordAnnotation in a printed pedigree
Wm. Byrd, d.s.p.l.
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "d.s.p.l.." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/abbreviations/dspl. Last checked 2026-10-01.