Daily AncestorJ.P.
J.P. after a name means justice of the peace, a local officer who heard small cases, took oaths and performed marriages.
J.P. is usually written after a name, as in Saml. Ford, J.P. A justice of the peace was a local magistrate, and in American records you see his signature on marriage returns, acknowledgments of deeds and depositions.
When a couple was married by a J.P. rather than a minister, there may be no church record, so the county marriage register becomes the main source.
As seen in a recordCounty marriage register
Married by Saml. Ford, J.P.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "J.P.." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/abbreviations/jp. Last checked 2026-10-10.