Pat.

Pat. is a clerk's shortening of the given name Patrick. Busy writers cut common first names down to a few letters, often raising the last letters above the line, and the habit runs through deeds, wills, tax lists and census pages.

An index may keep Pat as written, which today can be short for Patricia as well as Patrick. On the original page, the sex column, an occupation or a wife's name will show you that Patrick is meant.