Latin in records · card O

orphanus

Orphanus is Latin for an orphan, a child whose parents had died; the feminine is orphana.

Orphanus means orphan. The word comes from Greek and is labeled late Latin. Registers may also use orbus, which means bereaved or orphaned.

An orphan in a marriage or burial entry often lived with a relative or guardian, who may be named. Look for that guardian (tutor) in the same entry, since he can lead you to the child's wider family.

As seen in a recordLatin marriage register, bride's line, 1810s
Sponsa: Rosalia Weiss, orphana, sub tutela patrui sui
How to cite this page

Daily Ancestor. "orphanus." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/latin/orphanus. Last checked 2026-10-10.

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