Daily AncestorAffidavit
An affidavit is a written statement of facts that the signer swears or affirms is true before an officer allowed to give oaths, such as a justice or notary.
The person making it, the affiant, signs it voluntarily and an official certifies the oath. Unlike a deposition, the other side is not given notice or a chance to ask questions.
Affidavits were gathered to support claims before a trial or a decision, so they turn up in court case files and wherever a fact had to be sworn to.
As seen in a recordAffidavit in an estate or pension file, 1800s
Personally appeared before me, Silas Orrick, J.P., Mary Orrick, who being duly sworn says she was married to the said Jas. Morrow in 1838
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Affidavit." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/affidavit. Last checked 2026-10-12.