Daily AncestorTo wit
To wit means "that is to say" or "namely"; in deeds, wills and court papers it introduces the exact list or description that follows.
To wit is old legal English for "namely." Black's Law Dictionary equates it with the Latin videlicet (the source of the abbreviation viz.) and scilicet.
Clerks used it right before the important detail: the land description, the names of heirs, or the items left to someone. When a record says "to wit," read what comes after it closely, because that is the specific information.
As seen in a recordDeed or will, 1800s
a certain tract of land in said county, to wit: the northeast quarter of Section 12
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "To wit." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/to-wit. Last checked 2026-10-10.