Abbreviations for Months

Our family history needs to be recorded in a consistent manner, be it locations or dates. Dates are written in different ways around the world and even by various family members.

I frequently find documents or correspondence that lists a date like 1/11/07. What does that mean? Is it January 11, 1907 or 1 November 1807 or something else? If there are no other reference points, all I can do is guess. Regardless of the laws of probability, I invariably choose the wrong interpretation.

Dates should be written so they will always be understood by everyone. If you aren't already listing your dates as 11 Jan 2007 or 1 Nov 1807 then start doing so now. Your readers and those who inherit your work will thank you for writing them with clarity.

If you are like me, you often encounter writing that isn't in your native language or personal knowledgebase. When it involves dates, here is a handy reference list that will help you interpret the months.

ABBREVIATIONS FOR MONTHS

CZECH	DANISH	DUTCH	ENGLISH
led. ún. brez. dub. kvet. cerv. cerven. srp. zárí ríj. list. pros.	jan. febr. marts. april maj. juni juli aug. sept. okt. nov. dec.	jan. febr. maarts. apr. mei juni juli aug. sept. oct. nov. dec.	Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
ESTONIAN	FRENCH	GERMAN	HUNGARIAN
jaan. veebr. märts. Apr. mai juuni juuli aug. sept. okt. nov. dets.	janv. févr. mars avril mai juin juil. août sept. oct. nov. déc.	Jan. (Jän.) Feb. März Apr. Mai Juni Juli Aug. Sept. Okt. Nov. Dez.	jan. feb. márc. ápr. máj. jún. júl. aug. szept. okt. nov. dec.
INDONESIAN	ITALIAN	LATIN	LATVIAN
Jan. (Djan.) Peb. Mrt. Apr. Mei (Mai) Juni (Djuni) Juli (Djuli) Ag. Sept. Okt. Nop. Des.	genn. febbr. mar. apr. magg. giugno luglio ag. sett. ott. nov. dic.	Ian. Febr. Mart. Apr. Mai Iun. Iul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.	jan. feb. marts. apr. maijs junijs julijs aug. sept. okt. nov. dec.
LITHUANIAN	MALAYSIAN	NORWEGIAN	POLISH
saus. vas. kovas bal. geg. birz. liepa rugp. rugs. spalis lapkr. gr.	Jan. Feb. Mac Apr. Mei Jun Julai Og. Sept. Okt. Nov. Dis.	jan. febr. mars. april mai juni juli aug. sept. okt. nov. des.	stycz luty mar. kwiec. maj czerw. Iip. sierp. wrzes. pazdz. listop. grudz.
PORTUGUESE	ROMANIAN	SERBO-CROATIAN	SLOVAK
jan. fev. marco abril maio junho julho agosto set. out. nov. dez.	Ian. Feb. Mar. Apr. Mai Iunie Iulie Aug. Sept. Oct. Noem. Dec.	sijec. velj. ozuj. trav. svib. lip. srp. kol. ruj. list. stud. pros.	l'ad. jan. un. feb. brez. mar. dub. apr. kvet. maj. cerv. jun cerven. jul srp. aug. zari. sept. ruj. okt. list. nov. pros. dec.
SLOVENIAN	SPANISH	SWEDISH	WELSH
jan. feb. mar. apr. maj jun. jul. avg. sept. okt. nov. dec.	enero feb. marzo abr. mayo jun. jul. agosto sept. (set.) oct. nov. dic.	jan. febr. mars. april maj juni juli aug. sept. okt. nov. dec.	Ion. Chwe. Maw. Ebr. Mai Meh. Gorff. Awst Medi Hyd. Tach. Rhag.