Reading and Transcribing Historical Documents



One of the biggest obstacles for those studying historical documents is deciphering old handwriting. Primary sources often take the form of handwritten documents that provide indexers with several hours of work. While many volunteers help make digital historical records available for researchers through websites like FamilySearch.org, it is often useful for researchers to learn how to index and transcribe historical documents on their own. This does not mean that you cannot confer with other researchers. On the contrary, one of the most important steps in the process is checking your work and verifying it with other transcribers. However, learning the skills necessary for reading historical documents will make you a better researcher and historian.

Reading Early American Handwriting by Kip Sperry is a great resource for those seeking an overview of the process. Published in 1998, the information and examples included in the book are great resources for anyone reading and transcribing historical documents. You can check worldcat.org to find a library nearby that has a copy, or you can purchase one from Amazon to have by your desk as you work.


For a quick online tutorial, you can visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/. The site includes reference guides, tips, and practice examples with further details and information. Free guides are also available for researchers, teachers, and students to print and download.

In addition to deciphering letters and words, reading historical records for content is also a challenge due to changes in definitions overtime. For example, words during the Colonial time-period did not have the same meaning as they do today. Glossaries like Colonial American English by Richard M. Lederer, Jr. help those reading and studying historical documents from the Colonial time-period understand the historical context and intended meanings of words like gourd and grazier.



*Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn a portion of the sales from qualifying purchases. 

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