Chapman Codes of the World

Used mainly in genealogy from the mid 1970s, a Chapman Code is an individual set of three letters given to nearly all UK counties and worldwide countries which conveniently replace all lengthy writing and/or typing of these names. I have always found them a bonus when printing off charts, family trees, etc as the width of a column can be really shortened, e.g. BKM = Buckinghamshire, or NTH = Northamptonshire. This is the site I use: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mgfhs/chapman.htm

I must add that the Chapman Codes are not recognised by the Royal Mail, UK and they are missing for some places and countries, but for me, compared with the benefits gained, a small price to pay.

 

Good point, Peter, hadn't noticed those areas! Guess I favour them because I know them - my chosen subject for a possible appearance on Mastermind

 

Seriously, Tim and Peter, with my large database, I find it regularises place names very efficiently, it's quick and reduces overall total content on reports. I first started using it when I was inputting info into my family tree software and still find that just by copying and pasting there is often a wide variety of the actual shortening of county names which my 'sort' facility couldn't and still can't handle. All this was started in the internet age, along-side of computer speak and now its close relative, txt speak.

 

I too use Hants, Salop, Bucks etc and never use a country name unless it is outside England, though I do use NRY, ERY and WRY if I can identify the specific area of Yorks/Yks. This system helps me to identify my own research when correspondents are trying to pass off my work as their own! However, it confuses Ancestry!