ff: (old style) a lower case double-eff (ff) at the beginning of a word is the same as a capitalized F. Example of use. Example of appearance

Fannie, Franny, Frankie: nickname for Frances (fem.)

Februarius (Feb): (latin) month of February

feets of fines: In England, fines (final concords or finalis concordia (latin)) were land conveyances between the deforciant (seller) and the querent (purchaser)

Felty: nickname for Valentine

fil.: (latin) son

filia: (latin) daughter

fitz: (Norman french) "son of" as in Fitz William. See Early England

folktale: See legend

fonds: documents

forename: given name, first name (versus surname)

fortnight: fourteen days; two weeks. Example

Frank: nickname for Francis (masc.), Franklin (in which case, may have full name of Benjamin Franklin (namesake)).

frankpledge: See tithing.

fratri: (latin) brother

freehold: land held by fee simple (outright with no other claims); in colonial Virginia, freeholders (owners of freeholds) had the right to vote, sit on juries and hold public office.

freeman, freedman: (feudal, medieval) in England, a man who held the full rights of citizenship, including the right to vote and engage in business (as opposed to indentured servants, apprentices, and others who were, in effect, the property of another); in the Colonies, used to denote a person of color who was not the property of another (freed from bondage or slavery). In Virginia, voting required owning land, whereas Maryland did not add that proviso until much later.* See also Freedom of the City of London.

*By 1619 Virginia Colony had adopted a representative government, out of both need and efficiency of operation, whereas Maryland's charter specified that the laws of the province had to be "of and with the advise, assent, and approbation of the free-men of the said Province, or the greater part of them, or of their delegates or deputies." Unlike Virginia, Maryland did not initially require that a freeman own land to exercise voting rights. (cites to be added)

fuit: (latin) was