Is Lil short for anything?
Yes. Lil is a nickname in most old records, and it usually points to Lillian. Less often it stands in for Lily, Delilah, and Elizabeth. Expect it in American and British records, mostly 1800s-1900s. A record that says Lil and a record that says Lillian can easily be the same person, so search both names before you rule anyone out.
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FAQs
Is Lil a nickname?+
In old records, almost always - it stands for Lillian or Lily. Treat it as a pointer to a formal name until the documents prove otherwise.
Is Lil a real name on its own?+
It mostly rode on Lillian in the eras we track (1800s-1900s). If your ancestor's papers only ever say Lil, record it as written and keep Lillian as a candidate.
How does this nickname lookup work?+
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