Dictionary of Terms that Appear Frequently in
"Kneschke's Adels-Lexicon"

NOBILITY:

Reichsadelstand =nobility of the Holy Roman Empire
Freiherr(nstand) = baron / baronetcy
Graf = count
Herzog = duke
Margraf = margrave
Landgraf = landgrave
K. = Kaiser
Kg. = king
Landadel = landed gentry
Gut = property
Gutshaus = manor
Gutshof = estate
Landgut = estate
Rittergut = manor
Stammgut = family estate
Stammsitz = ancestral seat
Stamm = house
Erbgut/Erbhof = ancestral estate
Landbesitz = landholding
Stammburg/Stammschloss= ancestral castle
Gutbesitzer = the lord of the manor
Rittergutbesitzer = the lord of the manor
Gutsherr = squire / lord of manor
Hofherr / Gutsherr = squire / estate owner
Gutsverwalter = steward
Landbesitzer = landowner
beguetert = landed
Gut in Kr. Schongau = estate in the district of Schongau
koenigliche Stamm = royal lineage
Stammhalter = son and heir
Erbfolge = line of succession
Majorat (Erbgut) = estate to which the eldest son is
= entitled (primogeniture)
Ahnherr / Stammvater = ancestor / proginator

RELIGION:

Domdekan (-Dechant) = dean of a cathedral
Domprobst = dean of a cathedral
Domherr = canon
Domkapitular = canon
Reichsabt = abbot of an abbey under imperial protection

MILITARY:

General-Major = major general
Generallieutenant = lieutenant general
Hauptmann = major
Oberst = colonel
Rittmeister = calvary captain
Dragon-Regiment = dragoon regiment
Husaren-Regiment = Hussar regiment
Genie-Regiment = engineering corps
Hofkriegs-Rath = military advisor at the court of...
Deutsche Orden = Teutonic Order of Knights
Komtur (Comthur) = commander of a knightly order
k.k. = royal ... of Austria
Pr. = royal ... of Prussia

Notes:

Hussar regiment:
The famous calvary corps of the Prussian army.

Teutonic Order
Apart from this order of knights, there were a number of other orders:
Malthese Order
Johannite Order
Order of the Black Eagle
Gregor Order (serving the Pope in Rome)

CIVIL SERVICE:

k.k. Rath = royal advisor at a court of Austria
Pr. Rath = royal advisor at a court of Prussia
P. = Prague
Geh.-Rath = privy councellor
Hofamt = court appointment
Hofartz = court physician
Hofmarschal = major-domo / Lord Chamberlain
Hofmeister = steward / private tutor to a noble family
Hofrath = court councellor / Privy Councellor
Hofsaenger = minstral
Botschafter = Ambassador
Gesandter = Ambassador / emissary
Kammerbulle = quartermaster
Kammerdiener = valet
Kaemmerer/Kammerherr= chamberlain
Kammergericht = supreme court
Kammerjaeger = game keeper
freie Reichstadt = free city of the Holy Roman Empire
Reichstag = Parliament
Reichsvogt = protector
Landvogt = governor
Landesbehoerde = regional authorities
Landammann = highest official in a Swiss canton
Landeshauptmann = head of the government of a province
Oberamtsregierungs-Praesident = Administrative President
Reichskanzler = Imperial Chancellor
Schultheiss = similar to Buergermeister: mayor of a town
Forstmeister = forestry commissioner
Forstbeamter = forestry official
Gestuetsmeister = horse breeder
Jaegermeister = (use the German: most English speakers are familiar with the term.)