Totdatum

Totdatum is a term used in genealogical, archival, and biographical databases to denote the date of death of an individual. The concept appears in various European languages and datasets, and in English-language contexts the field is often simply called the date of death.

Etymology and scope: The word totdatum derives from Germanic and related language families, and its exact meaning can vary by dataset. Some systems treat totdatum as a single, precise date value, while others allow partial dates or include uncertainty qualifiers. In some contexts the term is used interchangeably with “death date,” though local conventions may differ.

Representation and formats: Totdatum can be stored as a full date (year, month, day) when the information is fully known, or as a partial date (year only, or year and month). It may also be recorded as a textual estimate such as “circa 1870” or marked as unknown. Data models often include precision indicators, qualifiers (for example, “circa,” “before,” or “after”), and sometimes a separate flag indicating that the date is not known. Historical records may require notes about calendar systems (Julian vs. Gregorian) used.

Usage and relationships: The totdatum field supports life history analysis, chronological sequencing, and age-at-death calculations. It is typically linked to birth dates, places of death, and other biographical attributes, enabling searches and filters by time periods and events.

See also: Date of birth, age, Wikidata date of death (P570), biographical databases, genealogical data standards.