Ordnance Survey Abbreviations
We are very grateful to Dr Richard Oliver for compiling this list and allowing us to use it. The abbreviations have been compiled from a number of sources, relating to all scales of Ordnance Survey mapping in Scotland, England and Wales. For more information on these abbreviations and their interpretation, please consult Richard Oliver's book Ordnance Survey maps: a concise guide for historians. 3rd edition (London : Charles Close Society, 2013).
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
| M | Mark, Mile, Mooring, Mound |
| M | Marsh, Mere, Moat |
| M | Masonry |
| M | Mead, Mews, Mound, Mount |
| (m) | Medium (boulder density) |
| m | Metres |
| M | Metres |
| M | Miles |
| Mag Var | Magnetic Variation |
| Mar | March (month) |
| May | May |
| MB | Municipal Borough |
| MC | Minor Control |
| MCPA | Minor Control Point Album |
| MCTS | Minor Control Traverse Station |
| MD | Mound |
| Me | Mead |
| Meml | Memorial |
| Meri | Merionethshire |
| Mers | Merseyside |
| met | Metalled |
| Met | Metropolitan |
| Met Sta | Meteorological Station |
| Meth | Methodist |
| Mg P | Mooring Post |
| MH | Malt House |
| MH | Man Hole |
| MH & MLW | Mean High and Mean Low Water |
| MH & MLWS | Mean High and Mean Low Water Springs |
| MHW | Mean High Water |
| MHWS | Mean High Water Springs |
| Mid Glam | Mid Glamorgan |
| Midloth | Midlothian |
| Min Tech | Ministry of Technology |
| Misn | Mission |
| Misn Ch | Mission Church |
| Mix | Mixed, Mixture (woods classification) |
| Mkt | Market |
| Mkt Ho | Market House |
| MLW | Mean Low Water |
| MLWS | Mean Low Water Springs |
| MO | Matter of opinion |
| Mod | Module |
| Mon | Monument |
| Monm | Monmouthshire |
| Mont | Montgomeryshire |
| Moray | Morayshire |
| Mort | Mortuary |
| MP | Mile Post |
| MP | Mooring Post |
| MPU | Mail Pick-up |
| Mr | Manor |
| MR | Mooring Ring |
| MS | Mews |
| MS | Mile Stone |
| MSD | Master Survey Drawing |
| MSL | Mean Sea Level |
| MT | Mount |
| Mt | Mountain |
| MT, MTs | Medium Tide(s) |
| Mtl Hospl | Mental Hospital |
| Multi Car Park | Multistory Car Park |
| Munl | Municipal |
| Mus | Museum |
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z