On a property deed, “et al.” is a Latin abbreviation for et alii, meaning “and others.” When it follows a name on a deed, tax bill, or mortgage, the meaning of “et al.” on a property document is that the person listed is not the sole owner — additional co-owners exist, they hold real legal rights in the property, and their names are recorded elsewhere in the public record.
Where the Abbreviation Shows Up
Property records use “et al.” as shorthand any time a document involves more parties than are convenient to list in every reference. A deed might read “John Smith et al. to XYZ Holdings,” which means John Smith and at least one other person transferred their interests to the buyer. The same shorthand appears on recorded mortgages, county tax assessor rolls, index entries, and court filings involving real estate.
It is not decorative. Every person covered by that abbreviation holds a legally recognized interest in the property, with the right to receive notice of lawsuits, foreclosures, and tax sales. Treat the two letters as a pointer to information you still need to find.
Related Latin Shorthand on Older Deeds
Two other abbreviations show up in the same records and mean something more specific than “et al.”:
- Et ux. is short for et uxor, “and wife.” “John Smith et ux.” means John Smith and his wife hold or transfer the property together.
- Et vir means “and husband.” “Jane Smith et vir” points to Jane Smith and her husband.
Modern deeds usually spell out both spouses’ names, but you will still run into et ux. and et vir when reviewing older links in a title chain.
How to Find Out Who the Other Owners Are
The shorthand hides names, but the full deed recorded with the county lists every grantor and grantee. “Et al.” only appears in the shorter references that come afterward, like tax rolls, index entries, and later documents that cite the original deed.
Start with the county recorder’s office, which in your area may be called the register of deeds or the county clerk. These offices keep grantor-grantee indexes that you can search by name or by the property’s legal description. Many counties now offer these searches online. Where records are not digitized, you can visit in person or request copies by mail.
The county assessor’s office is another useful stop. Assessors track current ownership for tax purposes and often list every owner of record for a parcel. For a purchase or any high-stakes decision, a title company will compile the same information more thoroughly, pulling every recorded document in the chain of title to produce a complete ownership picture. If “et al.” shows up on a property you are considering buying, a professional title search is the most reliable way to see exactly who has an interest.
The Form of Co-Ownership Behind “Et Al” Matters
The co-owners standing behind “et al.” hold their shares under one of several legal arrangements, and the arrangement controls what happens when an owner dies, whether an owner can sell independently, and how creditors can reach the property.
- Joint tenancy with right of survivorship. Each owner holds an equal share. When one dies, that share passes automatically to the survivors instead of going through probate. A single joint tenant can break the arrangement by conveying their interest, which turns their share into a tenancy in common.
- Tenancy in common. Shares can be unequal — one person might own 60 percent while two others each own 20 percent. Each owner can sell, mortgage, or give away their share independently. There is no survivorship, so a deceased owner’s share passes through their will or by intestacy.
- Tenancy by the entirety. Available only to married couples in states that recognize it. Includes survivorship and typically protects the property from creditors of only one spouse.
- Community property. In the nine community property states, property acquired during marriage is presumed to belong equally to both spouses regardless of whose name is on the deed.
This is where family-owned property handed down over generations often runs into trouble. In a tenancy in common, any co-owner who wants out can file a partition action asking a court to divide the property or force a sale and split the proceeds. A dozen heirs may hold fractional interests, and it takes only one who wants cash to trigger a sale that displaces everyone else.
Why the Signatures Matter More Than the Abbreviation
“Et al.” in the text of a deed does not substitute for actual signatures. When a property is sold, only the interests of the people who actually sign and deliver the deed are transferred. A co-owner covered by “et al.” who does not sign keeps their ownership share, and the buyer walks away with incomplete title.
The same rule applies to mortgages. If two people own a home and only one signs the mortgage, the lender’s lien attaches only to that signer’s share. If the borrower defaults, the lender can foreclose on a partial interest, which is worth far less and much harder to sell. Most lenders require every person on the deed to sign the mortgage for that reason.
Tax Consequences When You’re One of the “Et Al”
Property taxes are assessed against the property, not against individual owners, and that has a practical consequence: any co-owner can be held responsible for the full bill. The taxing authority does not care about your internal ownership percentages. If a co-owner does not pay their share, you may need to cover the entire amount to keep a tax lien from attaching. You then have the right to seek reimbursement from the non-paying co-owner, but collecting is your problem, not the tax collector’s.
Exemptions add another wrinkle. Homestead exemptions, which reduce the taxable value of a primary residence, generally require the owner to live in the property. When several people own a home and some live there while others do not, the exemption may be reduced or denied depending on the jurisdiction. Check your local rules before assuming you qualify.
When taxes go delinquent, the government must notify all owners of record before a tax sale. The “et al.” notation on tax records is a signal to the taxing authority that additional owners exist beyond the first name listed, and they must be identified and notified. Missed notice can void a tax sale, which is one reason accurate records matter.
What to Check Before Buying a Property Flagged With “Et Al”
If “et al.” shows up on any document tied to a property you want to buy, treat it as a signal to investigate before you commit. Three specific risks come with unnamed owners.
The first is incomplete conveyance. If even one co-owner refuses to sell or cannot be found, you cannot acquire clean title to the whole property. You would own only the shares transferred by the willing sellers. Title insurers generally refuse to insure a title with missing signatures, and lenders will not fund a mortgage on a property with unresolved ownership questions.
The second is liens against individual co-owners. A judgment creditor of one co-owner can place a lien on that person’s interest, and the lien follows that interest into any transaction. A thorough title search will surface these encumbrances, but only if you run one before closing.
The third is a partition action after closing. If you end up owning only a partial interest, any other co-owner can petition a court to force a sale of the entire property. You could be pushed to sell something you just bought, possibly below market value, because a co-owner you have never met wanted cash. This plays out regularly with inherited property where heirs are scattered and have conflicting goals.
A title search and title insurance are the standard protections. The search identifies everyone with a recorded interest, and the insurance covers you if something was missed. When “et al.” is in the picture, these are the only reliable way to know what you are actually buying.