A family history society or genealogical society is a

society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Soci ...

, often

charitable The practice of charity is the voluntary giving of help to those in need, as a humanitarian act, unmotivated by self-interest. There are a number of philosophies about charity, often associated with religion. Etymology The word ''charity'' or ...

or not-for-profit, that allows member

genealogist Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

s and family historians to profit from shared knowledge. Large societies often own libraries, sponsor research seminars and foreign trips, and publish journals. Some societies concentrate on a specific niche, such as the family history of a particular geographical area, ethnicity,

nationality Nationality is a legal identification of a person in international law, establishing the person as a subject, a ''national'', of a sovereign state. It affords the state jurisdiction over the person and affords the person the protection of the ...

, or

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

. Lineage societies are societies that limit their membership to descendants of a particular person or group of people of historical importance.

National and international societies

American Society of Genealogists The American Society of Genealogists is the scholarly honorary society of the genealogical field. Founded by John Insley Coddington, Arthur Adams, and Meredith B. Colket, Jr., in December 1940, its membership is limited to 50 living fellows. ASG pu ...

Federation of Family History Societies The Federation of Family History Societies ("The Federation") is a United Kingdom-based charitable organisation. In 2019 it rebranded to the Family History Federation Its stated principal aims are "to co-ordinate and assist the work of societies ...

(FFHS) (UK) *

Federation of Genealogical Societies The Federation of Genealogical Societies was a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in January 1976 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. FGS links hundreds of U.S.-based genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, a ...

(FGS) (US) *

Genealogical and Heraldic Office of Belgium The Royal Belgian Genealogical and Heraldic Office (French: Association Royale Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique or OGHB) is a private genealogical and heraldic society in Belgium. It was founded in 1942 as an asbl and has over a tho ...

Guild of One-Name Studies The Guild of One-Name Studies is a UK-based charitable organisation founded in 1979 for one-name studies. History The Guild developed as an offshoot of the Federation of Family History Societies. The FFHS was founded on 8 June 1974. By 1977 on ...

(UK) * National Genealogical Society (NGS) (US) *

Society of Genealogists The Society of Genealogists (SoG) is a UK-based educational charity, founded in 1911Fowler, S School of Advanced Study, University of London. Date unknown. Retrieved 2011-10-30. to "promote, encourage and foster the study, science and knowledge ...

(UK) *

Genealogical Society of South Africa The Genealogical Society of South Africa is a family history society. The society consists of 11 regional branches as well as an electronic branch accessible online. The society maintains a large archive of Genealogical material related to South ...

Regional societies

Australia

Australian Jewish Genealogical Society The Australian Jewish Genealogical Society (AJGS) is an Australian non-profit organisation established to encourage and assist those with Jewish ancestry to research their family histories. It is dedicated to the collection, preservation and dissem ...

* Queensland Family History Society *

Royal Historical Society of Queensland The Royal Historical Society of Queensland (RHSQ) is a historical society founded in Brisbane, Australia in 1913. It promotes the study of Australian history especially that of Queensland and adjacent Pacific islands. It maintains an important co ...

* Society of Australian Genealogists

Canada

* New Brunswick Genealogical Society * Ontario Genealogical Society

England

* Buckinghamshire Family History Society *

Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society The Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society was formed as the result of the merger in 1957 of a previous Heraldic Society (founded 1948) with the Cambridge University Society of Genealogists (founded 1954). Foundation of the soci ...

* Cleveland Family History Society * East Yorkshire Family History Society * East Surrey Family History Society * Essex Society for Family History * Northumberland and Durham Family History Society * Suffolk Family History Society * Sussex Family History Group (covering East and West Sussex) * Upper Dales Family History Group * Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Family History Section

Ireland

Genealogical Society of Ireland The Genealogical Society of Ireland ( ga, Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann) is a voluntary non-governmental organisation promoting the study of genealogy, heraldry, vexillology and social history in Ireland and amongst the Irish diaspora as open a ...

Clans of Ireland Clans of Ireland ( Irish: ''Finte na hÉireann'') is an independent organisation established in 1989 with the purpose of creating and maintaining a register of Irish clans. The patron of the organisation is Michael D. Higgins, President of Ire ...

Scotland

* Borders Family History Society

South Africa

United States

* California Genealogical Society and Library * Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania * Genealogical Society of Utah * New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) * New York Genealogical and Biographical Society * Utah Genealogical Association (UGA)

Ethnic societies

* American-French Genealogical Society *

International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, Inc. (IAJGS) is an independent non-profit umbrella organization coordinating the activities and annual conference of 84 Jewish genealogical societies worldwide. History The IAJGS wa ...

Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB) is a society for the study and encouragement of Jewish genealogy in Great Britain. The society is a member society of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. Purpose ...

References

External links

List of UK and Ireland Family History & Genealogy Societies
(Genuki)
Federation of Family History Societies: List of Member Societies

List of UK Family History Societies
(My Family Ancestors) {{Authority control * *