Lineage societies

Main contributor: Margaret Cheney

Lineage societies were created to honor individuals living in a certain place at a certain time or by serving their country.

Lineage societies can honor ethnicity, heritage, service or many other values. A quick online search for "Lineage Societies" will produce thousands of results for you to consider. Some have yearly memberships along with initial fees. Search for the lineage group that best serves your interests.

The benefits of joining a lineage society

Honoring the lives of your ancestors is very rewarding. The growth of any country depends on those who continue to improve their surroundings.

You are taking your research skills to a new level. You learn to document your research in a more methodical way including the use of source citations. Source citations can lead other researchers to the same documentation you find to help their own research skills.

A lineage application can often become the story of your family for future generations. Make it the best story you can. For those societies that allow it, add pictures, biographies, and newspaper articles. Your ancestor was more than a name, date, and place.

Most societies issue a certificate and/or a pin or medal for your approved application

Rules and guidelines of lineage societies

All lineage societies have Rules and Guidelines for applying. You must read those before you start to gather your documentation. Each Lineage Society has different Rules and Guidelines - they are not all the same. It is very important for the success of your application that you know what is required and what is not required.

How many ancestors can you submit with one application?
What are the fees?
What do I need to start?

Application forms and documentation required

Make sure you are filling out the forms properly and legibly. Many forms today are made in a PDF fill-in form. You must download the form to your computer first and then you can work on filling it out at your convenience. Application forms will have:

An Ascent Chart - naming your ancestors with places of birth, death and marriage
A Documentation List - Outlining the documents you are submitting to prove your lineage

Most Lineage Societies require primary proof of lineage. This requires copies of birth, death, and marriage records. Sometimes Wills or Estates can be useful. Each name, date, and place you put on your Ascent Chart should have matching documentation to prove the fact given. Do not submit original documentation - copies will suffice. Most original documents will not be returned to you. The same document can be used to prove multiple facts; such as: Bible records, lengthy Wills/Estates, and other multiple page documents.

Lineage must be proven from one generation to the next in order for your application to be approved. Make sure you have the proper documentation to prove the generational links.

All Lineage Societies have rules of retention of documentation submitted. Understand the policy of the lineage society that you are applying to.