Family history societies

Family history societies are groups of family historians that have an interest in a particular geographical area, such as a county/region, or live in that area. There are also special interest societies, for example a specific surname. You should definitely join your local society.

You may also find it useful to become a member of those societies covering the areas in which your ancestors once lived. All societies produce journals and these will describe local records and history. Many societies run very informative websites. Their members might be able to help with particular 'local research' problems, for example by visiting the churchyard to read your grandfather's gravestone for you. Belonging to a family history society will also enable you to contact others who are tracing the same surname that you are, in the area where your ancestor lived.

Many societies publish directories of members' interests. You can also purchase international directories, such as the 'Genealogical Research Directory'.

Association of Family History Societies of Wales

Federation of Family History Societies

The Scottish Association of Family History Societies

United Kingdom (Great Britain) & Ireland

• • Anglo-Austrian FHS

  • Anglo-German FHS *

  • Anglo-Italian FHS *

  • British Association for Cemeteries in S Asia *

  • British Isles FHS of Greater Ottawa *

  • British Isles FHS - USA *

  • Catholic FHS *

• Family & Community Historical Research Society

• Family and Local History Indexing Group (FLHIG) (formerly the Society of Indexers Genealogical Group [SIGG])

• The Institute of Heraldic & Genealogical Studies

  • International Society for British Genealogy & Family History *

  • Jewish Gen Soc of Great Britain *

  • Local Population Studies Society

  • Quaker FHS *

  • Railway Ancestors FHS *

  • The Romany and Traveller FHS *

• The Society of Genealogists

  • • * Societies that are members of the The Federation of Family History Societies

England

Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire FHS *

Berkshire

Berkshire FHS

Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire FHS *

Buckinghamshire GS

Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire FHS *

Cambridge University H&GS *

Fenland FHS

Cheshire

FHS of Cheshire *

North Cheshire FHS *

South Cheshire FHS *

Cornwall

Cornwall FHS *

Cornish Forefathers Society *

Cumberland

Cumbria FHS *

Furness FHS *

Ulverston Heritage Centre FHG - See under Lancashire

Derbyshire

Derbyshire FHS *

Chesterfield & District FHS *

Devon

Devon FHS *

Dorset

Dorset FHS *

Somerset & Dorset FHS *

Durham

Cleveland, N Yorkshire & S. Durham FHS *

Northumberland & Durham FHS *

Essex

East of London FHS - See under London

Essex SFH *

Thameside FHG

Waltham Forest FHS *

Gloucestershire

Bristol & Avon FHS *

Gloucestershire FHS *

Royal Forest of Dean FHS

Hampshire

Hampshire Genealogical Society *

Isle of Wight FHS *

Herefordshire

Herefordshire FHS *

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire Family History Society *

Royston & District FHS *

Huntingdonshire

Huntingdonshire FHS *

Peterborough & District FHS - See under Northamptonshire

Kent

See also London

Folkestone & District FHS *

Kent FHS

North West Kent FHS *

Tunbridge Wells FHS *

Woolwich & District FHS *

Lancashire

Furness FHS *

Lancashire FH & HS *

Lancaster FHG *

Lancashire Parish Register Society *

Liverpool & SW Lancashire FHS *

Manchester & Lancashire FHS

North Meols FHS *

Ormskirk & District FHS *

St Helen's Townships Family History Society

Ulverston Heritage Centre FHG

Leicestershire

Leicestershire & Rutland FHS *

Lincolnshire

Isle of Axholme FHS *

Lincolnshire FHS *

Fenland FHS - See under Cambridgeshire

London

See also Middlesex, Kent and Surrey

A map showing the coverage of Family History Societies in Greater London

East of London FHS *

East Surrey FHS - See under Surrey

Hillingdon FHS - See under Middlesex

London, Westminster & Middlesex FHS - See under Middlesex

North West Kent FHS - See under Kent

West Middlesex FHS - See under Middlesex

Woolwich & District FHS - See under Kent

Middlesex

A map showing the coverage of Family History Societies in Greater London

East of London FHS - see under London

Hillingdon FHS *

London, Westminster & Middlesex FHS *

West Middlesex FHS *

Norfolk

Norfolk FHS *

Mid-Norfolk FHS *

Fenland FHS - See under Cambridgeshire

Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire FHS *

Peterborough & District FHS *

Northumberland

Northumberland & Durham FHS - See under Durham

Nottinghamshire

Mansfield & District FHS *

Nottinghamshire FHS *

Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire FHS *

Rutland

Leicestershire & Rutland FHS - See under Leicestershire

Shropshire

Shropshire FHS *

Somerset

Bristol & Avon FHS - See under Gloucestershire

Somerset & Dorset FHS - See under Dorset

Weston-super-mare FHS *

Staffordshire

Birmingham & Midland SGH *

Burntwood FH Group *

Tipton & Wednesbury FHS

Walsall Family History Group

Suffolk

Felixstowe FHS *

Suffolk FHS *

Surrey

See also London

East Surrey FHS *

West Surrey FHS *

Epsom Family History Group

Reigate & District Family History Group

Sussex

Eastbourne & District FHS *

Hastings & Rother FHS *

Sussex FHG *

Tunbridge Wells FHS *

Warwickshire

Birmingham & Midland SGH - See under Staffordshire

Coventry FHS *

Nuneaton & North Warwickshire FHS *

Rugby FHG *

Warwickshire FHS *

Westmorland

Cumbria FHS - See under Cumberland

Ulverston Heritage Centre FHG - See under Lancashire

Wiltshire

Wiltshire FHS *

Worcestershire

Birmingham & Midland SGH - See under Staffordshire

Malvern Family History Society *

Yorkshire

London Group of Yorkshire FHSs *

Yorkshire Archaeological Society (F & PS Section) *

North Riding

Cleveland, N Yorkshire & S Durham FHS - See under Durham

Ryedale Family History Group

East Riding

City of York & District FHS *

East Yorkshire FHS *

Ryedale Family History Group

West Riding

Barnsley FHS *

Bradford FHS *

Calderdale FHS *

Doncaster & District FHS *

Harrogate & District FHS *

Huddersfield & District FHS *

Keighley & District FHS *

Morley & District FHG *

Pontefract and District FHS*

Ripon Historical Society & FHG *

Rotherham FHS *

Sheffield & District FHS *

Wakefield FHS *

Wharfedale FHG *

Channel Islands

Channel Islands FHS *

La Soc Guernesiaise (FH Sect) *

* Societies that are members of the Federation of Family History Societies

Ireland

Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations (CIGO)

Genealogical Society of Ireland *

Irish FHS *

Irish Genealogical Research Society *

Irish Genealogical Society, International (IGSI)

North of Ireland FHS *

Cork

Cork Genealogical Society

Dublin

Ballinteer Family History Society

Dun Laoghaire Gen Soc

Raheny Heritage Society

Galway

East Galway Family History Society

West Galway Family History Society

Kerry

Kerry Genealogical Society

Roscommon

County Roscommon Family History Society

Wexford

Wexford Family History Society

Wicklow

Wicklow County Genealogical Society

Isle of Man

Isle of Man FHS *

North American Manx Association

* Societies that are members of the Federation of Family History Societies

Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight FHS

Scotland

Scottish Genealogy Society *

Anglo-Scottish FHS *

Aberdeenshire

Aberdeen & North East Scotland FHS *

Family History Society of Buchan

Angus

Tay Valley FHS *

Argyll

Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS *

Highland FHS *

Lochaber & North Argyll Family History Group

Ayrshire

Alloway & Southern Ayrshire FHS *

East Ayrshire FHS *

Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS - See under Argyll

Largs and North Ayrshire FHS

Troon @ Ayrshire FHS *

Banff

Aberdeen & North East Scotland FHS - See under Aberdeenshire

Family History Society of Buchan

Berwickshire

Borders FHS *

Bute

Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS - See under Argyll

Isle of Arran FHS

Caithness

Caithness FHS *

Highland FHS - See under Argyll

Clackmannanshire

Central Scotland FHS *

Dumbartonshire

Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS - See under Argyll

Dumfries-shire

Dumfries & Galloway FHS *

East Lothian

Lothians FHS *

Fife

Fife FHS *

Tay Valley FHS - See under Angus

Inverness-shire

Highland FHS - See under Argyll

Lochaber & North Argyll FHG - See under Argyll

Kincardineshire

Aberdeen & North East Scotland FHS - See under Aberdeenshire

Kinross-shire

Tay Valley FHS - See under Angus

Kirkcudbrightshire

Dumfries & Galloway FHS - See under Dumfriesshire

Lanarkshire

Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS - See under Argyll

Lanarkshire FHS *

Midlothian

Lothians FHS - See under East Lothian

Moray

Aberdeen & North East Scotland FHS - See under Aberdeenshire

Highland FHS - See under Argyll

Moray & Nairn FHS *

Nairnshire

Highland FHS - See under Argyll

Moray & Nairn FHS - See Moray above

Orkney

Orkney FHS *

Peeblesshire

Borders FHS - See under Berwickshire

Perthshire

Central Scotland FHS *

North Perthshire Family History Group *

Tay Valley FHS - See under Angus

Renfrewshire

Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS - See under Argyll

Renfrewshire FHS *

Ross & Cromarty

Highland FHS - See under Argyll

Roxburghshire

Borders FHS - See under Berwickshire

Selkirkshire

Borders FHS - See under Berwickshire

Shetland

Shetland FHS *

Stirlingshire

Central Scotland FHS *

Sutherland

Highland FHS - See under Argyll

West Lothian

Lothians FHS - See under East Lothian

West Lothian FHS *

Wigtownshire

Dumfries & Galloway FHS - See under Dumfriesshire

* Societies that are members of the Scottish Association of Family History Societies

Wales

Anglesey

Gwynedd FHS * §

Breconshire

Powys FHS * §

Caernarvonshire

Gwynedd FHS - See under Anglesey

Cardiganshire

Cardiganshire FHS *

Dyfed FHS * §

Carmarthenshire

Dyfed FHS - See under Cardiganshire

Denbighshire

Clwyd FHS * §

Flintshire

Clwyd FHS - See under Denbighshire

Glamorgan

Glamorgan FHS * §

Merionethshire

Gwynedd FHS - See under Anglesey

Monmouthshire

Gwent FHS * §

Montgomeryshire

Montgomeryshire GS * §

Powys FHS - See under Breconshire

Pembrokeshire

Dyfed FHS - See under Cardiganshire

Radnorshire

Powys FHS - See under Breconshire

* Societies that are members of the Federation of Family History Societies

§ Societies that are members of the Association of Family History Societies of Wales

TIPS & HINTS

BOOKS & CDs: Many local family history societies publish a selection of reasonably-priced books and CDs to help you with both your research and the location of source material. A comprehensive range is available from GENfair.