With this week’s #52ancestors theme I recommend checking out
Family History Societies and give some examples of useful websites for Family History
Societies, One-Name studies and highlight two Societies that we are involved
with on a voluntary basis. There are
many Societies all over the world who specialise in local history and family
history which often overlap, where our families lived and what was happening
there at a point in time is important in the study of your family history.
A UK based society is the Family History Federation - https://www.familyhistoryfederation.com/
The FHF was formed in 1974 and granted charitable status in. It represents the interests of their members
and family history generally. It regularly
liaises with government bodies and archives and strives to initiate and maintain
links with other relevant organisations. It also focuses on issues such as the
preservation, security, and accessibility of archival material.
‘The aim of the Federation is to be the vehicle for co-operation
between the various disciplines associated with family history e.g., Family
history societies, U3A family history groups, Scottish Association of Family
History Societies and other Organisations associated with Family History and
kindred studies.’
Within the membership of the FHF there are also single name
study Societies and Groups.
Like a family history society, but with different emphasis, is
the Guild of One-Name Studies, the GOONS - https://one-name.org/
‘A One-Name Study (ONS) is a project researching all
occurrences of a surname, as opposed to a particular pedigree (ancestors of one
person) or descendancy (descendants of one person or couple).
One-name studies can concentrate on the geographical
distribution of the surname and the changes in that distribution over the
centuries or it may attempt to reconstruct the genealogy of the lines bearing
the surname. Some one-names run an associated DNA surname project
to assist with the analysis of origins.
Most counties in the UK, and many abroad too, have a
dedicated family history society. Many
were started in the 1970s - 1980s and have evolved over the years from a small
local group to a Society with worldwide membership. The emphasis is usually ancestry from the county
but there is always a welcome for anyone living in the county who is interested
in family history. Most have physical
meetings and over the Covid-19 lockdown have developed an online talks
programme and increased the use of social media platforms.
One which we are involved with is the Hertfordshire Family History
Society - https://www.hertsfhs.org.uk/
We are now getting back to our monthly member meetings on
the county. The meetings incorporate our
talks programme (virtual and physical) and there is also a bookstall, exchange
journals and a helpdesk manned by our volunteers. The Society has over the years produced some useful
publications.
The Society has transcribed Monumental Inscriptions in
churchyards in the county since the 1980s and have also indexed the Militia Ballot
Lists (an earlier version of a census for a parish) and published books and
digital resources available on CD-ROM or Flash Drive.
Printed books include Hertfordshire Transportees, Fleet
Marriages of Hertfordshire People to 1754, Hertfordshire Settlement
Certificates, Hertfordshire Removal Orders, Hertfordshire Examinations as to
Settlement, Non-conformity in Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire Places, Hertfordshire
Obituaries 1801–1837 (from Gentleman’s Magazine), Baptist Church Books
1675–1810 and many more.
CDs and Flash drives include Hertfordshire Burial Index
1800–1851, Hertfordshire 1851 Census, Hertfordshire Militia Ballot Lists, Hertfordshire
Marriage Links 1538–1837 and Hertfordshire Old Poor Law Records (a compilation
of the Settlements, Removals and Examinations volumes listed above).
Another Society we are involved with is The Heraldry Society
- https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/
This Society exists to increase and extend interest in and
knowledge of heraldry, armory, chivalry, genealogy, and allied subjects. Our membership is worldwide.
Heraldry is a subject that can be approached from many
different angles - historical, genealogical, via artforms, memorials and tombs
in churches. To find a coat of arms with
many quarters (different coats of arms) on an unidentified tomb can provide the
means to identify to whom the tomb belongs.
A fascinating subject.
This Society also has a vibrant online talks programme, social
events, publications, an online shop, and research Library. It is active on social media and has an
excellent website.
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