A new aristocracy? The revolutionary beginnings of lineage societies in the United States

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Combs-Bennett, Shannon; Fox, Paul, ed. (2023) A new aristocracy? The revolutionary beginnings of lineage societies in the United States. In: Genealogica & Heraldica XXXV. The Heraldry Society, GBR, pp. 257-264. ISBN 9780904858075

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Abstract

The study of genealogy has shifted focus in the United States from purely antiquarian studies to mainstream media. Americans have suffered from a love-hate relationship with the field, particularly when it comes to the subject of lineage societies. These organizations, whose membership is based on genealogical proof of descent from an applicable ancestor, have thrived and multiplied even when the public media were calling them elitist and classist. This presentation focuses on the birth of lineage societies at the end of the American Revolution through to the 21st century, discussing public perceptions, how many of them have shaped the field of genealogy in the United States, and the preliminary results of a Ph.D. study analyzing their history and impact on society.

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