American Ancestors

American Ancestors American Ancestors is a National Center for Family History, Heritage & Culture.

American Ancestors provides expert family history services through our staff, original scholarship, data-rich website, educational opportunities, and research center to help family historians of all levels explore their past and understand their families’ unique place in history. We are a member-based nonprofit corporation dedicated to advancing the study of family history in America and beyond, by educating, inspiring, and connecting people through our scholarship, collections, and expertise. We offer the most comprehensive resources in the country for researching family history:

An Expert Staff: Our professional genealogists are among the most respected and advanced in the profession. With research specialties including early American, New England, New York, Irish, English, Italian, Scottish, Atlantic and French Canadian, African American, Native American, Chinese, and Jewish genealogy, our expert staff can assist family historians by providing research advice in-person, over the phone, or in writing. Our expert staff can also conduct research on behalf of family historians, providing authoritative, documented research reports and family tree charts. Original Scholarship: To support the research of family historians around the world, we produce the most significant original research and important publications in genealogy, including, since 1847, the longest continually published academic journal in the field, The Register. In addition to the quarterly journal, we publish a quarterly magazine, ten to twenty books per year, and a weekly electronic newsletter. As the leader in genealogical scholarship, we also produce important study projects such as The Great Migration Study Project, covering those who arrived in New England between 1620 and 1640; The Early New England Study Project, 1641–1700; Families of Western Massachusetts in 1790, capturing families heading west at the time of the 1790 census, and the newEarly Vermont Settlers to 1784 which covers families that settled Vermont, the last frontier of New England. Website: AmericanAncestors.org is the most-used genealogical society website in the world. It provides family historians access to more than 1 billion records spanning the U.S. and beyond, including one of the most extensive online collections of early American records, and the largest searchable collection of published genealogical research journals and magazines. Special strengths in our content include English, New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia materials. Education: Designed to benefit family history researchers of all levels, we provide exclusive, in-depth learning opportunities through lectures, seminars, intensive research programs, tours to libraries and archives, online courses and webinars, and special events . Research Center: Named by USA Today as a top 10 world destination for family history, the public, members and visitors are invited to visit our eight-story library and archive where we offer the largest collection of original family history research materials in the country. Our collection, which continues to grow through acquisition and preservation activities, dates from the fourteenth century to the present and spans North America, Europe, and beyond. It includes more than 28 million diaries, letters, photographs, and other manuscripts, and more than 200,000 books and microforms.

Back in 1842, a German traveller wrote “Ireland is the country for ruins.” Since then, little has changed, except that t...
01/09/2026

Back in 1842, a German traveller wrote “Ireland is the country for ruins.” Since then, little has changed, except that the number of ruins has increased, many of them being once-great country houses. Join Robert O’Byrne as he tells the stories— sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous—behind a number of these buildings, their rise to glory, and eventual fall into dereliction. https://hubs.ly/Q03-9FTv0

We're excited to take part in Stoughton's 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on January 19 at the Stou...
01/09/2026

We're excited to take part in Stoughton's 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on January 19 at the Stoughton Public Library!

This year's theme, "Pursuing Your Purpose: Lead Your Community with Courage," invites us to reflect on how each of us can strengthen our communities with intention and hope.

Come join us to hear inspiring presenters, connect with community organizers, and visit our 10 Million Names booth! We hope to see you there!

Genealogy can be full of small wins and big breakthroughs. Share with us your proudest find—we'd love to hear your story...
01/09/2026

Genealogy can be full of small wins and big breakthroughs. Share with us your proudest find—we'd love to hear your story below. 👇
https://hubs.ly/Q03-9CrG0

In this latest article from Vita Brevis, researcher Aidan Walsh discovers how DNA matches can lead to unexpected discove...
01/08/2026

In this latest article from Vita Brevis, researcher Aidan Walsh discovers how DNA matches can lead to unexpected discoveries about a family’s past.

Through DNA research and archival records, Aidan Walsh uncovers a long-lost branch of his Walsh family in Nova Scotia.

Our ancestors moved near and far seeking economic opportunities, religious freedoms, and closeness to family. These mobi...
01/08/2026

Our ancestors moved near and far seeking economic opportunities, religious freedoms, and closeness to family. These mobile ancestors, however, are notoriously difficult to research. We might have an ancestor in our sights and then—poof!—they’re gone; or we may have an ancestor for whom we have no idea of where they came from. In this online lecture, Senior Genealogist Melanie McComb will offer several strategies for discovering ancestral origins and future movements. https://hubs.ly/Q03ZjqJp0

Did you catch the Season 12 premiere of Finding Your Roots last night? Watch as America Ferrera and Darren Criss uncover...
01/07/2026

Did you catch the Season 12 premiere of Finding Your Roots last night? Watch as America Ferrera and Darren Criss uncover their immigrant roots and see themselves in new ways.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovers America Ferrera & Darren Criss’ immigrant ancestors.

Before American settlers traveled west in the nineteenth century, they ventured south over the eight-hundred-mile-long G...
01/07/2026

Before American settlers traveled west in the nineteenth century, they ventured south over the eight-hundred-mile-long Great Wagon Road that ran from Philadelphia to Augusta, Georgia. James Dodson’s illuminating and entertaining first-person history, The Road That Made America, restores this long-forgotten route to its rightful place in our national story. https://hubs.ly/Q03ZjvWc0

Join us for an in-person event that celebrates the power of food, memory, and family storytelling. Participants are invi...
01/06/2026

Join us for an in-person event that celebrates the power of food, memory, and family storytelling. Participants are invited to bring and share a beloved family recipe—whether it’s a handwritten card passed down through generations or a dish that has become a new household favorite.

Our archivists will offer a brief presentation highlighting historic family recipes preserved in our collections, showcasing selected examples that illuminate the stories, time period, and traditions behind them. You’ll also learn practical tips for preserving your own recipe materials—from protecting fragile originals to creating digital copies and sharing them with relatives.

Register: https://hubs.ly/Q03ZjwfF0

Start the new year off by exploring your family history! To kick off 2026, we are offering free admission to our Brim-De...
01/05/2026

Start the new year off by exploring your family history! To kick off 2026, we are offering free admission to our Brim-DeForest Library through March. https://hubs.ly/Q03ZjxtY0

Breaking down brick walls? Organizing old records? What's your genealogy resolution for the new year ahead? Let us know ...
01/02/2026

Breaking down brick walls? Organizing old records? What's your genealogy resolution for the new year ahead? Let us know in the comments below! 👇
https://hubs.ly/Q03Zjwmq0

Before American settlers traveled west in the nineteenth century, they ventured south over the eight-hundred-mile-long G...
01/01/2026

Before American settlers traveled west in the nineteenth century, they ventured south over the eight-hundred-mile-long Great Wagon Road that ran from Philadelphia to Augusta, Georgia. James Dodson’s illuminating and entertaining first-person history, The Road That Made America, restores this long-forgotten route to its rightful place in our national story. https://hubs.ly/Q03Zjx3G0

Our ancestors moved near and far seeking economic opportunities, religious freedoms, and closeness to family. These mobi...
01/01/2026

Our ancestors moved near and far seeking economic opportunities, religious freedoms, and closeness to family. These mobile ancestors, however, are notoriously difficult to research. We might have an ancestor in our sights and then—poof!—they’re gone; or we may have an ancestor for whom we have no idea of where they came from. In this online lecture, Senior Genealogist Melanie McComb will offer several strategies for discovering ancestral origins and future movements. https://hubs.ly/Q03Zjvjp0

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Boston, MA
02116

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Our Story

American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society is America’s founding genealogical organization and the most respected name in family history. Established in 1845, NEHGS is the nation’s leading comprehensive resource for family history research and the largest Society of its kind in the world. We provide expert family history services through our staff, original scholarship, data-rich website, educational opportunities, and research center to help family historians of all levels explore their past and understand their families’ unique place in history. We are a member-based nonprofit corporation dedicated to advancing the study of family history in America and beyond, by educating, inspiring, and connecting people through our scholarship, collections, and expertise. We offer the most comprehensive resources in the country for researching family history: An Expert Staff: Our professional genealogists are among the most respected and advanced in the profession. With research specialties including early American, New England, New York, Irish, English, Italian, Scottish, Atlantic and French Canadian, African American, Native American, Chinese, and Jewish genealogy, our expert staff can assist family historians by providing research advice in-person, over the phone, or in writing. Our expert staff can also conduct research on behalf of family historians, providing authoritative, documented research reports and family tree charts. Original Scholarship: To support the research of family historians around the world, we produce the most significant original research and important publications in genealogy, including, since 1847, the longest continually published academic journal in the field, The Register. In addition to the quarterly journal, we publish a quarterly magazine, ten to twenty books per year, and a weekly electronic newsletter. As the leader in genealogical scholarship, we also produce important study projects such as The Great Migration Study Project, covering those who arrived in New England between 1620 and 1640; The Early New England Study Project, 1641–1700; Families of Western Massachusetts in 1790, capturing families heading west at the time of the 1790 census, and the new Early Vermont Settlers to 1784 which covers families that settled Vermont, the last frontier of New England. Website: AmericanAncestors.org is the most-used genealogical society website in the world. It provides family historians access to more than 1 billion records spanning the U.S. and beyond, including one of the most extensive online collections of early American records, and the largest searchable collection of published genealogical research journals and magazines. Special strengths in our content include English, New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia materials. Education: Designed to benefit family history researchers of all levels, we provide exclusive, in-depth learning opportunities through lectures, seminars, intensive research programs, tours to libraries and archives, online courses and webinars, and special events . Research Center: Named by USA Today as a top 10 world destination for family history, the public, members and visitors are invited to visit our eight-story library and archive where we offer the largest collection of original family history research materials in the country. Our collection, which continues to grow through acquisition and preservation activities, dates from the fourteenth century to the present and spans North America, Europe, and beyond. It includes more than 28 million diaries, letters, photographs, and other manuscripts, and more than 200,000 books and microforms.