Association of Professional Genealogists

Association of Professional Genealogists
Name	Association of Professional Genealogists
Abbreviation	APG
Founded	1979
Founder	Research organizers
Type	Professional association
Location	United States

Contents

Association of Professional Genealogists is a professional association for genealogists, researchers, and family history specialists founded in 1979 to promote standards and business practices among practitioners. It serves as a network and advocacy group connecting members with institutions such as National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and New England Historic Genealogical Society. The organization engages with archival repositories including British Library, Library and Archives Canada, National Records of Scotland, State Archives, and collaborates with heritage bodies like Smithsonian Institution and Historic England.

History

The association emerged in the late 1970s amid rising public interest following publications and media such as Roots (TV series), Alex Haley, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, The Genealogist (periodical), and conferences at venues like Brigham Young University and National Genealogical Society gatherings. Early leadership drew upon practitioners who had worked with United States Census Bureau records, Ellis Island manifests, Immigration and Naturalization Service case files, and state vital records offices. Milestones include growth alongside digital genealogy platforms such as Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, Findmypast, and collaborations with academic programs at institutions like University of Strathclyde, Brigham Young University Family History Library, University of Washington, and University of Leicester. The association’s development intersected with legislative and archival shifts involving Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act of 1974, General Data Protection Regulation, and national archival reforms in countries represented by members.

Membership categories encompass professional, associate, student, and corporate affiliates linked to repositories such as National Archives (United Kingdom), Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, New York State Archives, and organizations including International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists-style bodies and local societies like New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. Members often hold credentials or certifications from entities comparable to Board for Certification of Genealogists, Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy, International Society of Genetic Genealogy, and academic degrees from University of Strathclyde, Brigham Young University, Boston University, and University of Cambridge. The association recognizes professional standards parallel to accreditation programs from American Society of Genealogists, National Genealogical Society, and international partners such as Society of Genealogists and Society of Genealogists (Scotland). Corporate members include firms like Ancestry.com, Findmypast, MyHeritage, and archival service providers.

The association publishes newsletters, directories, and guides used by practitioners alongside periodicals such as The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, The American Genealogist, Family Tree Magazine, and collaborates with databases operated by Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and Findmypast. Its membership directory facilitates referrals to researchers with specialties in regions including England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Canada, Australia, and Mexico. Educational resources reference primary sources like United States Census, Parish registers, Civil registration, Military pension files, and archival collections at National Archives (United Kingdom), Library and Archives Canada, and National Archives of Australia. The association also produces model contracts, fee schedules, and client intake forms informed by practices of Board for Certification of Genealogists and legal frameworks such as Uniform Commercial Code where applicable.

The organization maintains a code of ethics emphasizing confidentiality, accurate citation, and client relations, paralleling policies from Board for Certification of Genealogists, International Council on Archives, Society of American Archivists, and professional norms observed by American Historical Association. Its standards address provenance, source citation, and evidence evaluation in contexts involving records from National Archives and Records Administration, State Archives, parish registers, military service records, and immigration records. Disciplinary and review processes reflect practices used by bodies like Board for Certification of Genealogists and adjudication mechanisms in professional societies such as American Bar Association ethics committees for procedural precedent.

Annual conferences and regional meetings bring together speakers affiliated with National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Brigham Young University Family History Library, and universities including University of Strathclyde and University of Washington. Programs feature workshops on DNA analysis led by members of International Society of Genetic Genealogy, records research sessions referencing National Archives (United Kingdom), Library of Congress, and webinars co-sponsored with Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and Findmypast. The association’s conferences often coincide with larger events like RootsTech, National Genealogical Society Conference, and regional society seminars organized by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society and Ohio Genealogical Society.

Governance is by an elected board of directors with committees overseeing membership, education, ethics, and publications, modeled on nonprofit governance similar to National Genealogical Society and American Historical Association. Administrative operations coordinate with chapter leaders in regions including New England, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, West Coast, and international contacts in United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and Germany. Financial oversight, bylaws, and incorporation follow nonprofit practices akin to filings with state-level agencies such as Secretary of State (United States), and reporting frameworks comparable to those used by National Trust for Historic Preservation and similar membership organizations.

Category:Genealogical organizations