Membership open to men and women at least sixteen years of age.  There are four classes of membership: (1) Lineal Member - A direct descendant of an Alamo defender, courier, scout, or non-combatant survivor; (2) Lateral Member - An indirect descendant of a defender, courier, scout, or non-combatant survivor; (3) Associate Member - Members claiming no descendent status; (4) Honorary Member - Members appointed by the Board of Directors for outstanding service to the organization.

Membership in the Alden Kindred is open to all individuals, families and business organizations.  There are two basic types of membership: Kindred and Museum.

Kindred members can trace and document their ancestry to John and Priscilla (Mullins) Alden while their non-descendant spouses and adopted children can join as Associate Members.

Museum members are those individuals who cannot or have not traced and documented their ancestry to John and Priscilla but who still wish to help preserve a most important landmark, the Alden House Historic Site and the precious heritage it represents.

Membership is open to all former prisoners of war from any theater in any war, all former civilian internees, and to the families of such persons. Each member is entitled to all privileges of membership.  Hereditary Members are the direct descendants, spouse, step-parents, brothers and sisters of a Regular Member.

Member by Right of Descent is any male citizen of the United States who is a direct descendant of a former member of the Company whose service dated prior to 1738, on the prescribed application signed by himself, accompanied by a membership fee and a sworn statement showing the line of descent, similar to those used by similar historical societies, and upon compliance with the prescribed procedure, may become a member by vote of the Company.

Hereditary Members are males above the age of eighteen years, of good moral character.  Membership is composed of two companies.  Company A is composed of lineal descendants of any ancestor who served in the Jersey Blues at any time from its founding in 1673 until the Treaty of Paris which concluded the American Revolution, or an ancestor who served in the Jersey Blues during the Whiskey Rebellion, the War of 1812, the Civil War, or the Spanish-American War.  Company B is composed of veterans of all wars in which the United States has fought and members of the ROTC at Rutgers University.

Hereditary Members are males who have attained the age of eighteen years, and are the lineal or collateral descendants of officers who were Original Members, or of those officers who would have been qualified to have been Original Members.

Original Members were commissioned officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, Regular or Volunteer, who actually served in some part of Mexico, Mexican territory, or Mexican waters during the War with Mexico (May 13, 1846, to February 2, 1848).

Membership in Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is available to women meeting one or more of the following qualifications:

Women who are lineal or collateral descendants, of soldiers, sailors or marines regularly mustered and honorably discharged from the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States of America during the War of the Rebellion 1861-1865. Daughters, grand-daughters, great-grand-daughters, nieces, great-nieces, as well as legally adopted daughters also qualify.

Mothers, wives, widows, daughters & legally adopted daughters of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in good standing also qualify. (Not Associates)

Associate Memberships are available to women who do not qualify through the hereditary requirements above, but who demonstrate a genuine interest in the Civil War and can subscribe to the purpose and objects of the Auxiliary. An Associate may vote and hold any office except that of National Vice-President and National President. Associates may not exceed one-third of the total membership of the Auxiliary at the time of election.

Junior Membership is available to young ladies not less than twelve years of age.

Membership is available to people of good character who can prove descent from one or more of the twenty-four Barons, and the Lord Mayor of London, who were responsible for holding King John to the terms of the Great Charter he signed on 15 June, 1215 at Runnemede Meadow in England. Descendants of the following non-Surety supporters in sympathy with the Magna Charta are also candidates for membership in the Order: William III d'Aubigny, Hubert de Burgh, Alan of Galloway, William Marshall, Sr. and William IV de Warenne.  The Order voted to admit women as of January 1992.

Those eligible for membership are boys and girls, from infancy to age eighteen, who are blood descendants, lineal or collateral of men and women who served honorably in the Confederate Army, Navy, Civil Service or gave material aid to the Confederate cause.  Membership is also available to those boys and girls who are lineal or collateral descendants of members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy or the Sons of Confederate Veterans whose papers are acceptable by the present requirements of membership

Membership is open to Individuals under the age of twenty-one, provided they are personally acceptable to the Association and are a lineal descendant of a man or a woman who rendered loyal service for Texas prior to consummation of the Annexation Agreement of the Republic of Texas with the United States of America, February 19, 1846.  Acceptable service is the same as the required for membership in the Daughters of the Republic Texas.

Women who have reached the age of sixteen are eligible to join the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.  Men who have reached the age of eighteen are eligible to join the Sons of the Republic of Texas.

Membership is available to the descendants of those Union soldiers and sailors who were engaged, killed or captured during the Battle of Plymouth, NC, between April 17-20th, 1864.  These soldiers and sailor are known as the "Plymouth Pilgrims".

Hereditary Memberships is open to those persons whose ancestor was an original member of the Cleveland Grays from 1837 to 1887; or those persons whose father or grandfather served with the Cleveland Grays; or those persons whose ancestor served in any war starting with the Pequot War of 1637.  No man shall be admitted to this Company whose ancestor served on opposing forces to the United States of America from the year 1776, nor who received a dishonorable discharge from any military or naval service.

Membership is available to women who have attained the age of eighteen years, and who are legitimately descended from some ancestor of worthy life, who , within the period, beginning with the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, May 13, 1607, and extending to, but not including, the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, served one or more of the thirteen original Colonies: (a) by holding public office in the government thereof; (b) by holding a commission in the armed forces thereof; or (c) by otherwise serving one or more of said colonies in the capacities specified in the Eligibility List.  A candidate must be judged worthy of becoming a member and be deemed acceptable by the Board of Managers.

Eligibility for membership in this Society is based upon lineal descent from the Emperor Charlemagne.

This is one of the Old World Hereditary Societies.  The Colonial Order of the Crown is a registered trademark.

It is a prerequisite that a candidate shall be a descendant, in the male line, of a forefather resident prior to July 4, 1776, in one of the North American Colonies, that afterwards became the thirteen original states, and shall be nominated for membership and seconded by members of the Order.

Resident Members shall be gentlemen over twenty-one years of age, residing in Pennsylvania or within a radius of one hundred miles of Philadelphia, who are lineally descended from a male or female actually settled prior to the year 1700 in any colony of what is now the United States of America.  Resident membership shall be limited to three hundred in number.

Nonresident Members shall be otherwise eligible to be resident members, who do not reside in Pennsylvania or within a radius of one hundred miles of Philadelphia.  There shall be no limit in the number of Nonresident Members.

Junior Members shall be otherwise eligible to be resident members, but under twenty-one years of age.  There shall be no limit in the number of Junior Members, regardless of where he resides.  Not with standing the three hundred member limitation, a junior member becoming eligible for resident membership shall not be place on the waiting list.

Membership shall be limited to the direct lineal female descendants, eighteen years of age and older, of Native and/or Immigrant Americans who participated, in any capacity, in actual hostilities, one against the other, or in any other passive activity with each other, at any time during the period 1607-1900.

Membership is available to lineal and collateral female descendants of the commissioned officers of the Regular and Volunteer Forces of the United States of America during the Civil War, who were eligible to membership in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.  Also eligible are the mothers, wives and widows of MOLLUS Companions.

Membership is open to any woman who is descended from a person who lived in Hawaii prior to 1880. A support group, Calabash Cousins, is open to any man or woman who is interested in furthering the purposes of the society.

Membership is considered for women eighteen years of age or older who are lineally descended from an officer who was an Original Member, or would have been eligible to become an Original member, of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Active Members shall be at least eighteen years of age and be a female lineal descendant of a pioneer who established his or her residence in Washington Territory during the year 1870 and/or prior thereto; or in Oregon Territory during the year 1853 and/or prior thereto; or in Idaho Territory during the year 1863 and/or prior thereto; or in Montana west of the crest of the Rocky Mountains during the year 1863 and/or prior thereto.

Junior Members are females from birth to eighteen years of age with the same eligibility as an Active Member but exempt from dues and who may become an Active Member at age eighteen. Adopted daughters of adopted granddaughters of Active Members or of males who are lineal descendants of pioneers who carry the eligibility date may become Junior Members, and become an Associate Member at age eighteen.

Any woman having attained her sixteenth birthday is eligible for membership, provided she is personally acceptable to the Association and is a lineal descendant of a man or woman who rendered loyal service for Texas prior to the consummation of the Annexation Agreement of the Republic of Texas with the United States of America, February 19, 1846.

The applicant must furnish legal proof of her lineal descent from a man or woman who served in any of the following capacities: (1)  As a colonist with Austin's Old Three Hundred, or any colonies authorized under the Spanish or Mexican governments before the Texas Revolution, or those authorized by the Congress of the Republic of Texas.  (2)  As an officer or private in the service of the Colonies or of the Republic of Texas.  (3)  As a loyal citizen, male or female, regardless of age who established residence in Texas prior to February 19, 1846.  (4)  As a recipient of a Land Grant authorized by the Provisional Government of the Republic of Texas. These grants include "Toby Script"; 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th class Headrights; Preemption Grants; Landscripts; Colony Contracts; Bounty Certificates and Donation Certificates.

Direct descendants of honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines who served in the Union Army or navy during the War of the Rebellion of 1861-1865, including those who died or were killed during their term of service, whether members of the Grand Army of the Republic or not, who have attained the age of eight years, are eligible for membership. Each candidate must furnish a complete war record of her ancestor's service.  Eligibility is through lineal descent only and not through adoption.

Lineal descendants of the land holders in Stephen F. Austin's first colony in Texas, which was founded under the provisions of the 1823 Imperial Colonization Law of Mexico, are eligible for membership.  The land holder must have received one of the 297 land titles issued in the name of the Mexican government by commissioners Baron de Bastrop and Gaspar Flores between 1824 and 1828.

Membership is restricted to those over the age of eighteen years who can prove direct descent from a founder prior to 17 April 1702 O.S. in any area which is now in the State of New Jersey, and who subscribe to the objectives of the Society.  The Society provides a scholarship each year to a student in a State College of University who is studying American history with an interest in the history of New Jersey.

Adult full membership is available to individuals of good moral character, who are at least eighteen years old, and who qualify in one of the following ways: (1) lineal or collateral descent from a U.S. veteran who rendered honorable service in the war with Mexico for any length of time between April 25, 1846 and August 2, 1848, (2) from a civilian employee of the U.S. armed forces who served during the Mexican War as a teamster, laundress, steamboat hand, etc., (3) from a veteran of General Zachary Taylor's "Army of Occupation" in Texas from July 1845 to April 1846, (4) from a veteran of Col. John Colonel Fremont's 1845-1846 expedition to California  (5) from a California "Bear Flag Revolt" participant. The descendants of any person who deserted the service of the United States of America and subsequently took up arms against the same are ineligible for full membership but may apply in the associate category.

Junior Members are those otherwise eligible as Full Members who are under eighteen years of age.

Membership requires descent from a person resident in Windsor, Connecticut, by the end of 1641, or an interest in early Windsor.  Membership categories are as follows:  (1)  Descendant:  Linear descent from a Founder  (2)  Non-Descendant:  Not a descendant of a listed Founder.  A non-descendant has all the rights of the Membership that a descendant has.

Eligibility for membership is based on descent from an illegitimate son or daughter of a King; an illegitimate son or daughter of a child of a King; or an illegitimate child of a grandchild of a King of England, Scotland, and/or Wales.

It should be noted that only Cockayne's Complete Peerage will be accepted by the genealogist as a secondary source.  All generations submitted, which are not listed in Cockayne's Complete Peerage, require full, primary documentation, including generations in the Old World.

Membership is by invitation only.

Any man or woman shall be eligible for membership in the Order who, being a citizen of good repute in the community, is the lineal descendant, in the male or female line, of an ancestor who was invested as a Knight of Bath, who was at all times unfailing in loyalty to, and rendered active service in the cause for, the King or Queen.  These Knights are listed in the Rolls of the Knights of Bath, from the year 1127 A.D. through the year 1904 A.D. (1127 - 1904).  This list may be found in William A. Shaw's Knights of England.  Should a candidate choose to use a knight from the period 1905 through the present day, that candidate shall provide "proof" of that ancestor having been invested as a Knight of Bath.

Any lineal descendant of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence eighteen years of age or over, and possessing good moral character, shall be eligible to full membership in the Society.

Children eligible by descent may be enrolled as Junior members upon application of an adult member of the Society.  Upon attaining their majority, Junior members may become full members upon application to and approval of the Board of Governors.

Descendant Membership is based on reasonable proof of direct descent from a Whaling Master. 

Relative Membership is based upon reasonable proof of indirect relationship to a Whaling Master (ie. niece, nephew)

Crew Membership is based upon reasonable proof of direct descent from a Whaleman.

Associate and Family Memberships are also available.

Ladies and gentlemen whom have attained the age of eighteen (18) may be eligible for membership in one of the following categories:

Colonial member:  Proven direct descent from a Dutch settler born in the Netherlands, and, who immigrated, no later than 19 April 1775, to any settlement in what is now the continental United States.

Also eligible are direct descendants of selected non-Dutch ancestors who settled in what is now the continental United States no later than 19 April 1775, AND who have proven significant service to Dutch heritage in business, cultural, military, religious or political affairs either in the Netherlands and/or the United States.

Lineal member:  Proven direct descent from any native of the Netherlands who settled in the United States after 19 April 1775.

Membership is by invitation only.

Membership in Early Settlers of Spanish and Mexican Land Grants is offered in these categories.

Descendant is a full membership with voting rights. Individuals in this category have established their lineage to a person who received or was associated with a Spanish or Mexican land grant in an area that is now part of the United States of America, prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. The initial fee for the lineage application is $50 plus the annual membership fee of $25 per person. Once a lineage application has been accepted, the member must renew at an annual fee of $25 to remain active. The fees may be adjusted by the Board from time to time.

The first two thousand Descendant members, or the number registered by 31 December 2009, which ever is less, shall have the added distinction of being "Charter Members".

Additional core family members (parents, siblings, children) who wish to join based on an approved lineage may apply at the rate of $40 plus the annual membership fee of $25 per person. The Board may consider a life-time Membership level.

Junior Descendant is the child of an active adult "Descendant" member and has limited, non-voting participation. Special programs will be offered to Junior Descendants. The annual fee for Junior Descendants is $15, subject to adjustment by the Board. At or after the age of 18, Junior Descendants may submit lineage applications and prevailing fees to become full Descendant members.

Supporting members are limited, non-voting individuals, businesses, or companies who wish to invest in the success and future of the Early Settlers of Spanish and Mexican Land Grants. Various supporting levels will be established, and may be adjusted by the Board as necessary

Membership is open to proven lineal descendants of William Brewster who came to Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620, and served as Elder of the Colony.