Our History

"When I thought of placing an advertisement in the local Henderson paper in July 1967 it seemed a crazy idea but I did it - and then the phone began to ring."

Lucy Marshall (# 1)

And so began the New Zealand Society of Genealogists (NZSG).  Members got to work collating information from sources around the country to share with other members.  Looking back from the 21st Century, it must be remembered that there were not digital cameras, no desktop computers, not even photocopying as we understand it.  Everything was handwritten or typed.

Determined from the outset to form a national, incorporated society, by our 10th anniversary in 1977, the NZSG had grown to a network of 15 Branches from Auckland to Gore and everywhere in-between.  By the 20th anniversary, there were 45 Branches and Interest Groups around the country.

Initially the holdings of our Society were housed in the homes of its officers.  The first office was in St Marks Church Hall Attic in Remuera, Auckland in 1985.  Others followed as we needed more space.  As the millennium approached, the Council led by President Heather Webber decided that we needed a centralised location.  On 22 February, 2002, the Family Research Centre (FRC) was opened in Panmure, Auckland.  Over 20 years later it is still home to our amazing Library and offices.

Technology has also changed over the decades.  The Gestetner machine gave way to photocopying and then printing of our journal The New Zealand Genealogist.  Personal computers became widely available followed by family tree software and then, the internet.  Our Society has been privileged to receive a number of bequests and donations over the years which have allowed us to keep our technology moving forwards. 

Our Kiwi Collection, born out of a need to centralise our records and make them easier for members to access, was originally on CD-Rom and then USB stick. In 2021, it moved to an online subscription service, with funding provided by a generous bequest.  This technology upgrade involved updates to our membership system and website.  The Kiwi Collection now has three tiers of access and includes images.  Our website now contains a multitude of resources to help our members with their research, whether in New Zealand or overseas.

Our strength comes from our membership and the thousands of hours they donate to us each year.  Thanks go to all our members over the years who have made the New Zealand Society of Genealogists what it is today.

For further information on the history of our Society, please see:

• Forty Years On...   compiled by Vivienne M Parker
• and then it was 50 ...  compiled by Peter Gibson

Both are available to members from the NZSG Library, or from our Shop.

Members may also like to read the articles in The New Zealand Genealogist of August 2017 where we celebrated our 50th Anniversary.

Membership Numbers and Dates

Upgrades to our technology over the years has meant that our system does not accurately show the start dates of some of our longstanding members.  Here is a list of membership numbers and the year they joined our Society.

06/07/24