Seattle Genealogical Society

What Seattle Genealogical Society does

Seattle Genealogical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1923 and headquartered in Suite 302 of the Good Shepherd Center in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood. It is operated entirely by unpaid volunteers with no paid staff, offering a non-lending genealogical research library, educational programs, and a community of researchers. Its core product is a physical research library supported by a searchable online catalog of nearly 9,992 records spanning U.S. states, Canada, and Europe, plus five in-library computer workstations that provide access to subscription databases (Ancestry, Fold3, Newspapers.com Extra, American Ancestors, FindMyPast, Archion, ArkivDigital, Historygeo) and FamilySearch Affiliate locked records.

SGS holds several proprietary databases that are not available elsewhere, including the King County Court Case Index (1.7 million+ records from 1881-1980), 25,000+ VFW membership cards from two Seattle-area posts, Seattle obituaries (1895-1984 and 2018-current), and the 1890 Seattle Substitute Census. Special collections include the Mayflower/Colonial America materials and the George F. Kent Collection of New Jersey. The organization publishes a semi-annual Journal and a monthly eNews newsletter, and offers structured online courses (Beginning Genealogy, DNA for Beginners, Organizing for Genealogy), 15+ Special Interest Groups, and a member surname registry. Four vetted board-certified or specialist family history researchers are marketed as paid service providers.

Revenue is generated primarily through $40/year individual memberships, $50/year dual memberships, paid lookup services ($15 per surname for non-members), course and seminar fees, journal subscriptions ($20-$40/year for libraries), donations (including QCDs, DAFs, employer matches via Boeing, BECU, and Microsoft), and writing contest entry fees. The go-to-market motion is community-led, with membership acquisition driven through educational programs, Special Interest Groups, and a Seattle Public Library drop-in partnership running through December 2026.

Name

Seattle Genealogical Society

Legal name

Seattle Genealogical Society

Website

https://seagensoc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Seattle Genealogical Society is a 501(c)(3), all-volunteer non-profit founded in 1923 that operates a Seattle-based genealogical research library, publishes a semi-annual journal, and serves individual family-history researchers through memberships, classes, and 15+ Special Interest Groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Genealogical Research Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Special Libraries (Law, Medical, Corporate, Government) Operations (EDAEAGAD)

Keywords

• Genealogical research services
• Family history library
• Historical records access
• Genealogy education programs
• Special interest groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues provide core operational funding. Individual membership at $40/year, dual membership at $50/year for two people at same address, library/organization subscription at $40/year
2. Donations and Contributions: Accepts IRA qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), Donor Advised Fund contributions, stock donations, employer matching gifts (Boeing, BECU, Microsoft), Facebook fundraisers, and annual December appeal campaign
3. Research Services: Lookup services for non-members at $15 per surname. Includes King County Court Case Index, Seattle obituaries, VFW membership cards, 1890 Seattle Substitute Census, and general library catalog lookups
4. Class and Seminar Fees: Revenue from educational programming including Beginning Genealogy ($80 members $60), DNA for Beginners ($65 members $80), and Fall Seminar events with registration fees
5. Writing Contest Entry Fees: America 250 Writing Contest with prizes totaling $750 ($250 first, $150 second, $100 third, plus honorable mentions)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Seattle Genealogical Society operates a non-lending genealogical research library in Seattle's Good Shepherd Center, providing members and visitors access to 9,992+ cataloged books, maps, and digital materials, plus subscription databases such as Ancestry, Fold3, FindMyPast, and FamilySearch Affiliate privileges. It delivers educational classes (Beginning Genealogy, DNA for Beginners, Organizing for Genealogy), hosts 15+ Special Interest Groups, publishes a semi-annual Journal, and offers paid research/lookup services to members and non-members. The organization is sustained by an all-volunteer workforce and funded through membership dues, donations, and program fees.

Product overview

The Seattle Genealogical Society offers a research library with over 9,900 cataloged items and multiple digital databases as its core product offering. The society provides access to subscription genealogy databases (Ancestry, Fold3, FindMyPast, American Ancestors, Archion, ArkivDigital, Historygeo, Newspapers.com) on library computers, along with a searchable online library catalog and cemetery records database. The society publishes the semi-annual Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society and a monthly eNews newsletter. Additional offerings include research services with lookup capabilities, a member surname registry, and various educational programs including courses on Beginning Genealogy, DNA for Beginners, and Organizing for Genealogy, plus multiple Special Interest Groups covering topics like AI for Genealogy, DNA, Mexican, Irish, German, Pacific Northwest, and more. The society operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit with membership plans starting at $40/year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SGS Research Library Non-lending research library at Good Shepherd Center Suite 302, Seattle, offering books, maps, digital materials, and five computer workstations for genealogical research on all U.S. states and international regions.
• SGS Membership Annual membership plans granting access to library, subscription databases, Journal, SIGs, member discounts on classes, lookup services, and member surname registry. Individual $40/year, Dual $50/year, Library/Organization $40/year, Washington Public Library $20/year.
• Research Services (Lookup Requests) Paid genealogy assistance for members and non-members via email, telephone, or in-person. Includes lookup services at $15 per surname covering King County Court Case Index (1.7M+ records), Seattle obituaries (1895-1984, 2018-current), VFW membership cards (25,000+), and the 1890 Seattle Substitute Census. Free for members.
• Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society Semi-annual publication (formerly SGS Bulletin) containing genealogical research articles, methodology, family history, library acquisition notes, and record transcriptions. Published since 1952; available via library/organization subscription at $40/year.
• Beginning Genealogy Course Four-week online course (Zoom) covering how to conduct, organize, and record genealogy research, including evaluation of evidence, best sources, online and offline records, and DNA testing. $80 non-members, $60 SGS members.
• DNA for Beginners Course Three weekly 90-minute online sessions covering genetic genealogy basics including autosomal, mitochondrial, and Y-DNA testing, third-party tools, and continuing learning resources. $80 non-members, $65 members; recordings available for 30 days.
• Organizing for Genealogy Course Four weekly two-hour online class sessions helping participants create systems for organizing genealogical research, covering self-organization, paper and digital systems, and workflow management.
• America 250 Writing Contest Writing contest celebrating America's 250th anniversary in 2026 with theme 'My Story is America's Story.' Cash prizes up to $250 for winning entries (first $250, second $150, third $100, plus honorable mentions), with submissions due September 1, 2026. Winning entries are published in the Journal.
• Special Collections Set-aside archival collections including the Mayflower and Colonial America Collection, and the George F. Kent Collection of New Jersey comprising 122 volumes with over 40,000 names in a digitized card file.
• Professional Genealogist Referrals Vetted list of member researchers offering extensive paid research, analysis, and consultation services for clients needing deep genealogical investigation. Includes board-certified genealogists specializing in DNA, Midwest, New England, Pacific Northwest, California, Southern and Midwestern states, Germany, and estate/heir searches.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to 9,992+ genealogical records through searchable online catalog
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FamilySearchcoreTechnology or IntegrationSGS is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library. Patrons using library computers or personal computers connected to library wireless can access locked records on FamilySearch.org not available through standard FamilySearch access. This partnership provides significant added value to library visitors.
• Seattle Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGS volunteers provide monthly genealogy drop-in sessions at SPL branch libraries (Ballard, Magnolia, Northeast) through December 2026. This outreach introduces public to SGS resources, SIGs, classes, and library services. Sessions held 1.5 hours monthly with no long-term commitment required from volunteers.
• Fiske Genealogical LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly sponsored MAC Computer Interest Group meeting every other month on second Wednesday, 7-9pm via Zoom. Addresses topics for MacIntosh (Apple) computer users and Reunion program users in genealogy research. Open to public.
• Good Shepherd CentercoreOthersSGS Library located in Suite 302 of Good Shepherd Center, a historic building in Wallingford neighborhood. Good Shepherd Center is managed by Historic Seattle. SGS benefits from visible location and access to public transit (Metro Bus routes 62, 44).
• PayPal Giving FundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSGS receives extra 1% match and waived service charges for donations made through PayPal Giving Fund during campaigns including Giving Tuesday (first Tuesday after Thanksgiving).
• Boeing, BECU, MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployer matching gift programs: Boeing, Boeing Employees Credit Union (BECU), and Microsoft match employee contributions to SGS, amplifying donation impact.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ancestry: Dominant commercial genealogy platform whose databases SGS subscribes to. Represents both a partner dependency and a competitive substitute for SGS's educational and research services.
• FamilySearch: The largest free genealogy platform globally and SGS's key affiliate partner. While not a membership society, it sets the standard for record access that local genealogical libraries either complement or compete with.
• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library: National heritage organization operating a genealogy-focused research library with unique American lineage collections; similar nonprofit, membership-based structure with emphasis on documented family histories.
• Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center: The largest public genealogy research collection in the U.S., hosted within a major public library system. Offers comparable free access to subscription databases, lookups, and educational programming — but at substantially greater scale and with paid staff.

Direct peers

• National Genealogical Society: National membership-based genealogical society offering educational courses, special interest groups, conferences, research resources, and a research library — directly comparable in mission, structure, and member services to SGS.
• New England Historic Genealogical Society (American Ancestors): One of the oldest and largest genealogical societies in the U.S., operating a research library, publishing journals, running educational programs, and offering subscription access to records — a near-identical operating model to SGS but at significantly larger scale.
• Fiske Genealogical Library: Specialized genealogical library and research center that already partners with SGS on the MAC Computer Interest Group; operates with a similar volunteer-supported library model focused on family history research.

Emerging players

• MyHeritage: Global genealogy platform with strong international records, DNA testing, and tree-building tools — increasingly competing for the same enthusiast audience that SGS serves through its SIGs and classes.
• FindMyPast: Subscription genealogy database provider with strength in UK and Irish records — relevant to SGS's Irish, German, and Eastern European SIGs and offered as one of SGS's in-library databases.

Others

• Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter: Long-running genealogy news and education outlet that aggregates industry developments, society announcements, and research methodology content — an adjacent ecosystem player rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=I0bPu-qDWqU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seattle-genealogical-society

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seattle Genealogical Society