The Royal Belgian Genealogical and Heraldic Office ( French: Association Royale Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique or OGHB) is a private

genealogical Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinsh ...

and heraldic society in Belgium. It was founded in 1942 as an

asbl Laws regulating nonprofit organizations, nonprofit corporations, non-governmental organizations, and voluntary associations vary in different jurisdictions. Australia In Australia, nonprofit organizations include trade unions, charitable entities ...

and has over a thousand members interested in

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

and

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...

. While it publishes exclusively in

French language French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...

, it covers all

regions of Belgium In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

. Its main purpose is the historical study of families without distinction of social class or profession as well as the auxiliary sciences of history, such as genealogy and heraldry. The OGHB benefits from

royal patronage Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

and

government subsidies A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...

and is thus considered as having a somewhat greater status than a purely private society. It used to record the arms of persons and families before this task was taken over by the

Council of Heraldry and Vexillology The Council of Heraldry and Vexillology (French: Conseil d’héraldique et de vexillologie) is the Heraldic authority for the French-speaking Community of Belgium. It is the institution that advises the Government of the French-speaking Communit ...

for the

French Community The French Community (1958–1960; french: Communauté française) was the constitutional organization set up in 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which ...

and the

Flemish Heraldic Council The Flemish Heraldic Council (Dutch: ''Vlaamse Heraldische Raad'', French: ''Conseil héraldique flamand'') advises the Flemish Government on all matters relating to heraldry. The Council was created on 11 April 1984, as the successor to the Su ...

for the

Flemish Community The Flemish Community ( nl, Vlaamse Gemeenschap ; french: Communauté flamande ; german: Flämische Gemeinschaft ) is one of the three institutional communities of Belgium, established by the Belgian constitution and having legal responsibilitie ...

Publications

The association publishes a number of publications: * ''Le Parchemin: a bimonthly review with table and index.'' *''Le Héraut'': quarterly link sheet with practical information and announcements. *''Les Recueils'': works, each issue of which includes a major study (most often genealogical). Example: the living heraldic armorial.

Board of directors

References

{{Heraldry Genealogy publications Literature on heraldry

Publications

Board of directors

See also

References