Those who are interested in joining the Holland Society of New York are able to do so through two means: through regular membership or by becoming a Friend of the Society. Links to applications are found at the bottom of the page.
- MEMBERS: You may be eligible to become a member if you are a descendant (male/female) in the direct line of:
- A Dutch native or Dutch resident of New Netherland or the American colonies (now a part of the United States) prior to or during the year 1675,
- A person who possessed the right of Dutch citizenship within Dutch settlements in North America prior to or during the year 1675,
- A resident of a Dutch settlement in North America prior to or during the year 1675,
- A Dutch citizen, one of whose descendants became a member of this Society prior to June 16th, 1886,
- A Dutchman who was called to this country as a Dutch-speaking Domine during the Colonial Period.
A non-exhaustive list of eligible surnames can be found at this link. Please note that this is not a complete list of eligible surnames; if your qualifying ancestor’s surname is not listed, you may still be eligible for membership. Please contact genealogy@hollandsociety.org with any questions about eligibility.
- FRIENDS: Friends membership is open to all who are interested in the Dutch colonial period in America and its legacy. Friends receive the benefits of Holland Society membership, with the exception of voting rights at the Annual Meeting.
The Holland Society offers several levels of Membership, detailed below. All membership categories, except the Friends membership and Junior membership, provide the same benefits. Friends and Junior members are not eligible to vote at the Holland Society Annual Meeting.
| Membership Type | Age Range | Dues |
| Friend of the Society | All ages | $75 |
| Annual Membership | 30 years and older | $125 |
| Annual Membership | 18–29 years | $50 |
| Junior Membership | 0–17 years | $0 |
| Life Membership | 0–10 years | One payment of $1,000; payable, upon request, in two installments |
| Life Membership | Above the age of 10 | One payment of $2,000; payable, upon request, in two installments |
Upon admittance to the Society, an initiation fee of $125 is collected for Annual Members and Junior Members.
Please note that if a Life membership is purchased, no further dues will be owed throughout the member’s lifetime.
Links to Applications
You can download membership and Friend applications below. Please select the correct application and, when completed, you can return the application form to the Holland Society of New York via email to membership@hollandsociety.org or by mail, to the Society’s offices. If you are submitting your new line application digitally, please use DropBox, Google OneDrive or any other program that allows you to share large size files.
As reference for a New Line Membership Application please see this sample based on Humphrey Bogart’s application. To see the actor’s original application, please click here page 1 page 2.
Guide to Application Completion
New Line Membership Application
Legacy Member Application
Junior Member Application
Friend Application
Proposer/Seconder Form
Character Reference Form