Royal Belgian Genealogical and Heraldic Office

The Royal Belgian Genealogical and Heraldic Office
Native name
Association Royale Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique
Company typeASBL
Founded1942
HeadquartersWoluwe-Saint-Pierre
Key people
Bertrand Maus de Rolley (president)
François-Xavier Geubel (VP)
Philippe Petit (general secretary)
Members1000+
Websiteoghb

The Royal Belgian Genealogical and Heraldic Office[1] (French: Association Royale Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique or OGHB)[2] is a private genealogical and heraldic society in Belgium. It was founded in 1942[3] as an ASBL and has over a thousand members interested in genealogy and heraldry. While it publishes exclusively in the French language, it covers all regions of Belgium.

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.[4]

The OGHB benefits from royal patronage and government subsidies and is thus considered as having a somewhat greater status than a purely private society.[1]

It used to record the arms of persons and families before this task was taken over by the Council of Heraldry and Vexillology for the French Community and the Flemish Heraldic Council for the Flemish Community.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Foreign Armorial Grants and Registrations for Americans | Grants and Registrations | Education & Resources | American Heraldry Society". www.americanheraldry.org. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  2. ^ "Association Royale Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique". oghb.be. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  3. ^ "LES CINQUANTE ANS DE L'OFFICE GENEALOGIQUE L'HERALDIQUE ET LA GENEALOGIE OUVERTES A TOUS". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  4. ^ "Office Généalogique & Héraldique de Belgique". Woluwe Saint Pierre (in French). Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  5. ^ "Héraldique en Belgique | Association Royale Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique". oghb.be. Retrieved 2019-12-13.