Genealogy Merit Badge
Nine requirements. The parts that take time are other people and records: an interview with a relative (3), contacting a genealogical society, genealogist or archive (5), obtaining a genealogical document (4(c)), a family tree of three generations (6) and two family group records (7). Requirement 2 is a timeline and short biography, or a journal kept for six weeks. Requirement 9 is what you learned about your family.
The plan behind this
What depends on other people or on time
| requirement | what it needs |
|---|---|
| 2(b), if chosen | a journal kept for six weeks, written in at least once a week |
| 3 | a relative or family acquaintance, chosen with your parent or guardian's help, interviewed in person, by telephone, or by email or letter |
| 4(c) | at least one genealogical document that supports an event on, or that could go on, your pedigree chart or family group record |
| 5 | one individual or institution to contact and ask about their genealogical services, records or activities |
| 6 and 7 | what your family can tell you about three generations, and about your parent or guardian's brothers and sisters |
Requirement 2: ONE of two
2(a) create a timeline for yourself or a relative, then write a short biography based on it; or 2(b) keep a journal for six weeks, writing in it at least once a week. The journal cannot be done in less than six weeks, so start it early if you choose it.
Requirement 5: contact ONE
| route | who |
|---|---|
| 5(a) | a genealogical or lineage society |
| 5(b) | a professional genealogist (someone paid for genealogical research) |
| 5(c) | a surname organization, such as your family's |
| 5(d) | a genealogical educational facility or institution |
| 5(e) | a genealogical record repository: a courthouse, genealogical library, state or national archive, state library and so on |
Ask what genealogical services, records or activities they provide, and report the results.
The charts
6 begins your family tree: yourself and at least two more generations, on the chart in the pamphlet or in the genealogy software of your choice. 7 is two family group record forms: one with you and your brothers and sisters as the children, and one with your parent or guardian and his or her brothers and sisters as the children.
What this page is
The Genealogy merit badge, drawn so the interview, the contact, the document and the charts stand out as the parts that depend on others, with the timeline-or-journal and the contact drawn as questions and the evaluation drawn as depending on the document. It is not a copy of the requirements: each step is a short label with a link to the official requirements, which are what actually governs and which change from year to year. The free official pamphlet is the fuller guide.
Sources for this page
- Genealogy Merit Badge Requirements, Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2025-12-31 · The requirements themselves, and the free official pamphlet linked from them.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.0.3 · The process every merit badge is earned through, which this page does not repeat.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.4.3 · Which version of a changed requirement applies to a Scout who has already started.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.0.0.1 · Why the requirements are not in the Guide to Advancement and are expected to change annually.
Last checked against its sources on .