In the early 1990s, a small group of Boyds were visiting with each other at the Clan Tent at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Gathering and Games. This group included Dr. William Barneyback (then President), his wife Marianna Barneyback, Marilyn DeReggi (then Secretary), her mother Jeannette Boyd and sister Virginia Boyd Rogers, Grover Gore (former Executive Board Member), his daughter Alison Gore Wikle (then Treasurer), and James Green.

This group decided that it would be a wonderful idea to use an email mailing list as a place for all Boyds to gather and discuss their genealogy and the family history. It was decided to keep the list 'open' and not limit it to House of Boyd members only. So, to this day, the Boyd mailing list (as it has come to be known) has welcomed all those interested in the Boyd Clan Family History, and in researching their own Boyd family tree.

The process was begun and the list was formed. At first it was managed by an individual who received the emails in his personal email mailbox and forwarded copies to everybody on the list. It soon became too large and was moved to a mailing list server. As time has passed we have moved the list a few times, until most recently settling at Rootsweb.

We owe thanks to all those who created this list and those that have helped to keep it going. We owe a debt of gratitude to all of those mentioned above, and also those that did the work to keep it going -- thanks again Sam Boyd, James Green III, David Hamiter, Margaret Olson and Lauren Boyd!

The mailing list  is the oldest online Boyd discussion group.  There are hundreds of Boyds and Boyd researchers subscribed.  The list can help with researching your family tree, will give news about Highland Games, and generally provide a forum talk with other Boyds about 'Boyd' topics. Note that you do NOT need to be a member of the House of Boyd Society to join our mailing list. Click the button below to create an email message that will subscribe you to the list.  Subscription is free.

Assisting our members (and other Boyds too) with their family research is one of the main aims for the existence of the House of Boyd Society. There are several ways that we do this.

Our Genealogist uses software for storing and searching Boyd genealogies. On joining the Society you are invited to send your genealogy to us. When your genealogy is entered into our database, any matches with other genealogies in the database are automatically highlighted. Our genealogist will then try and put you in touch with those who share this common link, so that you can exchange information.

The Boyd mailing list can put you in touch with House of Boyd Society members, and other Boyds, who use the Internet. You can use the list to ask questions regarding your own research, about research methods and sources, and get lots of other information which is posted to the list.

In a similar way, our new web forums on this website can put you in touch with others involved with research on the Internet. House of Boyd members have private areas inside the forums which cannot be read or posted to by non-members.

We understand that research can be a lonely and isolated activity. Wherever possible, we encourage our members to attend Highland Games and Gatherings, and to help out whenever there is a Boyd tent at these events. This activity not only helps encourage others into genealogy and to join the House of Boyd, but it gives a very welcome social side to research. You will meet many others doing research and be able to have friendly chats about your research and their research. To a certain extent, our Boyd mailing list and our web forums also give the opportunity for social contact and friendships.