How to Join

The United Daughters of the Confederacy® is a sisterhood of female descendants of soldiers, sailors, and patriots, dedicated to the preservation of the history, heritage, culture, and artifacts of the Confederate States of America. To be a member is both an honor and a privilege. It is our duty to the memory of our Confederate ancestors to see that this work is carried on.

Eligibility Requirements

Those eligible for membership are women at least 16 years of age who are lineal* or collateral** blood descendants of men and women who served honorably in the Army, Navy, or Civil Service of the Confederate States of America or gave Material Aid to the Cause. Women who were adopted are eligible only through the bloodline of a biological parent.

Admission to the UDC or CofC Organization shall be by invitation through a Chapter. An applicant must furnish documented proof of his/her descent from a Confederate ancestor as well as proof of that ancestor’s Confederate service.

* Lineal ancestor is a blood relation defined as "in or from a direct line from an ancestor” such as a grandfather, great grandfather, great-great-grandfather, etc.
** Collateral ancestor is a blood relation defined as "have the same ancestor but descended through a different set of parents, grandparents, and other forbearers” such as an uncle, great uncle, great-great uncle, etc. Cousins are not accepted.

Eligible Confederate Ancestor

For UDC purposes, an eligible Confederate ancestor is defined as a bloodline male or female, lineal or collateral ancestor who served the Confederate States of America in one of the following ways:

  • Honorable service in the armed forces/military (National units or any of its State Militias, Home Guards, Reserves, or other State units) of the Confederate States of America. The term honorable service means that the ancestor’s last known military record cannot indicate that he was either absent without leave (AWOL) or that he had deserted.
  • Civil Service of the Confederate States of America or any of its States.
  • Material Aid to the Cause.

A Confederate ancestor who took the Oath of Allegiance before April 9, 1865, shall not be considered an eligible Confederate ancestor unless proof of further Confederate service is available, thereby nullifying the Oath of Allegiance.

View our Lineage Proof Guidelines to begin your research!

udcmemorialbuilding

Memorial to the Women of the Confederacy
Also known as the UDC Memorial Building, is a historic building located in Richmond, Virginia, that serves as the national headquarters of the UDC. It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

 

Helpful websites to search for ancestry and military records online:
Military Records
 

Associate Membership

If you would like to join us but do not have a Confederate ancestor, you still can! An Associate Member enjoys all the benefits as a member with the exceptions of holding an office and voting.

Honor your Confederate Ancestor,

Join us today!


Membership Inquiry Form