Daily AncestorBirthright member
A birthright member was a person who belonged to the Society of Friends from birth because their parents were Quakers.
London Yearly Meeting formalized birthright membership in 1737. Under it, children born to Quaker parents automatically became members, without a separate act of joining.
That is why a person raised among Friends may have no record of being received into membership, only a birth entry. London Yearly Meeting dropped birthright membership in 1959, and it no longer applies in many places.
As seen in a recordQuaker monthly meeting birth register, 1700s to 1800s
Births: Jesse, son of Abel & Martha Wright, b 2nd mo. 14 1803
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Daily Ancestor. "Birthright member." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/church/birthright-member. Last checked 2026-10-03.