In 1995, at a young age, Joshua discovered his passion for genealogical and historical research. Now, more than 20 years later, he devotes much of his time to promoting and exploring the convergence of history and genealogy through his activities as a researcher, speaker, and author.
Born in Logan, Utah, Joshua currently resides in New York City, New York and is the President of New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, the world’s second oldest genealogical organization. His travels and research have taken him to repositories throughout the world including the Family History Library (Salt Lake City, Utah), the Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.), the Society of Genealogists (London, England), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (Montreal, Quebec), and the National Library of Ireland (Dublin, Ireland). In addition, Joshua is a frequent speaker at local, regional, and national events throughout the country and the United Kingdom. An active member of the family history community, in the past, Joshua served as the President of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and is the former Director of Family History for Findmypast. He previously worked as the Director of Education and Programs at the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Official Biography
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA is a nationally known and recognized speaker and author on genealogy and family history. Passionate about the diverse and dynamic field of genealogy, Joshua is the President of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society (NYG&B). He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including RootsTech’s Distinguished Presenter Award, the Federation of Genealogical Societies Award of Merit, the Rubincam Youth Award from the National Genealogical Society, and was named as one of Library Journal’s Movers and Shakers in 2017. He served the genealogical community as the President of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) from 2013-2016 and was a member of the FGS Board of Directors from 2007-2019.
Joshua is the author of numerous articles in American Ancestors, UGA Crossroads, FGS Forum, Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, New England Ancestors, and other publications. In 2013 he authored “The Keane and Sheahan Families of Bridgeport, Connecticut,” a study of a family’s immigration and life in New England after the Irish famine. He is also a coordinator for courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. In 2022, Joshua was named as a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association for his “distinguished contributions and on-going commitment to the field of genealogy.”
He holds an MLS (Archival Management) and an MA (History) from Simmons College and has been a featured genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are? with Sarah Jessica Parker, Kelly Clarkson, Ashley Judd, Reba McEntire, and Rob Lowe. Joshua can also be seen taking America through their past as a host on the popular PBS series Genealogy Roadshow.