I'm researching my family's Masonic history. My grandfather, Herman Gordon (also known as Herman Berkowitz), worked in the shipping industry and was a Freemason. He's said to have met George Steinbrenner. He lived in [city/state], roughly [years]. 1. How do I confirm his membership and find his lodge, degrees, and dates? Which Grand Lodge would hold his records, and how do I request them as his grandson? 2. He may be listed under either surname. How do Masonic records handle name changes? 3. Wh

Determining which Grand Lodge holds a member's records depends primarily on where he resided when he joined a lodge, as Masonic jurisdictions are organized geographically by state, province, or country. Genealogical inquiries in North America can be directed toward the local Grand Lodge of the state where the individual lived, while general guidance on protocol and genealogy is offered by the Masonic Service Association of North America. If the membership was under English jurisdiction, the United Grand Lodge of England directs all family history and genealogical research enquiries to the Museum of Freemasonry, which maintains dedicated research services, library archives, and membership records.

To request records as a relative, such as a grandson, written inquiries should be sent to the Grand Secretary of the relevant Grand Lodge or its official library and archives. Providing detailed biographical information—including approximate dates, cities of residence, and known occupations—assists archivists in searching annual lodge returns and ledger books to locate degree dates, lodge numbers, and membership status.

Masonic records handle name changes by indexing registers according to the legal name under which a candidate originally petitioned the lodge. If an individual assumed a new name later in life, such as changing from Berkowitz to Gordon, annual lodge returns may reflect the update only after official notification was provided to the Grand Lodge secretary. Submitting a record search request that explicitly includes both the original surname and the adopted name, along with any known aliases, allows researchers to cross-reference historical membership ledgers and trace entries across changing lodge rosters.