Honoring Maritime Rogues and Patriots: The Order of Descendants of Pirates and Privateers

Lineage societies have long honored the patriots, pioneers, and soldiers who helped shape American history. But one modern society dives into the more rebellious corners of ancestry—exploring a legacy not of land-based founders, but of daring seafarers who ruled the waves. This is the Order of Descendants of Pirates and Privateers, a genealogical and historical society dedicated to preserving the memory of those who lived by the sword and sail on the high seas.

Though its name evokes drama, the organization is grounded in serious research and historical preservation, bringing to light the often-overlooked maritime actors who played vital roles in commerce, warfare, and the founding of the Atlantic world.

Founding of The Order

The Order of Descendants of Pirates and Privateers (ODPP) was established in 2019 by members of the American genealogical community interested in preserving and celebrating a unique aspect of colonial and early American history. The founders, several of whom were members of other lineage societies such as the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) or Sons of the Revolution (SR), sought to create a space where descendants of historically significant pirates and privateers could gather, share research, and commemorate their ancestry.

Unlike many traditional hereditary societies that emphasize nobility, military service, or political office, the ODPP embraces a more eclectic legacy—one that includes both infamous pirates and legally sanctioned privateers who helped shape maritime history.

Pirates vs. Privateers: What’s the Difference?

The Order recognizes the significant distinction between:

Pirates: Outlaws who operated independently, often attacking ships and coastal towns for profit without national authorization.
Privateers: Private ship captains who were granted “letters of marque” by a government, allowing them to legally seize enemy ships and cargo during wartime.

While pirates like Blackbeard (Edward Teach) or Anne Bonny are famous for their colorful crimes, privateers like John Paul Jones, Jean Lafitte, and Sir Francis Drake were often celebrated as heroes in their homelands—even knighted or commissioned for their service.

The ODPP honors individuals from both categories, provided they have verifiable historical significance.

Mission and Activities

The mission of the ODPP is to:

Identify and recognize descendants of notable pirates and privateers.
Promote scholarly research into maritime history between the 1500s and 1800s.
Preserve historic naval records, ship logs, maps, and personal accounts.
Encourage educational outreach, especially about piracy’s role in colonial economics, global trade, and naval warfare.
Support preservation of coastal and maritime heritage sites, including shipwrecks, graveyards, and battle locations.

Members participate in historical publications, genealogical workshops, and online forums to share research and celebrate seafaring ancestors.

Membership and Eligibility

To join the ODPP, applicants must provide documented, lineal descent from a historically verifiable:

Pirate, or
Privateer, or
Naval auxiliary with significant maritime activity between the 1500s and 1800s.

Notable eligible figures include:

Blackbeard (Edward Teach) – Pirate of the Caribbean and southeastern coast of the U.S.
Bartholomew Roberts – Captured more than 400 ships in the early 1700s.
Jean Lafitte – French-American privateer and smuggler who fought in the Battle of New Orleans.
Sir Francis Drake – English privateer, circumnavigator, and scourge of the Spanish Armada.
Captain William Kidd – Began as a privateer, later executed for piracy.

Genealogical documentation may include court records, family Bibles, letters of marque, land grants, tax records, and secondary sources from recognized scholarly publications.

Why It Matters: The Historical Legacy of Sea Raiders

Though romanticized in literature and film, pirates and privateers were real economic and military forces in the Atlantic world. They:

Disrupted colonial monopolies and changed the balance of maritime power.
Facilitated early global trade, both legal and illicit.
Played critical roles in wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and various European naval conflicts.
Left enduring legacies in port cities from Charleston to Port Royal, New Orleans to Nassau.

By exploring this history through documented lineage, ODPP brings context to a time when law, loyalty, and survival were constantly tested at sea.

Conclusion

The Order of Descendants of Pirates and Privateers offers a compelling blend of genealogy, maritime history, and storytelling. It celebrates those who braved the oceans not only for plunder or patriotism, but often for survival, freedom, or fortune. Through the efforts of this unique society, the legacies of those who sailed under black flags—or national commissions—are being preserved with scholarly rigor and cultural respect.

So if your ancestors once answered to cannon fire or carved their path through sea foam and storm, there may be a place for you among the ODPP—a community where history meets adventure.