A family association is a a group of people who are related to each other, share the same surname, or are interested in the study of a specific surname. There are as many reasons for the establishment of family associations as there are reasons for tracing surnames. Many are initially formed as a means of allowing a single family to keep in touch with one another. Often these expand to encompass anyone sharing the same surname. The primary purpose of a family association is to promote communication.
Many associations promote genealogical research and the exchange of information between members.
The newsletters vary in both quality and quantity of content materials. Some publish articles written by members. Some publish family recipes. Some publish calendars of family reunions and other events related to their surname. There are a small but growing number of associations who have built surname databases for the purpose of helping with the exchange of information.