1840-1849 Chronology of Scholarly Societies

Data for Societies Founded from 1840 to 1849

63 Societies 55 History Pages 52 Websites

Last Updated: 2025, July 5

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1840
Seat	Society Name	More Details
France Paris	Académie d'Architecture (Academy of Architecture) [In some sense this Academy continued in the tradition of the Société des Architectes, which was founded in 1811 and ceased in 1816. This Academy was founded in 1840 as the Société Centrale des Architectes. It later had the following names: (1) Société Impériale et Centrale des Architectes; (2) Société Centrale des Architectes Français; and (3) Académie d'Architecture (its current name).]
United States of America Philadelphia	Association of American Geologists and Naturalists [The Association was founded on 1840, April 2 as the Association of American Geologists; in 1842, it became the Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. The Association ceased to exist on 1848, September 20, when its members convened to resolve their society into a new organization: the American Association for the Advancement of Science.]	Ceased
France Tours	Société Archéologique de Touraine (Archaeological Society of Touraine) [The society was founded 1840, June 23.]

1841
Seat	Society Name	More Details
Belgium Brussels	Académie Royale de Médecine de Belgique (ARMB) (Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium) [The Academy was founded on 1841, September 26 as the Académie Royale de Médecine de Belgique.]
England London	Chemical Society [This Society was founded in 1841 as the Chemical Society of London; in 1870, it became known simply as the Chemical Society. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) was formed in 1980 through the merger of four societies: (1) the Chemical Society (founded in 1841); (2) the Society for Analytical Chemistry (founded in 1874); (3) the Royal Institute of Chemistry (founded in 1877); and (4) the Faraday Society (founded in 1903).]	Ceased to exist independently
Serbia Belgrade	Друштво Српске Словесности = Društvo Srpske Slovesnosti (Society of Serbian Literature) [On 1841, November 19, the society was founded as Дружтво србске словесности = Družtvo Srbske Slovesnosti (Society of Serbian Literature), and kept this name until at least 1851. At some point after 1851, It changed the spelling of its name to Друштво србске словесности = Društvo Srbske Slovesnosti. In 1864, it became Српско учено друштво = Srpsko učeno društvo (Serbian Learned Society). In 1892, it merged into the Српска краљевска академија = Srpska kraljevska akademija (Serbian Royal Academy of Sciences).]	Ceased to exist independently
England London	Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) [The College was founded in 1841 as the Association of Medical Officers of Asylums and Hospitals for the Insane. It later had the following names: (a) Medico Psychological Association; (b) Royal Medico Psychological Association; and (c) Royal College of Psychiatrists (its current name).]
England London	Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) [This Society was founded on 1841, April 15 as the Pharmaceutical Society; it later became the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain; later still it became the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (its current name).]
Switzerland Bern	Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Geschichte (SGG) = Société Suisse d'Histoire (SSH) = Società Svizzera di Storia (SSS) = Societad Svizra d'Istorgia (SSI) (Swiss Historical Society) [The SGG/SSH/SSI was founded on 1841, September 25 by Johann Caspar Zellweger as the Allgemeine Geschichtforschende Gesellschaft der Schweiz (AGGS) = Société Générale Suisse d'Histoire (SGSH). On 2001, April 7 it took the name Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Geschichte (SGG) = Société Suisse d'Histoire (SSH) = Società Svizzera di Storia (SSH) = Societad Svizra d'Istorgia (SSI).]
Belgium Brussels	Société Royale de Numismatique de Belgique = Koninklijk Belgisch Genootschap voor Numismatiek (Royal Numismatic Society of Belgium)

1842
Seat	Society Name	More Details
U.S.A. Ann Arbor (Michigan)	American Oriental Society (AOS)
Italy Torino	Associazione Agraria Subalpina (Subalpine Agricultural Association) [This Association was founded on 1842, August 25 as the Associazione Agraria Subalpina. It later had the names Associazione Agraria degli Stati Sardi and Associazione Agraria del Regno. It ceased in 1866.]	Ceased
Netherlands Amsterdam	Branchevereniging Nederlandse Architectenbureaus (BNA) (Royal Institute of Dutch Architects) [The foreruuner to this society was founded in 1842 as Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Bouwkunst (Society for the Advancement of Architecture). In 1919, it merged into the Bond van Nederlandse Architecten, (Association of Dutch Architects) which had been founded im 1908. On 2013, January 1, the latter took the name Branchevereniging Nederlandse Architectenbureaus (Trade Association of Dutch Architectural Firms).]
Belgium Brussels	Koninklijke Academie voor Oudheidkunde van België = Académie Royale d'Archéologie de Belgique (Royal Academy of Archaeology of Belgium) [This Academy was founded in 1842 as the Académie d'Archéologie de Belgique. In 1897 it became the Académie Royale d'Archéologie de Belgique. At some time it also acquired the Flemish name Koninklijke Academie voor Oudheidkunde van België.]
England London	Philological Society [The Society was founded on 1842, May 18 as the Philological Society.]
France Paris	Société d'Économie Politique (Society of Political Economy)

1843
Seat	Society Name	More Details
England London	British Archaeological Association (BAA)
Brazil Rio de Janeiro	Instituto dos Advogados Brasileiros (IAB) (Institute of Brazilian Lawyers)
Belgium Antwerp	Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen (KMDA) = Société Royale de Zoologie d'Anvers (Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp)
England London	Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (RAI) [This body was founded in 1843 as the Ethnological Society of London, a breakaway group of the Aborigines' Protection Society. In 1863, a rival group, the Anthropological Society of London was founded. In 1871, the two Societies merged to form the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1907 it became the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland.]
Australia Hobart	Royal Society of Tasmania (RST)

1844
Seat	Society Name	More Details
France Paris	Académie Vétérinaire de France (Veterinary Academy of France) [In 1844, two different veterinary societies were founded in France: the Société de Médecine Vétérinaire et de Médecine Comparée and the Société Vétérinaire du Département de la Seine. In 1846, the latter became the Société Centrale de Médecine Vétérinaire. In 1848, the two merged, taking the name of the latter, Société Centrale de Médecine Vétérinaire. Ater this, the name had the following variants: (1) Société Nationale et Centrale de Médecine Vétérinaire; and (2) Société Impériale et Centrale de Médecine Vétérinaire. In 1928, the Society became the Académie Vétérinaire de France.]
U.S.A. Washington, D.C.	American Psychiatric Association (APA) [The APA was founded in 1844 as the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane. It later became the American Medico-Psychological Association, and still later it became the American Psychiatric Association (APA) (its current name).]
England London	Royal Archaeological Institute (RAI) [The Institute was founded in 1844 as the Archaeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. It later became the Royal Archaeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland; it now is simply the Royal Archaeological Institute.]
England London	Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) [The RCVS appears not to have published a scholarly journal.]
France Chalon-sur-Saône	Société d'Histoire et d'Archéologie de Chalon-sur-Saône (Society for History and Archaeology of Chalon-sur-Saône)
England London	Syro-Egyptian Society of London [The Society was founded on 1844, December 3. In 1872 it was merged into the Society of Biblical Archaeology (founded in 1870).]	Ceased to exist independently

1845
Seat	Society Name	More Details
Sri Lanka Colombo	Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) [The Society was founded in 1845 as the Asiatic Society of Ceylon. In 1846 it became a branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, known as the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. In 1972 it became the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RAS SL).]
Germany Heidelberg	Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft (DMG) (German Oriental Society) [The Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft was founded on 1845, October 2.]
Germany Bad Honnef	Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG) (German Physical Society) [The Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft was founded on 1845, January 14 as the Physikalische Gesellschaft zu Berlin and was transformed on 1899, January 1 into the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.]
Austria Vienna	Gesellschaft der Freunde der Naturwisenschaften in Wien (Society of Friends of Science in Vienna) [The Gesellschaft der Freunde der Naturwisenschaften in Wien was founded in 1845, November.]	Ceased.
Netherlands Den Haag	Koninklijk Nederlands Historisch Genootschap (KNHG) (Royal Dutch Historical Society) [The Society was founded in 1845 as the Historisch Gezelschap te Utrecht. It later had the following names: (1) Historisch Genootschap gevestigd te Utrecht; (2) Historisch Genootschap te Utrecht; (3) Historisch Genootschap; (4) Nederlands Historisch Genootschap; and (5) Koninklijk Nederlands Historisch Genootschap (its current name).]
Netherlands	Koninklijke Nederlandse Botanische Vereniging (KNBV) (Royal Dutch Botanical Society) [It had the following names (1) Vereeniging voor de Nederlandsche Flora; (2) Nederlandsche Botanische Vereenigung; (3) Koninklijke Nederlandsche Botanische Vereeniging; and (4) Koninklijke Nederlandse Botanische Vereniging.]
Russia St. Petersburg	Русское Географическое Общество (РГО) [Russkoe Geografičeskoe Obščestvo] (Russian Geographic Society) [The Society had the following sequence of names: 1845-1850 - Русское географическое общество (РГО) [Russian Geographical Society (RGS)] 1850-1917 - Императорское Русское географическое общество (ИРГО) [Imperial Russian Geographical Society (IRGO)] 1917-1925 - Русское географическое общество (РГО) [Russian Geographical Society (RGS)] 1925-1939 - Государственное географическое общество (ГГО) [State Geographical Society (GGO)] 1940-1992 - Географическое общество СССР OR Всесоюзное географическое общество (ВГО) [Geographical Society of the USSR or All-Union Geographical Society (VGO)] 1992-1995 - Русское географическое общество (РГО) [Russian Geographical Society (RGS)] 1995 - the present - Всероссийская общественная организация «Русское географическое общество» (ВОО «РГО») [Russian Geographical Society (RGS) ]
Belgium Namur	Société Archéologique de Namur (SAN) (Archaeological Society of Namur) [The Society was founded on 1845, December 28.]
France Limoges	Société Archéologique et Historique du Limousin (SAHL) (Archaeological and Historical Society of Limousin)

1846
Seat	Society Name	More Details
England Epping (Essex)	Chartered College of Teaching [Founded in 1846 as Society of Teachers, and became College of Preceptors in 1849. Took the name College of Teachers in 1998. In 2017, it took the name Chartered College of Teaching. The ZDB indicates that the College published *Educational Times, and Journal of the College of Preceptors* (20.1868 - 49.1896). The Oxford Univ. cat. indicates that the first title lasted until 1918, and was then continued by *Educational Times* (1919-1923) (not associated with the College). The Cambridge Univ. cat. indicates that the College published *Education Today* (1952- ). It is hard to find good cataloguing data for the intermediate title that makes it clear that is is indeed a publication of the College.]	)
England London	Pathological Society of London [The Pathological Society of London was founded in 1846. It ceased to exist independently in 1907, when it and several other medical societies merged with the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society of London (founded 1805), to form the Royal Society of Medicine.]	Ceased to exist independently
Russia St. Petersburg	Императорское Русское Археологическое Общество. [Imperatorskoe Russkoe Arheologičeskoe Obščestvo] (Imperial Russian Archaeological Society) [The Society was founded in 1846 as the Археолого-нумизматическое Общество (Archeologičesko-Numizmatičeskoe Obščestvo). In 1849 it became the Императорское Русское археологическое общество (Imperatorskoe Russkoe Archeologičeskoe Obščestvo). In 1924 it became part of the Академия Истории Материальной Культуры (Academy of the History of Material Culture).]	Ceased to exist independently
Germany Leipzig	Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig (SAW) (Saxonian Academy of Arts and Sciences in Leipzig) [The Academy was founded on 1846, July 1, on the occasion of the 200th birthday of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716). Its name at founding was Königlich-Sächsische Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig. In 1918 it became the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig.]
France Moulins	Société d'Emulation du Bourbonnais (Competitive Society of Bourbonnais) [The Society was founded in 1845, but not authorized by prefectural decree until 1846, January 30.]
Germany Mecklenburg	Verein der Freunde der Naturgeschichte in Mecklenburg (Association of Friends of Natural History in Mecklenburg) [Ceased in 1940.]	Ceased.

1847
Seat	Society Name	More Details
U.S.A. Chicago	American Medical Association (AMA)
Netherlands	Hollandsche Maatschappij van Landbouw (Holland Society of Agriculture) [Also known as Hollandse Maatschappij van Landbouw for part of its existence. This may be considered the successor to the Maatschappij ter Bevordering van den Landbouw te Amsterdam (1776-1847. A Wikipedia article indicates that in 1991, the Hollandsche Maatschappij van Landbouw and the (R.K.) Land- en Tuinbouw Bond merged to form the Westelijke Land- en Tuinbouworganisatie (WLTO).	Ceased to exist independently
England London	Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
Netherlands The Hague	Koninklijk Instituut van Ingenieurs (KIVI) (Royal Institution of Engineers in the Netherlands) [The Koninklijk Instituut van Ingenieurs was founded 1847, August 31, and merged on 2004, July 1 with the Nederlandse Ingenieursvereniging NIRIA which had been founded in 1928, to form the Koninklijk Instituut Van Ingenieurs KIVI NIRIA.]
U.S.A. New York City	New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM)
Austria Vienna	Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW) (Austrian Academy of Sciences) [The Academy was founded on 1847, May 14 as the Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien. It later had the following names: (1) Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien; and (2) Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (its current name).]
Vatican City State	Accademia Pontificia dei Nuovi Lincei = Pontifical Academy of the New Lynxes (Pontifical Academy of Sciences) [The Academy traces its roots to the famous Accademia dei Lincei, which had been founded in 1606 and which disbanded in 1630. Pope Pius IX in 1847 (more than two centuries after it had been disbanded) resurrected it as the Accademia Pontificia dei Nuovi Lincei. According to a Wikipedia article, it was later re-founded in 1936 by Pope Pius XI and given the name Pontificia Accademia delle Scienze (Pontifical Academy of Sciences).
Spain Madrid	Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (RACEFyN) (Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences (Spain)) [The Academy was founded on 1847, February 25 as the Academia Real de Ciencias de Madrid. It later had the following names: (1) Real Academia de Ciencias de Madrid; (2) Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales de Madrid; (3) Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales de Madrid; and (4) Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (its current name).]
China Hong Kong	Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch (RASHKB) [The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was originally founded in 1847 as the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, but ceased to exist at the end of 1859. Exactly a century later, on December 28, 1959, it was resuscitated with the approval of the parent society in London - the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. The Hong Kong Branch grew out of a Medico-Chirurgical Society founded in 1845.]
Ireland Dublin	Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland (SSISI) [The Society was founded on 1847, November 23 as the Dublin Statistical Society. In 1855 the Social Inquiry Society of Ireland merged into it. In 1864 the Society became the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland (its current name).]

1848
Seat	Society Name	More Details
U.S.A. Washington, D.C.	American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) [The AAAS came into being on 1848, September 20, when the members of the Association of American Geologists and Naturalists (founded in 1840 as the Association of American Geologists) convened to resolve their society into a new organization: the American Association for the Advancement of Science.]
France Paris	Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France (IESF) (Engineers and Scientists of France) [According to its webpage, it traces its origin to the creation on 1848, March 4 of the Société Centrale des Ingénieurs Civils. On 1860, December 22, it became the Société des Ingénieurs Civils de France (ICF). In 1978 the ICF merged with the Union des Associations et Sociétés Industrielles Françaises to form the Société des Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France (ISF). On 1992, March 19, the Conseil National des Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France (CNISF) was formed through the merger of the ISF, the Conseil National des Ingénieurs Français (CNIF) and the Fédération des Associations et Sociétés Françaises d’Ingénieurs Diplômés (FASFID. In 2013, the name became Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France (IESF)]
Germany Hannover	Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft (DGG) (German Geological Society) [The Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft (DGG) was founded in 1848 in Berlin. In 2004 it merged with the Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften (GGW), founded in the DDR in 1954, to form the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften.]	Ceased to exist independently
England Liverpool	Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire (HSLC) [The Society was founded on 1848, June 20.]
England London	Institute of Actuaries of London [Founded in 1848 as the Institute of Actuaries of London. At some time later, it became simply the Institute of Actuaries. Its Scottish counterpart was founded in 1856 as Faculty of Actuaries in Edinburgh, which at some time later became simply the Faculty of Actuaries. Since 1993 the two groups have had a common education and examination system. They also maintain a common website.]
Austria Vienna	Österreichischer Ingenieur- und Architekten-Verein (ÖIAV) (Austrian Association of Engineers and Architects)
France Paris	Société de Biologie (Society of Biology)

1849
Seat	Society Name	More Details
Denmark Vanløse	Den Danske Dyrlægeforening (DDD) (Danish Veterinary Association)
Netherlands Utrecht	Koninklijke Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot bevordering der Geneeskunst (KNMG) (Royal Netherlands Society for the Advancement of the Healing Arts) This society was founded in 1849 as Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot bevordering der Geneeskunst. In 1949 it received the Royal appellation and took its present name: Koninklijke Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot bevordering der Geneeskunst .
Canada Toronto	Royal Canadian Institute (RCI) [Also known as the Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science.] [The Institute was founded in 1849 as the Canadian Institute. In 1914 it became the Royal Canadian Institute (RCI). At some later date it became the Royal Canadian Institute for Science.]
Ireland Dublin	Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland [The Society was founded in Kilkenny in 1849 as the Kilkenny Archaeological Society. It later had the names: (1) Kilkenny and South East of Ireland Archaeological Society; (2) Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland; (3) Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland; and (4) Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland (its current name).]

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