About Us
Our History
Founded in 1964, the Southern California Genealogical Society is the largest genealogical society in Southern California
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Throughout the decades our focus has expanded
well beyond the region’s borders.
Participating in our numerous programs, members are offered opportunities to extend their knowledge of genealogy through monthly meetings, webinars, special-interest groups, and online databases. The SCGS Family Research Library features. more than 40,000 volumes, including 6,000 family histories. Research resources include manuscripts, surname catalogs, maps, periodicals, diaries, military records, and electronic data resources for use by members and the general public. In addition to regional archives, library holdings include material from every state and several countries, with an emphasis on Hispanic, Irish, Cornwall, French-Canadian, German, and other noteworthy collections.
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Where We're At
What We Do
SCGS offices and Library are located at 417 Irving Drive, Burbank, California.
The SCGS Family Research Library is a designated FamilySearch Center, and an associate institution of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
Our annual Genealogy Jamboree and Genetic Genealogy Jamboree are recognized among the premier education and exhibitor events in the Western United States.
In our sixth decade, the members of SCGS understand the responsibility to future genealogists and created the Southern California 1890 Project, which features early records from Los Angeles County and its environs. It's a well-known fact to many family historians that 99 percent of the 1890 U.S. Federal Census Records were destroyed by a Commerce Department fire in 1921.
The continued success of the Southern California Genealogical Society rests in the hands of members who willingly volunteer their time, their talents, and their financial support.
Southern California Genealogical Society Speakers Bureau
The Southern California Genealogical Society's Speakers Bureau offers guest speakers to community organizations, libraries, museums, schools, and social clubs. We provide presentations on a wide variety of genealogical topics, including how to conduct genealogical research, record family history, and make connections through genetic genealogy (DNA). We can present at your conference, meeting, or seminar.
Our programs, which are 60 minutes in length with questions and answers, can be customized to fit your needs. We can also provide genealogical workshops lasting more than one hour.
We would appreciate if, whenever possible, you request a speaker two months before the date of your program to allow scheduling that time. We also request an honorarium for our speaker.
For additional information, please contact the SCGS Speakers Bureau coordinator. Charlotte Bocage, at
SpeakersBureau@SCGSGenealogy.com
SCGS is affiliated with the following historical and genealogical societies:
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International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG)
The International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG.org) is a nonprofit, no-dues organization whose mission is "to advocate for and educate about the use of genetics as a tool for genealogical research, and promote a supportive network for genetic genealogists." The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) is pleased to partner with ISOGG to provide regular meetings available to the public in conjunction with the SCGS DNA Interest Group.Genealogical Society of Hispanic America - Southern California (GSHA-SC)