Welcome! Whether you have Gold Rush ancestors or have no family connection to California, you will find extensive support for your genealogy research at the California Genealogical Society (CGS).

Open House October 21 2-4 PM

Seminar with Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, 23 Sept. 2017 Early Bird Special Ends July 5 2017!

 

A Day with The Legal Genealogist

Judy G Russell, The Legal Genealogist We're hosting Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, for an all-day seminar on Saturday, September 23rd. Judy will teach classes on copyright law, enemy aliens in the United States, rogues and rapscallions, and an introduction to DNA testing.

In addition to being one of the most popular genealogy bloggers, Judy is also among the most popular international speakers, on the faculty of IGHR, GRIP, SLIG, and GIFR, and a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

There will be a drawing for a full registration to next year's SCGS Genealogy Jamboree at the event.

See the blog post for a full description and Register Now. There are still tickets available!
Family History Month Open House
California Genealogical Society and our new neighbor the California Mayflower Society will host an Open House at 2-4 PM on Saturday, October 21. Please see the blog post for details.
Our Newest Publication

We’re excited to announce that in June we published the highly anticipated book, The Ancestry of Samuel Sterling Sherman and Mary Ware Allen. It tells the stories of nine generations of former California Genealogical Society’s president, Frederick "Rick" S. Sherman’s family as they move from New England and Kentucky westward to California. Whether you love history, individual family stories or learning new research tips, or all three, we think this book has something to offer you. Whether a genealogist or not, readers will be moved by getting to know these diverse human beings.

The California Genealogical Society has publshed Mr. Sherman's incredible research effort as a fitting tribute to a man who gave to the society in so many ways as President, Chief Researcher, and Benefactor. His efforts were suddenly cut short by his death in 2008.
 
 

Biographical sketches of the ancestors of Frederick S. Sherman including Sterling Sherman (1794-1865) and Jane Noble (1788-1852), William Dewey (1793-1880) and Hannah Bond (1794-1827), John J. Hardin (1810-1847) and Sarah Ellen Smith (1811-1874), John J. Jacob (1819-1873) and Evelyn Johnson (1828-1901), Joseph Allen (1790-1873) and Lucy Clark Ware (1791-1866), William Gordon Weld (1775-1825) and Hannah Minot (1780-1860), Benjamin Franklin Copeland (1798-1863) and Julia Fellows Ruggles (1803-1867), Benjamin Kent (1794-1859) and Eleanor Bradford (1802-1885), and many more.

 

 Learn more.
The Ancestry of Samuel Sterling Sherman and Mary Ware Allen Cover
 

The California Nugget – The journal of the California Genealogical Society is published twice a year. Have you read our recent issue? Check out the summary of a recent issue.
 

Tip of the Iceberg Poster – Support the library and help spread this important message. Buy three, get one free! Order now.
 

California Names Index includes pre-1905 deaths in San Francisco. Search for your surnames to see if we have records for your ancestor. Learn more.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Board of Directors Meeting: Second Saturday Monthly at 10:00 AM.

Read our blog to keep up with the latest news and coming events.

Visit Eventbrite to see and register for CGS events.

Visit Calendar of Events to see future events.