British Columbia Genealogical Society
Pend d’Oreille River in The Kootenays
Photo Courtesy of Chris Albrecht
Welcome to the British Columbia Genealogical Society
We are a registered charitable organization with over 300 members from a variety of backgrounds and, like you, we all have an interest in researching our family history in British Columbia and beyond. We hope you will consider joining our Society.
The Library will be CLOSED for summer break from Saturday August 1st through Monday September 7th. We will re-open on Tuesday September 8th.
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The Library will be CLOSED for summer break from Saturday August 1st through Monday September 7th. We will re-open on Tuesday September 8th. 〰️
The BCGS would like to acknowledge the ceded and unceded Indigenous ancestral territories of BC and Canada. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn the history, culture and traditions of the First Nations Peoples, alongside our personal investigations of familial settler history and encourage everyone to reflect on the Indigenous history of the lands where they reside.
BCGS Activities and Highlights
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Getting Started with Legacy Family Tree (via Zoom)
Kathy Jones is presenting a four-week course by Zoom to get you started using Legacy Family Tree software
Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, 2026; 7:00PM-8:30PM
FREE to BCGS Members, $40 for Non-members.
This four-week course will introduce you to the basics of Legacy Family Tree. For maximum benefit, please plan to attend all classes. Each week builds on knowledge learned the previous week. The first week covers an overview of the software's capabilities and how to use a GEDCOM file to transfer an existing family tree. In the second week, you design your home page and learn about backups. The third week covers tools, merging, colour coding, DNA, and privacy. The final class covers sources, printing reports, and advanced features.
Space is limited. - register today! -

BCGS Members' Surname Interests
BCGS maintains a register of our members’ surname research interests. Members can add as many surnames as they wish, along with the specific locations and dates they are researching.
The surname interests have now been updated, so be sure to take a look! And If you haven’t yet added your surname interests, we encourage you to do so. It’s a great way to connect with other members who may be researching the same families or surnames.
And there’s an added benefit: BCGS members’ surname interests are also included in the Family History Federation’s surname listings, giving your research interests even greater exposure and increasing the chances of making a valuable connection. -

Coffee Chats are now live!
Dates for the upcoming chats are now on the Events Calendar below.
If you are already registered for a coffee chat, you should have received an email confirming the upcoming date(s). The email includes the Zoom link but you will receive a reminder email a day or two ahead of each chat which will also contain the Zoom link.
You do not need to re-register if you are already registered.
If you did not receive an email for a coffee chat you are interested in, please find the registration link on the Coffee Chats pages or on the calendar to register.
Calendar of Upcoming BCGS Local & Zoom Events
9 September 2026
BCGS Members’ Meeting
via Zoom
Guest Speaker:
Members Chat - 7:00 - 7:30 pm
Meeting Starts - 7:30 pm
Members will receive a ZOOM invitation a few days ahead of the meeting. Non-members please contact info@bcgs.ca.
“What’s Up” In Genealogy in BC and Beyond