About Us

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) is an independent, federally incorporated society, with two objectives:

• To research, preserve, and disseminate Canadian and British Isles family and social history; and
• To promote genealogical research through a program of public education, showing how to conduct this research and preserve the findings in a readily accessible form.

Our purpose is to encourage research and the publication of family histories by people who have ancestors from the British Isles.

BIFHSGO is the leading Canadian family history society with a focus on the British Isles, which for us includes England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. 

Our aim is to connect family historians in an environment that encourages sharing of knowledge, learning trusted research methods and best practices and inspiring others through member-based programming and publications.

Since its founding in 1994, BIFHSGO members have benefited from informative and educational monthly meetings, annual conferences, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and occasional workshops. Member-run SIGs help family historians with improving their writing skills and with research about Scotland, London, British Colonial America, and DNA. 

BIFHSGO members share their family stores in three ways—in the quarterly journal, Anglo-Celtic Roots, which is filled with stories and excellent examples of researching and writing; through presentations at monthly talks, either as regular talks or, twice yearly, in shorter presentations about Great Moments in Genealogy; and through participation in a number of Special Interest Groups (SIG). Our members have also contributed over the years to many indexing projects, which are searchable for free in the Name Index on our website.

BIFHSGO is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organization based in Ottawa, Canada, with over 300 members, including a growing number of members from outside the National Capital Region. We welcome visitors to our monthly meetings and our SIGs. 

Please join us!