San Mateo County Genealogical Society

Discovering Our Family History Together

Welcome to SMCGS

Library

  The Library is Open!  

See website for hours and location

Genealogy consultants are available Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  

Drop in or contact Library manager (librarian@smcgs.org) to schedule an appointment.

See our library schedule here


See events at the San Mateo Public Library here   

Find us

Finding the Bump in the Boreen: Irish Names & Place Names

When: Saturday, Nov 21, 2026   10:30-12:00PM  via Zoom

Location: San Mateo Public Library Oak Room

Sean Conley is a renowned California-based genealogist and current Vice President of the Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County. He was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where his mother's family first immigrated from Ireland and Brittany during the Gold Rush, establishing 8   generations in the  region.

  • Irish Roots: Sean specializes heavily in Irish genealogy, tracing his own ancestry and thousands of others to counties like Antrim, Cork, Derry, Donegal, and Galway. [1]
  • California History: Because of his family's deep California roots, he is an expert on utilizing early San Francisco newspapers, historical directories, and church records for regional ancestry. [1, 2, 3]
  • Lectures: He frequently presents on topics like Irish Names and Place Names and Northern California archival research through organizations like the San Mateo County Genealogical 


Dinna' fash yoursels.  Sure an' we'll be posting the wee

registration button here.

Join us!

Become a member of SMCGS and share our genealogical adventure!

Come visit us!


The SMPL, in conjunction with SMCGS, is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library.  Find out more about the resources at these libraries here.

Upcoming public events

 For more information about our monthly meetings click here

Upcoming events for members

About us

The San Mateo County Genealogical Society supports the study of family history in the Bay Area and beyond.

  • We get together to learn and share information in monthly meetings, seminars with well-known speakers, workshops and special-interest groups.
  • We support research through our genealogy library located at the San Mateo Public Library, online databases, and research services
  • We connect with each other through in person meetings and events

Learn more   Email us

Download the SMCGS app

Download the SMCGS app from Wild Apricot to your smartphone. With this app, you can:

  • View your member profile
  • View a list of upcoming events
  • Contact other SMCGS members


SMCGS would like to thank...

  • And to ALL who have supported us over the years... a BIG THANKS!
Come visit us in our facility at the San Mateo Public Library.

San Mateo County Genealogical Society

     SMCGS is a 501(c)(3) organization

PO Box 230
San Mateo, CA 94401-0230  
https://smcgs.org

 

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software