2026 New York State Family History Conference
Registration
Registration is Open!
Join the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B) for New York’s largest statewide gathering of family history researchers, genealogists, and history enthusiasts:
- September 9–November 16, 2026 (On-Demand Access)
- September 18–19, 2026 (Livestreaming Programs from the NYG&B Headquarters in New York City)
This year’s conference, New Perspectives, Best Practices, will feature livestreaming presentations* from the NYG&B headquarters in New York City as well as additional on-demand sessions for all conference registrants. Whether you are just starting to build up your genealogy skills or are ready to tackle more advanced issues in your search, you will learn from the experts and connect with others in the field. Session topics will cover crucial resources like New York records and repositories; methodology; migration and settlement; immigration and immigrant communities; New Yorkers of color and others whose stories have been historically underrepresented; and much more.
Download the full conference brochure PDF.
What to Expect
- 30+ sessions and programming (13 livestreaming and 21 on demand), on a rich array of topics.
- More than 20 top experts in genealogy and family history field, including Kenyatta D. Berry, Annette Burke Lyttle, Pam Ricciardi Paschke, D. Joshua Taylor, Jane E. Wilcox, and more. View all presenters
- Sessions categorized under three separate tracks: People of New York, Methods and Tools, and Records.
- A downloadable conference syllabus with detailed notes and information on all sessions.
Keynote Speaker
Jeanette Sheliga lives in Lockport, NY and has been researching her family tree since 2002 and lecturing since 2011. She has had the privilege to speak for societies and libraries locally and virtually all over the world.
Read her full bio.
Pricing
Special NYG&B Members-Only Preview
April 13–20, 2026
Early Registration
By June 15, 2026
Regular Registration
After June 16, 2026
* Join Us In Person for the Livestream Experience
While the conference is delivered via livestream (September 18–19, 2026), a limited number of seats (first-come, first-served basis) will be available at the NYG&B headquarters in New York City for those who would like to experience the sessions in person alongside fellow attendees. Be sure to select the “In-Person” option when registering to secure your spot.
Schedule
Friday, September 18, 2026
|
Time (EDT) |
Session |
Presenter |
|---|---|---|
|
9:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m. |
Keynote Address: New Perspectives, Best Practices |
Jeanette Sheliga |
|
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. |
New York State Censuses: Treasures to Be Unearthed |
Susan R. Miller |
|
10:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. |
Unsung Immigration Records of NARA: Contextualizing Recent Immigrant Ancestors |
Rich Venezia |
|
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Guest Books, Dairy Records, and Ice Skates: Unique Finds from Digitize New York |
Anna Gardner |
|
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. |
Break |
|
|
1:15 p.m.–1:45 p.m. |
New York Stories |
Community Contributors |
|
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. |
Passports of Our Ancestors |
Rich Venezia |
|
3:15 p.m.–4:15 p.m. |
Many Nations, One Story: Genealogical Pathways of New York's Hispanic Communities |
Elizabeth Murray Vargas |
|
4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. |
Manuscript Finding Aids: Locating Migrating New York Ancestral Records |
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG®, FMGS, FUGA |
|
5:40 p.m.–6:00 p.m. |
Replay of Keynote Address: New Perspectives, Best Practices (Virtual Only) |
Saturday, September 19, 2026
|
Time (EDT) |
Session |
Presenter |
|---|---|---|
|
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. |
Beyond the Empire State: Records of New Yorkers Found Elsewhere |
D. Joshua Taylor MA, MLS, FUGA |
|
10:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. |
Best Practices: The Genealogical Research Process |
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG® |
|
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Uncovering Tragedy Through Timelines and Historical Context: A New York Case Study |
Kerri Tannenbaum |
|
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. |
Break |
|
|
1:15 p.m.–1:45 p.m. |
New York Stories |
Community Contributors |
|
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. |
Genealogical Map Quest of New York State |
Jeanette Sheliga |
|
3:15 p.m.–4:15 p.m. |
You Be the Judge: Was Nicholas Storm Alive During the Revolutionary War? |
Jane E. Wilcox, FGBS |
On-Demand Sessions, September 9–November 16, 2026
|
Time (EDT) |
Session |
Presenter |
|---|---|---|
|
On-Demand |
From Vermont to Erie County, New York: Cluster Research Reveals a Community on the Move |
Marie Mattson, CG® |
|
On-Demand |
Jewish New York Networks: Synagogues, Landsmanshaftn, and Burial Societies |
Carol Genung |
|
On-Demand |
Sir William Johnson and the Loyalists of the Mohawk Valley, NY |
Marie Mattson, CG® |
|
On-Demand |
They Were All Born in New York: Migration of New Yorkers to Michigan |
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG® |
|
On-Demand |
Yo soy boricua, pa’que tú lo sepas: Puerto Ricans in NYC and the Homeland (English Version) |
Luis Ariel Rivera |
|
On-Demand |
Yo soy boricua, pa’que tú lo sepas: Puertorriqueños en Nueva York y la Patria (Spanish Version) |
Luis Ariel Rivera |
|
On-Demand |
10 Essential Resources for Using Genetic Genealogy for Your New York Ancestors |
Paula Williams |
|
On-Demand |
Best Practices for Using and Analyzing New York Land Records |
Kaitlyn Pauley |
|
On-Demand |
Big Y and Discover Made Simple |
Janine Cloud |
|
On-Demand |
City Directories: Search Tool Then and Now |
Susan R. Miller |
|
On-Demand |
The Evidence Ladder: Reconstructing Enslaved Families When Records Don’t Cooperate |
Kenyatta D. Berry, JD |
|
On-Demand |
Legal Barriers and Pathways for Women in New York: A Genealogical Approach |
Alina Khuda |
|
On-Demand |
The Oblong: A Brief History |
Bryna O'Sullivan, PLCGS |
|
On-Demand |
Tracking County Lines: Researching New York County Boundary Changes |
Kaitlyn Pauley |
|
On-Demand |
1776–1789: Exploring ‘American’ British Loyalist Claims for New York Tories and Rebels |
Pam Ricciardi Paschke |
|
On-Demand |
Conscription, Conflict, and Class: The Civil War Draft Riots in New York |
Michael L. Strauss, MA, AG®, AGL™ |
|
On-Demand |
More than Paperwork: Genealogical Value in New York Government Documents |
Rhonda Hoffman, MLS |
|
On-Demand |
New York State Archives Records: A Focus on 19th and 20th Century Immigrants |
Jane E. Wilcox, FGBS |
|
On-Demand |
Parsing the Ocean Voyage: Tracking Emigrants from Europe to the USA |
Emily H. Garber, MA |
|
On-Demand |
Recovering NY Synagogue Records to Unlock Family History Mysteries |
Ellen Shindelman Kowitt |
|
On-Demand |
Sugar Houses and the Jersey: Prisons During the American Revolution |
Bryna O'Sullivan, PLCGS |
Conference schedule subject to change.
About Genealogical Credentials
AG is a registered trademark of the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists.
AGL is a trademark of the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists.
CG is a registered trademark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.
FGBS designates fellows of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.
FMGS designates fellows of the Minnesota Genealogical Society.
FUGA designates fellows of the Utah Genealogical Association.
PLCGS is a certification from the International Institute of Genealogical Studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New York State Family History Conference?
Researchers, genealogists, and all those interested in family history gather for the New York State Family History Conference, the largest statewide family history event held in New York. Over the years we've traveled to places like Albany, Buffalo, Kingston, Syracuse, and Tarrytown—all while hosting hundreds of other researchers online. Last year's conference featured in-person and virtual programming as well as on-demand viewing of all 35 sessions. Register for the 2026 New York State Family History Conference here.
What do I learn at the conference?
Experts on New York, genealogy, family history, and various subject material teach the sessions. Many of these sessions cover advanced topics like DNA research and searching migratory records, but others can help you build your genealogy skills and get you ready to tackle some difficult situations in your research.
Who organizes the New York State Family History Conference?
The conference is organized and run by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B), a nonprofit organization based in New York City serving all parts of the State and region.
Our members are mostly from New York state but are also found around the country and world. This conference is the State's largest event for family history and a place for all researchers to connect with others who share their interests, no matter how much experience you may have.
NYG&B members receive discounts to events like the New York State Family History Conference. Learn more about NYG&B membership.
Can I attend in person?
While the conference is delivered via livestream (September 18–19, 2026), a limited number of seats (first-come, first-served basis) will be available at the NYG&B headquarters in New York City for those who would like to experience the sessions in person alongside fellow attendees. Be sure to select the "In-Person" option when registering to secure your spot.
Will a syllabus be available? How can I access it?
Yes, both print and digital versions of the syllabus will be available for registrants prior to the conference's start.
A PDF of the full syllabus will be available as part of your conference registration fee, which you will be able to access later this summer. Additionally, PDFs for each individual session will be available on the on-demand session pages.
Print copies of the syllabus will be available for conference registrants to purchase in late summer. A link will be provided as soon as it's available for purchase.
Is there a vendors hall at this year's conference?
No, there will not be a vendors hall.
What is New York Stories?
New York Stories are pre-recorded, livestreamed video clips from the genealogy and family history community sharing memorable and notable stories. This special feature will be broadcast during the conference lunch breaks on September 18 and 19 and then will be available for on-demand viewing.
I have a New York Stories to share! How can I participate?
Many people have memorable stories; we want to hear yours! The theme of this year's conference is New Perspectives, Best Practices, and we are looking for submissions that tell stories from across New York State.
If you are willing to have your story filmed and publicly shared, please submit a brief summary (250 words maximum) of your story by June 30, 2026, to development@nygbs.org with the subject line "NY Stories Submission." Narrated stories should be between 4 and 8 minutes long. If your submission is selected, the NYG&B will contact you to arrange a recording session.
Watch New York Stories recordings from Day 1 and Day 2 of the 2025 New York Family History Conference to see what's been shared before.