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Leaving Their Scottish Homes:

What Were They Thinking?

BIFHSGO's Virtual Annual Conference

Saturday/Sunday 28-29 October 2023


Ever wondered why your ancestors left their homes in Scotland? Join us for BIFHSGO's 3rd virtual conference to hear six key speakers on this topic.

Marjory Harper Professor of History, The University of Aberdeen and Visiting Professor, The Centre for History, The University of the Highlands and Islands / "Two Centuries of Adventure and Exile: Voices from Scottish emigration"
Chris Fleet Curator of Maps, National Library of Scotland / "Getting the Best out of the NLS Maps Website"
Michelle Leonard Scottish professional genealogist / "Combining DNA and Traditional Research: Scottish case studies"

Robin Baird Lewis Illustrator/designer and former scholar / "My Dear Brother: Alexander Carlyle—A Study of Scottish Emigration to Upper Canada"
Kirsty F. Wilkinson Professional genealogist & research manager with AncestryProGenealogists / "Sources in Scotland for Tracing Scottish Emigrants"
Chris Paton Genealogist, family historian and author / "Tracing Irish Ancestors in Scotland"

There will also be a social time and a Conference Connect with Scottish Regions session. See the full program.

Door prizes

Registrants have a chance to win one of 19 door prizes. See the Door Prizes & Discount page for details of each prize and information on each of the generous donors:

  •  2 one-year MyHeritage Complete subscriptions          
  • 1 one-year membership to Legacy FamilyTree Webinars      
  • 1 Legacy Family Tree Deluxe software package (download edition)       
  • 2 one-year Findmypast subscriptions 
  • 2 one-year British Newspaper Archive subscriptions
  • 1 one-year membership to the Scottish Genealogy Society
  • 1 one-year membership for 2023-24 to the Old Edinburgh Club, including a copy of society's journal, the Book of the Old Edinburgh Club (to be published March 2024), plus a copy of this year's volume        
  • 2 one-year memberships in the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (Canada)            
  • 1 one-year membership in the Gloucester Historical Society (Canada), which includes a quarterly newsletter and invitations to Society events       
  • 2 free prints from the Library and Archives Canada digital images collection
  • 1 gift certificate (C$25) for book purchase at McGregor Books
  • 1 copy of the Cumnock History Group (Scotland) Cookbook and 1 copy of the farming history book, Ploughing Up Our Past
  • 1 one-year membership in the British Columbia Genealogical Society
  • 1 one-year membership to Ontario Genealogical Society + Scottish SIG


Visit the  Expo Hall for links to family history, genealogical and historical societies, vendors of genealogical services and products, family history bloggers, and archives and museums—one or more may help with your Scottish research.


Tickets are available on the  Registration  page:

$30 for BIFHSGO members / $40 for non-members
If you are a BIFHSGO member, please log into your account before purchasing a conference pass.


Information for registrants will be on the Registrants' Portal. When you have registered you can access the portal with the username (email) and password for your BIFHSGO account or the password you create when purchasing your pass.
Program Speakers Registration

Door prizes & discount

 Expo Hall Conference updates


Registrants' Portal (for registrants only)


BIFHSGO wishes to thank members who provided pictures for the conference webpages—Dianne Brydon, Sheila Dohoo Faure, Dena Palamedes and Brenda Turner.