About

The International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences is a biennial conference discussing topics of heraldic and genealogical interest. The Congress brings together scholars and other interested persons from all the nations of Europe and from many countries around the world. The first Congress was held in Barcelona in 1929; at the second Congress, held in 1953, it was decided that future meetings would be held every two years.

The Committee on Heraldry at American Ancestors is the oldest non-governmental heraldic body in the world. The Committee was established in 1864 to “collect and preserve information in regard to heraldry.” The Committee’s heraldic interests are national in scope, embracing the use of heraldry and coats of arms throughout the current United States and all its colonial predecessors.

To advance the study of family history in America and beyond, we educate, inspire, and connect people through our scholarship, collections, and expertise. Founded in 1845, the American Ancestors is the country’s leading resource for family history research. We help genealogists of all skill levels improve their knowledge and understanding of their family and its place in history. We provide our award-winning website, AmericanAncestors.org, as the online repository for more than 1.4 billion searchable names from America and beyond.