On the 4th of June we officially kicked off Ken Your Kin 2025, warmly welcoming our keen and enthusiastic students from around the world to a (sometimes sunny!) Glasgow. The event began with a civic reception and a fabulous tour of Glasgow’s historic City Chambers—offering a memorable introduction to the city's rich heritage.

We enjoyed talks in the mornings from Scottish historians, museum curators, and family history experts and covered a range of fascinating topics such as what your ancestors ate, migration to and from Scotland, the connections between clans, families and DNA and the history of Scottish entertainment.

A range of iconic venues featured in the programme, including The Tenement House, New Lanark, and The National Museum of Rural Life, along with a dedicated research day at Edinburgh’s ScotlandsPeople Centre, where participants delved into their own family histories.

We also enjoyed a hands-on "try the bagpipes" workshop at the National Piping Centre and toured the Clydeside Distillery, where we discovered the art of single malt whisky making—and, of course, sampled a few drams along the way!

The 7-day programme concluded with a memorable final-night dinner at the historic Trades Hall in Glasgow’s Merchant City. Guests enjoyed a delicious array of Scottish delicacies, including the ever-popular haggis bon bons and a Scottish steak pie. We cherished every moment of Ken Your Kin—celebrating Scottish culture, history, and heritage together!

Plans are underway for a hybrid genealogy event in June 2026. Join our genealogy mailing list to make sure you don't miss the latest news and event information from SIGS.