The Genealogical Society of South Africa (GSSA) was founded on 18 June 1964 with the inspiration of Philip Myburgh, a keen genealogist.
Mr. Myburgh invited eight others with similar or allied interests to partake in the traditional hospitality of his farm Joostenberg, Muldersvlei on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, to discuss the setting up of a body devoted to the study of genealogical and family research in general.
[2] After its establishment in 1964 the National Council of the Society was domiciled in Stellenbosch and the quarterly journal Familia was regularly published in Cape Town.
The Society took ownership of the records when the Genealogical Institute of South Africa (GISA) closed its doors in 2018.
Branches are fully responsible for their own management, including financial and member administration, but they are not separate legal bodies.