The BSG can trace its beginnings back to a meeting in Sheffield in 1958 where British geomorphologists gathered together to organise a Landform Survey of Britain. By 1959 this group appears to have been referring to itself as the British Universities Geomorphological Research Group. This short-lived group agreed, at its second annual meeting, to disband itself and voted unanimously (all 19 of them) to constitute the British Geomorphological Research Group (BGRG). The first BGRG AGM was held on 1st October 1960.

In 1985 the BGRG celebrated its first twenty five years by hosting the first International Geomorphology Conference in Manchester which led to the formation of the International Association of Geomorphology.

In 2000, 40 years of the BGRG were celebrated by returning to Sheffield where it all seems to have started. Of those 19 geomorphologists who, by their action, can be regarded as the founders of the BGRG, which now has an international membership of around 700, nine attended this 40th Anniversary Meeting. One of them, Professor Tony Orme, presented the Frost Lecture.

In 2006 the BGRG changed its name to British Society for Geomorphology (BSG).

Recent chairs of the group include:

2010-12 Prof Bernard Smith
2009-10 Prof Andreas Lang
2008-9 Prof Lynne Frostick
2007-8 Prof Bob Allison
2006-7 Prof Paul Bishop
2005-6 Prof Angela Gurnell
2004-5 Prof Mark Macklin
2003-4 Prof Adrian Harvey
2002-3 Prof David Thomas
2001-2 Prof Charles Harris
2000-1 Prof Janet Hooke
1999-2000 Prof Tony Parsons
1998-9 Prof Alan Werritty
1997-8 Prof Rob Ferguson
1996-7 Dr Ian Evans
1995-6 Prof Tim Burt
1994-5 Prof Keith Richards
1993-4 Prof Brian Whalley
1992-3 Prof Malcolm Anderson
1991-2 Prof David Jones
1990-1 Prof Des Walling
1989-90 Prof John Lewin
1988-9 Prof Andrew Goudie
1987-8 Prof John Doornkamp
1986-7 Prof John Thornes
1985-6 Prof Ken Gregory
1984-5 Prof Denys Brunsden
1983-4 Prof David Sugden
1982-3 Prof Edward Derbyshire
1981-2 Prof Mike Thomas
1980-1 Prof Ian Douglas
1979-80 Prof Robert Price
1978-9 Prof. Ron Cooke