Author: Amanda

On this day in 1874, illusionist Harry Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary. Image: Harry Houdini / Library of Congress The legendary magician was born Erik Weisz to Rabbi Mayer Samuel and Cecilia Weisz. One of seven children, Houdini took on several odd jobs as a child. He made his public debut at the age of 9 as a trapeze artist and called himself “Ehrich, the Prince of the Air.” When he launched his career… Read the full story

On this day in 1806, Benito Juarez was born. Juarez was the President of Mexico and is today remembered as a national hero for his resistance of French occupation and victory in overthrowing Emperor Maximilian I. Image: Benito Juarez / Library of Congress Juarez was born to a Zapotec peasant family on March 21, 1806 in a small adobe house in San Pablo Guelato, Oaxaca, Mexico. He was an orphan by the age of three… Read the full story

Remember watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood growing up? Today we remember everyone’s favorite neighbor Fred Rogers on what would have been his 97th birthday. Image: Fred Rogers awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Fred McFeely Rogers was born on March 20, 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania to James and Nancy Rogers. Rogers did not originally intend to pursue a career in television. After college, he studied to… Read the full story

Do you have outlaws or lawmen in your family tree? On this day in 1848, Wyatt Earp was born. An iconic figure of the American Wild West, Earp is best remembered for his involvement in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Image: Wyatt Earp / Wikimedia Commons He was born on March 19, 1848 in Monmouth, Illinois. An American frontiersman, gambler, and lawman, Earp moved constantly throughout his life. He eventually… Read the full story

On March 18, 1837, Grover Cleveland was born. He was the first U.S. President to serve non-consecutive terms, serving as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. Image: Grover Cleveland / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 He was born Stephen Grover Cleveland to Ann Neal and Richard Falley Cleveland in Caldwell, New Jersey. The fifth of nine children, he was named Stephen in honor of the first pastor of the First Presbyterian Church… Read the full story

We’re back from a wonderful trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, where we had an amazing experience at RootsTech 2025! This global conference never fails to bring together passionate family history enthusiasts, and this year was no exception. From engaging conversations with Geni users to unveiling an exciting new feature, our time at RootsTech was packed with some unforgettable moments. The Geni Booth The Geni booth had a steady number of visitors throughout the conference…. Read the full story

It’s St. Patrick’s Day! The holiday is observed on March 17, the day of death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Image: Saint Patrick / Library of Congress Kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16, Saint Patrick was held captive as a slave in Ireland for six years before escaping and returning home to Britain. He became deeply devoted to Christianity and eventually returned to Ireland as a missionary to spread the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Albert Einstein! Today marks the 146th birthday of one of the most brilliant minds in history. Image: Albert Einstein / Library of Congress Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, in the Kingdom of Württemberg in what was then the German Empire. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Munich where his father, Hermann Einstein and his uncle, Jakob, founded Elektrotechnische Fabrik J. Einstein & Cie, a company that manufactured electrical… Read the full story

On this day in 1855, astronomer Percival Lowell was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The founder of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Lowell’s research would form the beginnings of the work that led to the discovery of Pluto 14 years after his death. Image: Percival Lowell / Library of Congress Lowell was born to a wealthy and prominent New England family. His great grandfather, John Lowell, was one of the first Judges to be appointed by President George Washington,… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Liza Minnelli! Today the legendary icon turns 79. Image: Liza Minnelli / Wikimedia Commons The eldest daughter of legendary actress Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli, Liza was destined to become a star. She was born on March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California and made her film debut at the age of 3 in the musical In the Good Old Summertime, which starred her mother. As a teen, Minnelli left school to pursue… Read the full story

Today we remember Scottish microbiologist Alexander Fleming, who died on March 11, 1955. Image: Alexander Fleming / Wikimedia Commons Fleming was born in Ayrshire, Scotland on August 6, 1881 to Hugh Fleming, a farmer, and Grace Stirling Morton. He studied medicine before serving as a physician during World War I. In 1928, Fleming made history when he discovered the world’s first antibiotic, penicillin. He stumbled on this revolutionary discovery by accident. Upon returning to his… Read the full story

On this day in 1765, French inventor Nicéphore Niépce was born in Chalon-sur-Saône-et-Loire, France. He is best remembered as the inventor of photography and one of the most important pioneers of the field. Nicéphore Niépce / Wikimedia Commons The son of a wealthy lawyer, Niépce’s entire family fled during the French Revolution, but he returned to serve in the French army under Napoleon. After returning home to manage his family’s estate, Niépce developed an interest in… Read the full story

On this day in 1806, English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born. During her lifetime, Browning was considered to be one of the most popular Victorian poets of the era. Image: Elizabeth Barrett Browning / Library of Congress Browning was the eldest of twelve children born to Edward Barrett Moulton-Barrett and Mary Graham Clark. The family had acquired their wealth as sugar plantation owners in Jamaica, but her father chose to raise his family in England. Educated… Read the full story

We’re thrilled to announce the newest addition to Geni’s family tree views – the fan chart! The fan chart view illustrates the family tree in a new and exciting way, offering a different perspective on your family history. With this new addition, there are now three options to view the family tree – standard view, pedigree view, and fan chart view. Similar to the pedigree view, the fan chart will include only direct ancestors, but… Read the full story

Do you have any Brazilian roots in your family tree? Today we remember one of Brazil’s greatest composers in history, Heitor Villa-Lobos, who was born on March 5, 1887. Image: Heitor Villa-Lobos / Arquivo Nacional Collection, Public Domain Described as “the single most significant figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music,” Villa-Lobos has become one of the most well-known Latin American composers to date. He was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Raul Villa-Lobos and Noêmia dos… Read the full story

Do you have Portuguese ancestors? On this day in 1394, Henry the Navigator was born in Porto, Portugal. Image: Henry the Navigator / Wikimedia Commons The third child of the Portuguese king, John I, Henry was noted for his early exploration and expansion of Portuguese trade. At the age of 21, Henry, his brother and father captured the Moorish port of Ceuta in northern Morocco. The site had long been the base for Barbary pirates, who… Read the full story

There’s just a few more days until we head to the largest genealogy event in the world! RootsTech 2025 will take place on March 6-8, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah and will be both in-person and online. This year RootsTech has some exciting keynote speakers including Emmy-winning singer Rachel Platten, Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall, and activist and author Ndaba Mandela, who is the grandson of Nelson Mandela. See… Read the full story

“Ahoy!” That’s the greeting Alexander Graham Bell first proposed for answering the telephone. The inventor and engineer was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Image: Alexander Graham Bell / Library of Congress The second son born to Alexander Melville Bell and Eliza Grace Symond, Bell had two brothers who would later die of tuberculosis. His mother was mostly deaf and his father was a phonetician and taught elocution to the deaf. Born just “Alexander Bell,” the… Read the full story

On this day in 1901, chemist and activist Linus Pauling was born in Portland, Oregon. Regarded as one of the most influential scientists in history, Pauling is often considered to be the founder of the fields of quantum chemistry and molecular biology. Image: Linus Pauling / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr The eldest child of Herman Henry Pauling and Lucy Darling, Pauling showed an interest in science at a young age. He contributed many discoveries across several scientific fields. The… Read the full story

One of the challenges of building and maintaining the World Family Tree is balancing personal preferences within a shared, collaborative environment. A perfect example of this is how names are displayed on Geni. From surnames in all caps to displaying birth surnames instead of last names, Geni’s flexible Name Preferences settings offers you the chance to view profile names exactly how you want them without imposing your preference on others.  Today we’re excited to take… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Gene Hackman, who has passed away at the age of 95. Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found deceased in their home in Santa Fe, Arizona, along with their dog. Image: Gene Hackman / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, cropped Hackman was born Eugene Allen Hackman on January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, California to Eugene Hackman and Anna Lyda Elizabeth Gray. He left home at the age of… Read the full story

On this day in 1802, French poet and novelist Victor Hugo was born. A leading figure of the Romantic movement in literature, today Hugo is considered to be one of the greatest French writers in history. Image: Victor Hugo / Library of Congress Hugo was born in Besançon, France on February 26, 1802 to Sophie Trébuchet and Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo, a French general during the Napoleonic Wars. A well regarded figure during his lifetime, Hugo is perhaps… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Beatles song? Today we remember George Harrison, who was born on February 25, 1943 in Liverpool, England. Image: George Harrison / Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, Wikimedia Commons The youngest of four children, much of Harrison’s early life was filled with music. He first joined Paul McCartney and John Lennon at the age of 14 when the group was still called the Quarrymen. Forming the Beatles with the addition… Read the full story

Did you enjoy reading fairy tales growing up? On this day in 1786, German author Wilhelm Grimm was born. Image: Wilhelm Grimm Wilhelm Carl Grimm was born on February 24, 1786 in Hanau, Germany. The younger half of the famous Brothers Grimm, Grimm began his professional career studying law at the University of Marburg alongside his brother Jacob. The brothers remained close throughout their lives and dedicated many years collecting and documenting German folktales together. They… Read the full story

On this day in 1933, singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist Nina Simone was born. Image: Nina Simone / Wikimedia Commons, Nationaal Archief, CC0 Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina. She was the sixth of eight children born to John Divine Waymon and Mary Kate Irvin. Around the age of 3, she began playing the piano and was soon performing at her local church. She studied classical… Read the full story

On this day in 1927, actor Sidney Poitier was born. Image: Sidney Poitier / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Poitier was born two months premature on February 20, 1927 while his Bahamian parents were visiting Miami, Florida. The family remained in Miami for three months before returning to the Bahamas. As a teen, Poitier returned to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II after lying about his age. In… Read the full story

On this day in 1473, mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born. Copernicus is remembered for formulating a heliocentric model of the universe, which placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at the center. Image: Nicolaus Copernicus / New York Public Library Copernicus was born to an affluent merchant family in what is today Toruń, Poland. At the age of 10, Copernicus’s father died. His paternal uncle then took it upon himself to ensure Copernicus received a good… Read the full story

Happy birthday to John Travolta! Today the film star turns 71. Image: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons, (CC BY-SA 3.0) Travolta was born on February 18, 1954 in Englewood, New Jersey. The youngest of six children, Travolta was born into a family of entertainers. His father, Salvatore Travolta, was a semi-professional football player and his mother, Helen Cecilia Burke, was an actress and singer. Intent on pursuing a career in acting, Travolta dropped out of… Read the full story

Abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass was born into slavery around February 1817 in Talbot County, Maryland. Although the exact date of his birth is unknown, Douglass later chose to celebrate his birthday on February 14. Image: Frederick Douglass / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration As a child, Douglass was sent to live with a ship carpenter named Hugh Auld. During this time, Auld’s wife began teaching Douglass how to read. Douglass would continue to teach himself… Read the full story

Today we are excited to announce that wikitext formatting in discussions and inbox messages is now available to Geni Pro subscribers. If you have a Geni Pro account, you can now customize the format of your discussion and inbox messages, and include hyperlinks and images! This feature has been available to Geni curators for a while and we are happy to finally give access to this handy feature to all Geni Pro users.  Discussions When… Read the full story

On this day in 1728, Scottish surgeon John Hunter was born. Known as the “Father of Scientific Surgery,” Hunter’s pioneering work led to many remarkable insights in medicine. Image: John Hunter / National Library of Wales, Wikimedia Commons Hunter was born on February 13, 1728 in Long Calderwood, East Kilbride, Scotland. The youngest of 10 children, Hunter had little formal education. In 1748, he traveled to London to work as a dissection assistant to his… Read the full story

On this day in 1809, Charles Darwin was born. Darwin’s theory of evolution by the process of natural selection transformed the world’s understanding of nature. In commemoration of his enormous contributions to science, his birthday is celebrated each year as Darwin Day. Image: Charles Darwin / Library of Congress Darwin was born at his family home, the Mount, in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The large home was built by his father, Robert Darwin, a wealthy society doctor and financier. His… Read the full story

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison Image: Thomas Edison / Library of Congress On this day in 1847, Thomas Edison was born on in Milan, Ohio. He was the youngest of seven children born to Samuel Ogden Edison, Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliott. His father was an exiled political activist from Canada and had taken part in… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Laura Dern! Today the actress turns 58. Image: Laura Dern / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Dern was born on February 10, 1967 in Los Angeles, California to actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Her great grandfather, George Dern, served as the 6th Governor of Utah and later, as the United States Secretary of War. Born into a Hollywood family, it was no surprise that Dern would also follow in… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Laura Ingalls Wilder! The beloved author was born on this day in 1867 in a long cabin in the Big Woods region of Wisconsin. Image: Laura Ingalls Wilder / Wikimedia Commons Wilder was the second of five children born to Charles Phillip Ingalls and Caroline Lake Quiner. Through her father, Wilder was a descendant of the Delano family, the same ancestral family of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who is her fifth cousin once removed…. Read the full story

On February 6, 1756, American politician Aaron Burr was born. Image: Aaron Burr / New York Public Library Burr was the third Vice President of the United States, serving during President Thomas Jefferson’s first term. History perhaps best remembers him for fatally shooting his greatest rival, Alexander Hamilton, during a duel in 1804. Although charges for the illegal duel were eventually dropped, Burr’s political career never recovered. Did you know Burr was once tried for treason? According to accusations,… Read the full story

On this day in 1804, Finnish poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg was born. Considered the national poet of Finland, Runeberg wrote in the Swedish language and had a significant impact on Swedish literature. Image: Johan Ludvig Runeberg / The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, Flickr Runeberg was born on February 5, 1804 in what is now Pietarsaari, Finland to a Swedish-speaking family. He was the eldest of six children born to Lorenz Ulrik Runeberg and… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the birth of Rosa Parks! The inspirational civil rights activist was born on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Image: Rosa Parks / Schlesinger Library, RIAS, Harvard University, Flickr In 1955, Parks was thrust in front of the American public when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white passenger. The incident resulted in her arrest and sparked a city-wide boycott, known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Her act… Read the full story

Today we remember American illustrator Norman Rockwell, who was born on February 3, 1894. Image: Norman Rockwell / Library of Congress Rockwell was born in New York City, New York to Jarvis Waring Rockwell and Anne “Nancy” Hill. From a young age, Rockwell wanted to be an artist and by the age of 14, he had enrolled in art school to pursue his passion. He found success early on when he landed his first major commission… Read the full story

Today marks what would have been the 106th birthday of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson. Image: Jackie Robinson / Library of Congress Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He was the youngest of five children born into a family of share croppers. A natural athlete, Robinson was inspired to pursue his passion for sports by his older brother, Matthew “Mack” Robinson, who won a silver medal in the men’s 200 meters at the… Read the full story

Image: Franklin D. Roosevelt / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration On January 30, 1882, Franklin D. Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, New York. The Roosevelts were one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the state. With a long line of distinguished ancestors, it was no surprise that Franklin would eventually make it to the highest office in the country. Roosevelt is the only person in U.S. history to be elected to office… Read the full story

Today many people around the world celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival. Rooted in centuries-old traditions, this vibrant holiday marks a fresh start, inviting prosperity and good fortune in the new year. Based on the lunar calendar, the date of the holiday varies slightly each year, typically falling between late January and mid-February. Each year of the 12-year Chinese zodiac calendar is represented by an animal –… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Tom Selleck! Today the actor turns 80. Image: Tom Selleck / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Thomas William Selleck was born on January 29, 1945 in Detroit, Michigan. An athlete growing up, Selleck attended the University of Southern California on a basketball scholarship and studied business administration before shifting his focus to acting. One of his first television appearances was on the game show The Dating Game in 1965.  Selleck got his big… Read the full story

On this day in 1884, Swiss physicist, inventor, and explorer Auguste Piccard was born. Piccard is best remembered for his studies of the Earth’s upper atmosphere and his exploration of the ocean’s depths. Image: Auguste Piccard / ETH Library, Wikimedia Commons Piccard and his twin brother, Jean Felix Piccard, were born on January 28, 1884 in Basel, Switzerland. Both brothers showed an interest in science from an early age and would go on to become notable… Read the full story

On this day in 1756, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria. Image: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Wikimedia Commons Mozart was the only surviving son of Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl. He and his older sister, Maria Anna, were the only two of seven children to survive past infancy. His father had been a composer, conductor, and teacher. The year of Mozart’s birth, his father published his famous violin textbook, which was very… Read the full story

American writer Edith Wharton was born on January 24, 1862 in New York City, New York. Image: Edith Wharton / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 The youngest child of George Frederic Jones and Lucretia Stevens Rhinelander, Wharton began writing poetry and fictional stories as a young girl. Although she had a thirst for knowledge and desired a greater education, women of her social stature were discouraged from intellectual pursuits. She would pursue her own education… Read the full story

It’s National Handwriting Day! Established in 1977, the day is celebrated on the birthday of the man with the most iconic signature in history, John Hancock. Image: John Hancock / Library of Congress Born in Braintree, Massachusetts on January 23, 1737, Hancock inherited a profitable mercantile business from his uncle, which made him one of the wealthiest men in the Thirteen Colonies. A major figure during the American Revolution, Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration… Read the full story

On this day in 1788, English poet Lord Byron was born in London, England. A leading figure of the Romantic movement, Lord Byron is often regarded as one of the greatest poets in British history. Image: Lord Byron / Library of Congress George Gordon Byron was born on January 22, 1788 to Captain John “Mad Jack” Byron and his second wife, Catherine Gordon. At the age of 10, he inherited the English Barony of Byron of… Read the full story

On this day in 1845, Norwegian painter Harriet Backer was born. A pioneer for female artists, Backer became one of the most prominent Norwegian artists during her lifetime. Image: Harriet Backer / National Library of Norway, Flickr Backer was born on January 21, 1845 in Holmstrand, Vestfold, Norway and was one of four daughters born to Nils Backer and Sofie Smith Petersen. Her mother had come from a wealthy family, which allowed Backer and her sisters the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Buzz Aldrin! Today the legendary astronaut turns 95. Image: Buzz Aldrin / NASA The famous astronaut was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. on January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey. Nicknamed “Buzz” by his sister during his childhood, Aldrin would legally change his first name in 1988. During the Korean War, Aldrin served a jet fighter pilot. He later earned a Ph.D. in astronautics at MIT and wrote his thesis on Manned Orbital… Read the full story