Author: Amanda

On this day in 1879, Chinese-Malaysian physician and epidemiologist Wu Lien-teh was born. A pioneer of the medical field, Wu invented the surgical face covering that is widely considered to be the precursor to the N95 mask we have all become familiar with today. Image: Wu Lien-teh / Library of Congress Wu was born on March 10, 1879 in Penang, one of the three towns of the Straits Settlements in what is today Malaysia. His… Read the full story

Today we remember Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on what would have been his 87th birthday. Gagarin made history in 1961 when he became the first person to fly into outer space. Image: Yuri Gagarin / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives, Flickr Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934 in the village of Klushino near Gzhatsk in Smolensk, Oblast, Russia. He was the third for four children born to Alexey Ivanovich Gagarin, a carpenter,… Read the full story

The month of March is known as Women’s History Month, which honors the past and present achievements of women throughout history. In honor of the Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting some remarkable and inspiring women in Geni’s World Family Tree. We also had some fun with MyHeritage’s Deep Nostalgia™ photo feature to help bring the images of these historic icons to life. 1. Clara Barton Clara Barton was a pioneering nurse and founder of the… Read the full story

Today we remember singer Karen Carpenter, who was born on this day in 1950. Along with her older brother Richard, Carpenter was part of the famous duo the Carpenters. Image: Karen Carpenter / Robert L. Knudsen, White House photo Carpenter was born on March 2, 1950 in New Haven, Connecticut to Agnes Reuwer Tatum and Harold Bertram Carpenter. Her older brother, Richard, developed an interest in music at an early age and was a gifted… Read the full story

Today we remember astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who was born on this day in 1473. Before Copernicus, the world believed the Earth was the center of the universe. Copernicus’s revelation that planets actually revolved around the sun, transformed scientific thought throughout the world. Image: Nicolaus Copernicus / Wikimedia Commons Copernicus was born in Toruń in northern Poland into a wealthy merchant family. With a keen interest in astrology and astronomy, Copernicus began to studied under astronomer… Read the full story

We’re excited to participate in the first virtual RootsTech conference! This year the world’s largest genealogy conference will be entirely virtual and completely FREE. From February 25-27, people all around the world will have the opportunity to learn and enjoy the wonders of RootsTech from the comfort of their own homes. Class Sessions With hundreds of classes on various subjects and celebrity speakers, attendees can create their own viewing schedule to suit their own interests…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to John Travolta! Today the star turns 67. Image: John Travolta / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 John Joseph Travolta was born on February 18, 1954 in Englewood, New Jersey. He was the youngest of six children born to Salvatore Travolta and Helen Cecilia Burke. He grew up in a family of entertainers and at 16, dropped out of high school to pursue an acting career in New York. He got… Read the full story

It’s Darwin Day! Each year on the anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, the world of science highlights Darwin’s enormous contributions to the field. Image: Charles Darwin / Library of Congress Charles Darwin was born February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England in his family home, The Mount. He was born into a prominent English family, his father was a wealthy society doctor and financier and his grandfather was Erasmus Darwin, a renowned botanist. In 1831,… Read the full story

Properly documenting your family tree is vital to practicing good genealogy. Sources are incredibly important to ensuring the quality and accuracy of Geni’s World Family Tree. Today we are very excited to announce major new improvements to sources on Geni! Our team has been hard at work to make sources even more powerful, easier to understand, and more helpful to your tree building. On Geni, when you add a document to a profile, you can… Read the full story

“What one man can imagine, another will someday be able to achieve.” On this day in 1828, the “Father of Science Fiction” Jules Verne, was born in Nantes, France. Image: Jules Verne / Bibliothèque nationale de France The son of bourgeois parents, it was intended that Verne would follow in his father’s footsteps to become a lawyer. However, it was during his studies that Verne discovered his passion for literature and theater. He earned his… Read the full story

Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the tragic plane crash that took the lives of rock musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. The day has become known as “The Day the Music Died,” popularized by a lyric in the song “American Pie.” Image: Buddy Holly / Wikimedia Commons Born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy Holly learned to play a variety of instruments at a young age. He began performing with… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actress Cicely Tyson, who passed away yesterday at the age of 96. An acting pioneer, Tyson’s trailblazing career spanned more than seven decades. Image: Cicely Tyson / Nationaal Archief Tyson was born on December 19, 1924 in Harlem, New York City, New York. Her parents, William Augustine Tyson and Fredricka Theodosia Huggins, were immigrants from Nevis in the West Indies. She first got her start in the 1950s when was discovered… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Cloris Leachman, who has passed away at the age of 94. A comedy legend, Leachman is perhaps best remembered as Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Image: Cloris Leachman / Wikimedia Commons Leachman was born on April 30, 1926 in Des Moines, Iowa to Berkeley Claiborne Leachman and Cloris Wallace. The eldest of three daughters, Leachman first entered the spotlight after competing in Miss America in 1946. After winning… Read the full story

On this day in 1925, actor Paul Newman was born. Image: Paul Newman / Wikimedia Commons Newman was born on January 26, 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio to Arthur Sigmund Newman, Sr. and Theresa Fetzko. His father owned a sporting-goods store and was the son of Jewish emigrants from Hungary and Poland. His mother was born in what is today Humenné, Slovakia and was a homemaker with a love for the theater. As a child, Newman… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Dolly Parton! Today the music icon turns 75. Image: Dolly Parton / Wikimedia Commons Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in a one-room cabin in Pittman Center, Tennessee. The fourth of twelve children, Parton has described her family as dirt poor. From a young age, she showed a passion for music and by the age of 10, she was performing professionally. As soon as she graduated from high school, Parton set… Read the full story

“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. Today the U.S. celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Library of Congress An icon of the American Civil Rights movement, King worked to end racial discrimination and inequality through non-violent protest and civil disobedience…. Read the full story

On this day in 1892, physical education teacher and inventor James Naismith published the rules of basketball for the first time. The sport is now played in over 200 countries around the world. James Naismith with the “first team” / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Naismith was born on November 6, 1861 in what is today Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada. An athlete himself, Naismith played football, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, and gymnastics while at McGill… Read the full story

As we start off the new year, we’re excited to release a fun new addition to our virtual gifts – your own photos! Now when you send a greeting to a relative, you can add a photo of your own as a virtual gift. Enjoy using your imagination to personalize your birthday, anniversary, or “just because” greetings to those you care about most. Adding a Virtual Photo Gift When you receive an upcoming birthday or… Read the full story

On this day in 1943, inventor Nikola Tesla died at the age of 86. He is remembered for his groundbreaking discoveries in the production, transmission, and application of electric power. Image: Nikola Tesla / Library of Congress Tesla was born on July 10, 1856 in the village of Smiljan in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (what is today Croatia). His father, Milutin Telsa, was an Eastern Orthodox priest, and his mother, Đuka Mandić, whose father was also an… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Diane Keaton! Today the actress turns 75. Image: Diane Keaton / Firooz Zahedi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Keaton was born January 5, 1946 in Los Angeles, California to Dorothy Keaton, a homemaker, and John Newton Ignatius Hall, a civil engineer. With an early interest in acting, Keaton moved to New York City to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. She took her mother’s maiden name “Keaton” to avoid… Read the full story

Today we remember physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton, who was born on January 4, 1643. Newton was a key figure of the 17th century Scientific Revolution and considered to be one of the greatest minds of the era. Image: Isaac Newton / Wikimedia Commons Newton was born prematurely at Woolstrhope Manor in Lincolnshire, England, just three months after the death of his father. A gifted student, Newton excelled in mathematics. Newton would go on to become… Read the full story

This year has been unlike any other year we have ever experienced. Although it has brought new challenges and times of uncertainty, we are happy that we were able to make it through together. As we say goodbye to 2020, let’s take some time to reflect on this past year on Geni. With everyone staying home during the pandemic, genealogy has become more popular than ever. In a bright spot to this tumultuous year, Geni… Read the full story

On this day in 1912, Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady of the United States, was born in Karnack, Texas. Image: Lady Bird Johnson / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration She was born Claudia Alta Taylor on December 22, 1912 at “The Brick House,” an antebellum planation mansion on the outskirts of town. As a child, her family nurse commented that she was as “pretty as a ladybird,” and the nickname stuck. As First Lady,… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jane Fonda! Today the actress turns 83. Image: Georges Biard / (CC BY-SA 3.0) Born into a Hollywood family, Jayne Seymour Fonda was the daughter of actor Henry Fonda and Canadian-born socialite Frances Ford Brokaw. When Fonda was 12, her mother committed suicide while under the care of a psychiatric hospital. Fonda followed in her father’s footsteps and pursued a career in acting. During the 1960s, she scored several hits and landed her… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Brad Pitt! Today the actor turns 57. Image: Brad Pitt / Department of Defense photo by Marvin Lynchard The actor and producer was born William Bradley Pitt on December 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He grew up in Springfield, Missouri and enrolled in the University of Missouri after high school. Just before earning his degree in journalism, Pitt decided to leave school and move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting…. Read the full story

On this day in 1903, the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, made history by making the world’s first sustained, man-powered, heavier-than-air flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Image: First flight of the Wright Flyer / Library of Congress The Wright brothers grew up in a close household that fostered their creativity. Fascinated with flying from an early age, the brothers sought to make human flight a reality. On December 17, 1903, the brothers took their… Read the full story

On December 16, 1775, English novelist Jane Austen was born in Steventon, England. Image: Jane Austen / Wikimedia Commons The seventh of eight children, Austen grew up in a large, close knit family. Jane’s parents, George and Cassandra Austen, were members of substantial gentry families. Growing up, Austen would write poems, stories, and plays for her family’s amusement. It wasn’t until Austen was in her thirties that she publish her first novels. From 1811-1816, Austen… Read the full story

Your account security is very important to us, which is why today we are introducing a new feature for you to review your recent Geni login history. Now you can easily see a list of your login activity in the last nine months to detect any unauthorized access to your Geni account.  To view your login history, go to your Account Settings by clicking on your name at the top right of the page and… Read the full story

On this day in 1799, George Washington died at his estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He was 67 years old. Image: George Washington / Wikimedia Commons Washington is remembered as one of the most important figures in American history. Born in 1732 on his family’s estate in Westmoreland County, Virginia, Washington led the Continental Army to victory during the American Revolution and served as the nation’s first President. In 1797, Washington retired from the presidency, establishing… Read the full story

Over the last few months, we have been hard at work on the latest enhancements to the HTML version of the family tree. Today we are happy to announce new customization options to help you work more comfortably in the family tree. Now you can change the font size and the color theme in the tree to better suit your needs. You may choose from a set of available themes or pick your own color… Read the full story

Actress Olivia Colman has won rave reviews for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the award-winning drama, The Crown. It was also recently revealed that Colman is a distant relative to the royal family as well. MyHeritage researchers shared that Colman is the Queen’s 13th cousin once removed. We can see this path clearly in Geni’s World Family Tree, which connects over 150 million people to a single family tree. Image: Ibsan73, Wikimedia Commons… Read the full story

Did you ever have a fear of Frankenstein’s monster? It may be thanks to actor Boris Karloff’s frightening yet sympathetic turn as the iconic horror figure. Image: Boris Karloff / Wikimedia Commons Karloff was born William Henry Pratt on November 23, 1887 in London, England to Edward John Pratt, Jr. and Eliza Sarah Millard. His maternal grandmother, Eliza Julia Edwards, was the sister of Anna Leonowens, whose life in the royal court of Siam formed… Read the full story

On November 19, 1831, James Garfield was born in a log cabin in Orange Township, Ohio. Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States. Image: James Garfield / Library of Congress Garfield had come from very humble beginnings. His father, Abram Garfield, was a wrestler and died when Garfield was just 18 months old. He was raised by his mother, Eliza Ballou, who also continued to run the family’s small farm in Ohio. In… Read the full story

This Veterans Day, the U.S. celebrates the brave men and women who have risked their lives serving in the nation’s armed forces. Now is a good time to take a moment to honor members of your family who have served in the military and celebrate their stories in your family tree. Image: Library of Congress Military records can be a great source of information to better understand the lives of your ancestors. There are also… Read the full story

Today we remember beloved game show host Alex Trebek, who passed away yesterday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80 years old. Image: Alex Trebek / Nestor Cruz, U.S. Air Force Trebek was born on July 22, 1940 in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada to George Edward Trebek and Lucille Lagacé. His father emigrated from the Ukraine as a child and changed his surname from Terebeychuk to Trebek. In 1961, Trebek graduated from the University… Read the full story

We’re excited to announce that Geni’s World Family Tree now connects over 150 million profiles!  This milestone was possible thanks to the collaboration of over 13 million users and over 200 volunteer Curators from all over the world. The World Family Tree has grown faster than ever with over 11 million profiles added in the last year.  The definitive family tree for the entire world, Geni’s World Family Tree allows millions of people to work… Read the full story

On October 29, 1891, original “Funny Girl” Fanny Brice was born in New York City. Brice is considered to be one of America’s first female comedy superstars. Image: Fanny Brice / Library of Congress The third of four children born to Rose Stern and Charles Borach, Brice began performing at a young age. Born Fania Borach, she used the stage name Fanny Brice to avoid being typecast in Jewish roles. A gifted singer and comedian,… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Ryan Reynolds! Today the star turns 44. Image: Ryan Reynolds / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Reynolds was born on October 23, 1976 in Vancouver, British Columbia to James Chester Reynolds and Tamara Lee Stewart. His paternal grandfather, Chester Reynolds, was a politician and served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The youngest of four boys, Reynolds landed his first acting role at the age of 12… Read the full story

Today we remember singer and songwriter Tom Petty on what would have been his 70th birthday. The lead vocalist and guitarist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Petty is considered to be one of the best selling music artists of all time. Image: Tom Petty / Takahiro Kyono, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Petty was born on October 20, 1950 in Gainesville, Florida to Earl Petty, a traveling salesman, and Katherine Avery, a local tax… Read the full story

Happy birthday to John Lithgow! Today the actor turns 75. Lithgow was born on October 19, 1945 in Rochester, New York to Sarah Jane Price and Arthur Washington Lithgow, III. Image: John Lithgow / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) He was born into a theatrical family, his mother was an actress and his father was a theatrical producer and director. Due to his father’s job, the family moved frequently during Lithgow’s childhood. Fun… Read the full story

Geni’s World Family Tree continues to grow as new individuals are added and overlapping branches are merged. Sometimes after completing the initial merge of an overlapping branch, a little clean up is needed to resolve any remaining duplicates in the tree. There are multiple ways duplicates can be merged on Geni and in a previous blog post, we discussed how to merge through the profile page. For the purpose of this blog post, we will… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Matt Damon! Today the actor turns 50. Image: Matt Damon / Nicolas Genin, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Damon was born on October 8, 1970 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is the second son of Kent Telfer Damon, a stockbroker, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, a professor in early childhood education. Through his mother’s branch of the family, Damon has Swedish and Finnish roots. His mother’s family surname was changed from “Pajari” to “Paige.” In… Read the full story

Today we remember rock legend Eddie Van Halen, who passed away yesterday at the age of 65. Image: Eddie Van Halen / photo by Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was born Edward Lodewijk van Halen on January 26, 1955 in Amsterdam, Netherlands to Jan van Halen and Eugenia van Beers. His father was a musician and played the clarinet and saxophone. His mother was born in Indonesia and met his father while… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Julie Andrews! Today the actress turns 85. Image: Julie Andrews / Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) The Sound of Music star was born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1, 1935 in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. Her mother and stepfather were both performers and as a child, she occasionally joined them on stage. She later adopted her stepfather’s surname, Andrews. After finding work on the London stage, Andrews moved to the U.S. In 1956,… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Christopher Reeve on what would have been his 68th birthday. Image: Christopher Reeve / Jbfrankel, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Reeve was born on September 25, 1952 in New York City, New York to Barbara Pitney Lamb, a journalist, and Franklin D’Olier Reeve, a teacher and poet. Through his mother’s branch of the family, Reeve was a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger William Bradford, who served as Governor of the Plymouth… Read the full story

Beloved Muppet creator Jim Henson was born on this day in 1936. Today we remember him on what would have been his 84th birthday. Image: Jim Henson / Library of Congress Henson was born on September 24, 1936 in Greenville, Mississippi to Paul Ransom Henson and Betty Brown. He had a close relationship with his maternal grandmother, who was an avid painter, quilter, and needleworker. She encouraged Henson’s artistic passions and creativity. Henson rose to… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bruce Springsteen! Today the Boss turns 71. Image: Bruce Springsteen / Takahiro Kyono, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in Long Beach, New Jersey to Douglas Frederick Springsteen and Adele Zerilli. He was raised in a working class household. His father worked various jobs from bus driver to mill worker while his mother worked as a legal secretary. Springsteen fell in love with rock and roll… Read the full story

Today Mexico celebrates Independence Day! On this day in 1810, Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla issued the Cry of Dolores, a call to end Spanish rule in Mexico, triggering the start of the Mexican War of Independence. Image: Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla / Library of Congress As the parish priest in Dolores, Guanajuato, Mexico, Hidalgo promoted economic activities, such as introducing new methods of agriculture, to help the poor and rural members of the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Prince Harry! Today the Duke of Sussex turns 36. Image: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex / Wikimedia Commons Harry was born on September 15, 1984 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England. He was baptized Henry Charles Albert David at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The second son of Charles, Prince of Wales and Princess Diana, Harry is currently sixth in the line of succession to the British throne. Harry was… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly, who passed away on this day in 1982 at the age of 52. Image: Grace Kelly / Wikimedia Commons Kelly was born on November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to John B. Kelly, a three-time Olympic gold medalist for sculling, and Margaret Katherine Majer, a physical education teacher and first coach of women’s teams at the University of Pennsylvania. Despite her parents’ disapproval, Kelly… Read the full story