Author: Amanda

Today we remember Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas, who passed away yesterday at the age of 103. Image: Kirk Douglas / Wikimedia Commons Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York. The family had adopted the surname “Demsky” after arriving to the United States. As the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Douglas grew up speaking Yiddish at home. In his youth, Douglas took on a series of odd jobs to help support… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Gene Hackman! Today the actor celebrates his 90th birthday. Image: Gene Hackman / Christopher Michael Little, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was born Eugene Allen Hackman on January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, California to Lyda Gray and Eugene Hackman. At 16, Hackman left home to join the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as a field radio operator. After his stint in the Marines, Hackman took on a series of jobs before deciding to… Read the full story

Have you used the HTML version of the family tree on Geni? GeneaVlogger and Geni curator Jarrett Ross has released a new video on how to navigate the HTML version of the World Family Tree on Geni. In this video, Jarrett gives an introduction to all of the basic features of the HTML tree, including new options that are not available on the Flash version of the tree. From the new side panel and easier navigation tools to a… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant, who died yesterday at the age of 41. Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, along with seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Image: Kobe Bryant / Sgt. Joseph A. Lee, U.S. Marine Corps / Wikimedia Commons Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Joe Bryant, a former NBA player, and Pamela Cox. His parents named him after the famous Japanese… Read the full story

On this day in 1848, carpenter James Wilson Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill near Coloma, California. His discovery would mark the beginning of the California Gold Rush. Image: James Wilson Marshall / California Historical Society Collection, USC Digital Library Marshall was born on October 18, 1810 at his family’s homestead in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. In 1834, he left home and headed west, spending time in Indiana and Illinois before settling in Missouri. After contracting… Read the full story

Today we remember Queen Victoria, who died on January 22, 1901. Her 63-year reign is frequently referred to as the Victorian era and was a period of great expansion, prosperity, and advancement. At the time of her birth, she was fifth in the line of succession. Her father died in 1820, the same year as her grandfather, King George III. After the death of her father’s three older brothers, who each died with no legitimate heirs, Victoria inherited… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Carole Lombard, who passed away on January 16, 1942 at the age of 33. Image: Carole Lombard / Wikimedia Commons Lombard was born Janice Alice Peters on October 6, 1908 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The third child born to Frederic and Elizabeth Peters, Lombard signed her first studio contract at the age of 16 and began working under the name “Carole Lombard.” Best remembered for her roles in screwball comedies, Lombard became one… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jason Bateman! Today the actor turns 51. Image: Jason Bateman / Georges Biard (CC BY-SA 3.0) Bateman was born on January 14, 1969 in Rye, New York to Victoria Elizabeth, a flight attendant for Pan Am, and Kent Bateman, a writer and director. His family moved around the country before finally settling in Los Angeles, California. Bateman and his sister, Justine, began acting at an early age and they both found early success on television…. Read the full story

Start your genealogy research off right in the new year by writing down your goals for 2020. Now is the perfect time to think about what you hope to accomplish in the next 12 months. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1. Create research plans Do you have a branch you haven’t been able to tackle? Or a great grandfather you have yet to find out more about? Create a research plan so that you can better organize… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge! Today the royal turns 38. Image: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge / Tom Soper Photography, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) The eldest of three children, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born on January 9, 1982 in Reading, England to Michael and Carole Middleton. Her father’s family had ties to British aristocracy and had even entertained British royalty in Leeds since the 1920s. She first met Prince William while the two were students… Read the full story

Who are the adventurers in your family tree? On this day in 1899, Norwegian explorer and adventurer Helge Ingstad was born in Meråker, Norway. Ingstad and his wife, archaeologist Anne Stine, were the first to prove the Vikings had reached North America 500 years before Christopher Columbus. Image: Oslo Museum, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) In 1960, Ingstad and Stine found the remnants of a Viking settlement in L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada.The settlement dated… Read the full story

As 2019 comes to a close, we take a look back at all the wonderful things we have been able to accomplish in the past year. Over 10 million profiles have been added to the World Family Tree this year, meaning we’ll close out 2019 with nearly 140 million profiles connected to the World Family Tree! This year our team worked hard to provide the Geni community with new and better tools to help build the family tree faster… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Taylor Swift! Today the music superstar turns 30. Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania and was named after the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor. Many years later in 2011, Swift would have the chance to perform on stage with Taylor during one of her concerts in Madison Square Garden. Music had always been a part of Swift’s life from an early age. Her maternal grandmother was a former opera singer and performed around the world as a member of… Read the full story

Save the date! MyHeritage, Geni’s parent company, has announced that MyHeritage LIVE 2020 will take place on October 25-26, 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel. This one-of-a-kind conference brings together attendees from around the world and international genealogy and DNA experts for a full two days of fun and education. Read our recaps of MyHeritage LIVE 2019 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and MyHeritage LIVE 2018 in Oslo, Norway. The third annual MyHeritage user conference will be held at the Hilton Tel Aviv,… Read the full story

On this day in 1832, abolitionist and surgeon Mary Edwards Walker was born. Walker was awarded the Medal of Honor for her efforts to treat the wounded during the American Civil War. Today, she remains the only woman to receive the honor. Image: Mary Edwards Walker / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Walker was born on November 26, 1832 in Oswego, New York to Alvah Walker and Vesta Whitcomb. From a young age, Walker’s… Read the full story

This weekend the movie, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, hits theaters nationwide. The film stars Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, the host of the beloved children’s television show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The film was inspired by the 1998 article “Can You Say…Hero?” by Tom Junod for Esquire. The film follows journalist Lloyd Vogel, who is assigned to profile the television icon for Esquire magazine. Recently on the red carpet, Hanks learned of his own personal connection to Rogers – they are… Read the full story

On this day in 1694, French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire was born. Considered one of France’s greatest writers, Voltaire’s advocacy of civil liberties and social reform would go on to influence the thinkers of both the American and French Revolutions. Image: Voltaire / New York Public Library François-Marie Arouet was the youngest of five children born to François Arouet and Marie Marguerite Daumard. In 1718, he adopted the name “Voltaire,” which was an anagram of Arovet Li, the Latinized… Read the full story

Today we are excited to introduce the new Consistency Checker to Geni’s World Family Tree. The Consistency Checker will constantly monitor changes to profiles in the family tree to detect common errors or inconsistencies and bring them to your attention so that you can make the necessary changes to improve the quality and accuracy of the family tree. This helpful tool checks for 28 types of inconsistencies, ranging from obvious issues, such as a child… Read the full story

In celebration of Family History Month, we ran a contest throughout the month of October for a chance for one lucky winner to receive a free year of Geni Pro. To enter, you simply needed to submit your answer to the question: If you could go back in time, which ancestor would you visit and why? We received lots of entries submitted through Facebook, Twitter, and email. One lucky winner was chosen at random from the list of entries…. Read the full story

Have you seen any old photos with ghostly images? Chances are you may be looking at an old spirit photograph. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spirit photography became incredibly popular. Many people came to believe that spirit photographers could capture the image of a deceased loved one in a photograph. Check out these 7 facts about the history of spirit photography: Preus Museum, Flickr 1. Spirit photography was discovered by accident by William H. Mumler… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Henry Winkler! Today the actor turns 74. Image: Henry Winkler / Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wikimedia Commons (OGL v1.0) Born on October 30, 1945 in Manhattan, New York, Winkler is the son of Ilse Anna Maria and Harry Irving Winkler, a lumbar company president. His parents were Jewish and emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1939 on the eve of World War II. Winkler discovered a love for performing at an early age. A… Read the full story

On this day in 1838, American school teacher Annie Edson Taylor was born. Taylor is remembered for her death-defying stunt on her 63rd birthday when she became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Image: Annie Edson Taylor / Library of Congress Taylor was born in Auburn, New York and was one of eight children. Before marrying at the age of 17, she studied to become a school teacher. After her husband’s death,… Read the full story

On this day in 1931, prolific inventor Thomas Edison died at the age of 84. At the time of his death, Edison held over 1,000 patents and saw many of his inventions make a significant impact on the world. Image: Thomas Edison / Library of Congress Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio. He was the seventh child of Samuel Ogden Edison, Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliott. At 16, he… Read the full story

MyHeritage’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Yaniv Erlich, recently gave a talk at TEDMED to share what he and his team have discovered analyzing data from Geni’s World Family Tree as well as other exciting developments in the world of biomedical research and genealogy. In his talk, Dr. Erlich explains the fascinating patterns that have emerged from his work, including new insights into the last couple of centuries of marriage and migration in Europe and North America, and the… Read the full story

October is finally here and that means Family History Month is once again upon us. In celebration of Family History Month, we’re giving away a free 1-Year subscription of Geni Pro! This Family History Month you can take your genealogy research on Geni to the next level with a chance to win a Geni Pro subscription. How to enter To enter our giveaway, simply answer the following question: If you could go back in time, which ancestor would you visit… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jimmy Carter! Today the former President of the United States turns 95, making him the first president to reach that milestone. Image: Jimmy Carter / Photo by Lauren Gerson, LBJ Presidential Library Carter was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia to Bessie Lilian Gordie, a nurse, and James Earl Carter, Sr., a peanut farmer and businessman. In 1977, Carter was sworn in as the 39th President of the United States. Carter’s… Read the full story

If you were unable to attend MyHeritage LIVE 2019 in Amsterdam and missed the live streams, you’re in luck! All MyHeritage LIVE 2019 lectures are now available to view for free! All recordings can be viewed from the comfort of your own home on MyHeritage Education, MyHeritage’s newly launched education center. The second annual MyHeritage user conference was a big success with over 450 people in attendance from 30 countries all around the world. Attendees… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Michael Douglas! Today the actor turns 75. Image: Michael Douglas / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) Douglas was born on September 25, 1944 in New Brunswick, New Jersey to acclaimed actor Kirk Douglas and Diana Dill. His mother came from a prominent family in Bermuda, where Douglas’s maternal grandfather, Thomas Melville Dill, served as Attorney General of Bermuda and as a member of the Parliament of Bermuda. As the son of actors, it… Read the full story

Over the years, many users have requested the ability to add marriage and divorce dates and locations while adding new profiles to the family tree. Today we are excited to finally fulfill this request! New marriage and divorce sections in the add profile form Previously, a spouse had to be added to the tree first before marriage or divorce information could be entered. After the spouse was added, you were required to edit the profile again to update the marriage and/or… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary journalist Cokie Roberts, who has passed away at the age of 75. Image: LBJ Library photo by Jay Godwin, Public Domain She was born Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Boggs on December 27, 1943 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She received the nickname “Cokie” from her brother, who could not pronounce her given name, “Corinne,” as a child. Roberts was born into a political family. Her father, Hale Boggs, served as a member of… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 200th birthday of German pianist and composer Clara Schumann! She regarded as one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic Era. Image: Clara Schumann / Bergen Public Library, Flickr Schumann was born Clara Josephine Wieck on September 13, 1819 to Friedrich Wieck, a prominent piano teacher, and Marianne Tromlitz, a singer. She was raised under the strict guidance of her father after her parents separated. A child prodigy, Schumann began performing… Read the full story

On this day in 1897, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Irène Joliot-Curie was born in Paris, France. Image: Irène Joliot-Curie / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr The eldest daughter of renowned scientists Marie and Pierre Curie, it was almost inevitable that Joliot-Curie would follow in her parents’ footsteps. After her father’s death in 1906, Joliot-Curie was raised by her mother, who emphasized the importance of education in the home. She developed an early interest in science, but the outbreak of World War I interrupted… Read the full story

Geni’s parent company, MyHeritage, partnered with the Backstreet Boys to dive into their DNA to discover their ancestral origins. One of the most successful musical groups in history, the Backstreet Boys recently released their ninth studio album DNA and are in the midst of their DNA World Tour. In promotion of their latest album, the entire group (AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, and Brian Littrell) took a MyHeritage DNA test to learn more about where their families come from. Watch the Backstreet… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Hugh Grant! Today the actor turns 59. Image: Hugh Grant / Tine Hemeryck, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) He was born Hugh John Mungo Grant on September 9, 1960 in Hammersmith, England to a military family. His father, James Murray Grant, was a Captain and served with the Seaforth Highlanders for eight years. His paternal grandfather, Colonel James Murray Grant, was decorated for bravery and leadership at Saint-Valery-en-Caux during World War II. In 1994, Grant achieved… Read the full story

Unable to make it to MyHeritage LIVE 2019 in Amsterdam September 6-8? MyHeritage has announced that all lectures on the genealogy and DNA tracks will be live streamed throughout the conference! Now everyone will have the opportunity to learn from MyHeritage’s fantastic international lineup of genealogy and DNA experts. The live stream will be available directly on the MyHeritage LIVE website and the MyHeritage Facebook page to watch via Facebook Live for free. From there, you will have the opportunity to… Read the full story

MyHeritage LIVE 2019 is only a few days away! We’re excited to have the opportunity to participate in MyHeritage’s 2nd annual user conference, which will be held in Amsterdam in the Netherlands from September 6-8, 2019. This one-of-a-kind conference is the perfect place to get to know the MyHeritage and Geni teams in person. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from MyHeritage Founder and CEO Gilad Japhet and Geni’s General Manager Mike Stangel, who will be giving a presentation… Read the full story

Geni’s World Family Tree has grown to over 135 million profiles thanks to the hard work and collaboration of millions of users and our team of Geni curators. In his latest video, GeneaVlogger and curator Jarrett Ross gives a quick overview on the role of curators on Geni and the important role they play in maintaining the integrity of the World Family Tree. Geni curators are volunteer Geni users who have been granted special privileges by Geni to… Read the full story

We’re back from Washington, D.C., where Geni attended the Federation of Genealogical Society 2019 Family History Conference. The conference brought together many local family history groups as well as visitors from all around the country to learn from the many informative class sessions ranging from beginning genealogy topics to advanced sessions to take your genealogy research even further. Geni had a booth in the exhibit hall of the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel where we were happy to… Read the full story

On this day in 1632, English philosopher John Locke was born. Regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment, Locke’s work formed the foundation of modern philosophical empiricism and political liberalism. Image: John Locke / Library of Congress Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in Wrington, Somerset, England to John Locke, a lawyer, and Agnese Keene. His father served as a captain during the English Civil War. After completing his studies… Read the full story

On this day in 1814, Irish horror writer Sheridan Le Fanu was born. Considered to be the leading ghost story writer of the 19th century, Le Fanu’s works played a significant role in shaping the genre during the Victorian era. Image: Sheridan Le Fanu / Wikimedia Commons Le Fanu was born Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu on August 28, 1814 in Dublin, Ireland. He was born into a literary family with many writers and playwrights, including his great… Read the full story

On this day in 1908, Lyndon B. Johnson was born. Elected as Vice President in 1960, Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States upon the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Image: Lyndon B. Johnson / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in a small farmhouse on August 27, 1908 near Johnson City, Texas. He was the first of five children born to Samuel Ealy… Read the full story

On this day in 1819, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, was born in Schloss Rosenau, Germany. Image: Albert, Prince Consort / Library of Congress Born Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the Prince was the second son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and his first wife, Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In 1840, he married his first cousin, Queen Victoria, who had inherited the English throne just a few years earlier at the… Read the full story

Next week Geni is heading to Washington, D.C. for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2019 Family History Conference. The conference will take place August 21-24 at the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel. Fun fact: the hotel was the site of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first Inaugural Ball in 1933. Come visit Geni in the exhibit hall at booth #406 for your chance to talk with members of the Geni team. If you have any questions or simply want to try… Read the full story

On this day in 1860, sharpshooter Annie Oakley was born. Known for her incredible marksmanship, Oakley became an international star as a performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Image: Annie Oakley / Library of Congress Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Mosey on August 13, 1860 in a log cabin in Darke County, Ohio. She was the fifth of seven surviving children born to Jacob Mosey and Susan Wise. Oakley began shooting at the age of 8 and… Read the full story

We’re back from Cleveland, Ohio where we attended the 39th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. It was a blast to meet other Geni users, spend time with our great team of Geni curators, and connect with old friends. The Geni booth was packed with people on the opening day of the exhibit hall and the SHARE Fair. Many people stopped by to learn how to get started on Geni and connect to the World… Read the full story

Today we remember American novelist Toni Morrison, who has passed away at the age of 88. Known for her rich depiction of the black experience in America, Morrison became the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. Image: Toni Morrison / Angela Radulescu, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) She was born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18, 1931 in Lorain, Ohio to George Wofford and Ella Ramah Willis. She was… Read the full story

Happy birthday to author J.K. Rowling! Image: J.K. Rowling / Daniel Ogren, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Joanne Rowling was born on July 31, 1965 in Yale, England to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Volant, a science technician. Her great grandfather, Louis Volant was a French soldier in World War I. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte. A single mother at… Read the full story

The 39th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy is coming up soon! The conference will take place July 28 – August 2 in Cleveland, Ohio. Come visit Geni in the exhibit hall, July 28-31, to say hi and to ask any questions. We’ll be offering an exclusive conference discount on Geni Pro subscriptions that you wont want to miss! If you’re not ready to upgrade but would like the opportunity to try out some of our premium… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Daniel Radcliffe! Today the Harry Potter star turns 30. Image: Daniel Radcliffe / Gage Skidmore, (CC BY-SA 2.0) Radcliffe was born on July 23, 1989 in London England to Alan George Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Jeannine Jacobson, a casting agent. Before he landed the role of a lifetime as Harry Potter, Radcliffe made his acting debut at the age of 10 in the BBC’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield…. Read the full story

Happy birthday, Benedict Cumberbatch! Today the star turns 43. Image: Benedict Cumberbatch / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons, (CC BY-SA 2.0) Cumberbatch was born on July 19, 1976 in London, England to actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham. From a young age, Cumberbatch took an interest in acting and eventually went on to study drama at the University of Manchester and earn a Master’s degree in classical acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Cumberbatch rose… Read the full story