Author: Amanda

It’s that time of year again! The Geni Team will be in Salt Lake City, Utah from March 5-7 for RootsTech 2026. Whether you are joining us in person at the Salt Palace Convention Center or tuning in virtually from home, we’re excited to connect with the genealogy community. Between hundreds of genealogy classes and the electric energy of the exhibit hall, we can’t wait to attend this one-of-a-kind conference. Visit the Geni Booth (#1101)… Read the full story

Today we remember music legend Johnny Cash, who was born on this day in 1932. One of the best-selling music artists of all time, Cash’s music transcended multiple genres, affording him the rare honor of multiple inductions in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Image: Johnny Cash / Library of Congress Cash was born J.R. Cash on February 26, 1932 in… Read the full story

On this day in 1943, musician George Harrison was born. Known as “the quiet Beatle,” Harrison became internationally famous as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Image: George Harrison / Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, Wikimedia Commons Harrison was born on February 25, 1943 in Liverpool, England to Harold Harrison and Louise French. The youngest of four children, Harrison grew up with a strong love for music. He first met Paul McCartney while riding the bus… Read the full story

On this day in 1836, American landscape painter Winslow Homer was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Image: Winslow Homer / Wikimedia Commons Homer was the second of three sons born to Charles Savage Homer and Henrietta Maria Benson. He came from a long line of New England families from both of his parents. As a child, he was encourage by his mother to pursue his interests in painting. Early in his career, Homer worked as a lithographer and… Read the full story

On this day in 1868, civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Du Bois is often considered one of the most influential proponents of civil rights during the first half of the 20th century. Image: W.E.B. Du Bois / Library of Congress William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868 to Alfred Du Bois and Mary Silvina Burghardt. His mother’s family was a part of a small,… Read the full story

On this day in 1902, photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams was born in San Francisco, California. He is best remembered for his iconic black and white photos of the American wilderness, especially those of Yosemite National Park. Image: Ansel Adams / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Adams was the only child born to Charles Hitchcock Adams and Olive Bray. His grandfather founded a prosperous lumber business, which his father eventually inherited. Adams would later come… Read the full story

Do you have any astronomers in your family tree? On February 19, 1473, Renaissance mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland. Image: Nicolaus Copernicus / New York Public Library In one of the most significant astronomical breakthroughs in history, Copernicus formulated a heliocentric model of the universe, which placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at the center. Just before his death, he published his findings in De revolutionbus orbium coelestium (On the… Read the full story

On this day in 1931, author Toni Morrison was born. Known for her rich story telling of the Black experience in America, Morrison was the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Image: Toni Morrison / Library of Congress Morrison was born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18, 1931 in Lorain, Ohio. She was the second of four children born to George Wofford and Ella Ramah Willis. At the age… Read the full story

On this day in 1781, French physician René Laennec, inventor of the stethoscope, was born in Quimper, France. Image: René Laennec / Wikimedia Commons Considered one of the greatest physicians in history, Laennec made many significant contributions to the world of medicine. In 1816, he invented the stethoscope and pioneered its use in diagnosing various chest conditions. The inspiration for the groundbreaking device came from Laennec’s observation of school children who played with long hallow sticks to amplify… Read the full story

On this day in 1923, pilot Chuck Yeager was born. Yeager is remembered for being the first pilot to travel faster than the speed of sound in 1947. Image: Chuck Yeager / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Yeager was born Charles Elwood Yeager on February 13, 1923 in Myra, West Virginia to farming parents Albert Hall Yeager and Susie Mae Sizemore. After graduating high school, just a few months before the U.S. entered World… Read the full story

Every family tree holds a few surprises, but some stories are so unexpected that they feel stranger than fiction. From long-lost relatives to unbelievable twists uncovered through research, family history has a way of revealing the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary. We asked the Geni community to share their wildest and most surprising family stories, and the responses reminded us why genealogy is never just about names and dates. It’s about moments, mysteries, and discoveries… Read the full story

Today marks the 217th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. Celebrated as Darwin Day throughout the world, the day commemorates Darwin’s enormous contribution to science. Image: Charles Darwin / Library of Congress Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 at his family’s home in Shrewsbury, England. His family was wealthy and well known in English society. His paternal grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, was an abolitionist and a key thinker of the Enlightenment movement. While… Read the full story

Today we remember inventor Thomas Edison, who was born on this day in 1847. Image: Thomas Edison / Library of Congress Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio and was the youngest of seven children born to Samuel Ogden Edison, Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliot. His father was an exiled political activist from Canada who had participated in the Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837. Edison received little formal education growing up, but spent… Read the full story

Do you love watching old Shirley Temple movies? Today we remember the beloved child actor, who passed away on this day in 2014 at the age of 85. Image: Shirley Temple / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 Temple was born on April 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, California. She was first discovered in a dancing class at the age of 3 and was cast in Baby Burlesks, a series of short films that satirized recent film… Read the full story

On this day in 1773, William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States, was born at Berkeley plantation in Virginia. Image: William Henry Harrison / New York Public Library Born on February 9, 1773, Harrison was the last U.S. president to be born as a British subject before American Independence. He was the youngest son of Benjamin Harrison V and Elizabeth Bassett and his family were prominent political figures. His father was a… Read the full story

On this day in 1911, Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, was born. Image: Ronald Reagan / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Reagan was raised in a small town in Illinois. His father nicknamed him “Dutch” as a small boy because he thought his son resembled a “fat little Dutchman.” Before entering politics, Reagan was a successful actor. He began his entertainment career in radio before transitioning to film. During World War II, Regan served in… Read the full story

On this day in 1810, Norwegian violinist Ole Bull was born. Known as one of Norway’s most notable and gifted violinists, Bull is also remembered for his efforts to start a new Norwegian colony he called New Norway in Pennsylvania. Image: Ole Bull / Bergen Public Library Norway, Flickr Bull was born on February 5, 1810 in Bergen, Norway to Johan Storm Bull and Anna Dorotea Borse Geelmuyden. The eldest of ten children, Bull’s father… Read the full story

On this day in 1913, civil rights icon Rosa Parks was born. Image: Rosa Parks / Library of Congress Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama to James McCauley, a carpenter, and Leona Edwards, a teacher. In 1932, she married Raymond Parks, a barber and active member of the NAACP. Parks would join the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP in 1943 and serve as the chapter secretary. On December… Read the full story

On this day in 1821, Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in the United States, was born in Bristol, England. Image: Elizabeth Blackwell / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Blackwell was raised in a liberal household with a strong emphasis on education. In 1832, her father, Samuel Blackwell, moved the family to United States. When he died in 1838, he left the family in great debt. To help make ends meet, Blackwell, her older sisters, and her… Read the full story

Remember watching Charlie’s Angels? On this day in 1947, star Farrah Fawcett was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Image: Farrah Fawcett / Wikimedia Commons Ferrah Leni Fawcett was the youngest of two daughters born to Pauline Alice Evans, a homemaker, and James William Fawcett, an oil field contractor. After generating interest from various agencies, Fawcett dropped out of the University of Texas to try her luck in Hollywood. Fawcett quickly booked several commercials and television guest spots. Her big… Read the full story

Image: Franklin D. Roosevelt / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Today we remember Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, who was born on this day in 1882. Regarded as one of the greatest U.S. presidents in history, Roosevelt successfully led the country through the Great Depression and World War II until his death in 1945. Roosevelt was a member of the prominent Roosevelt family, one of the oldest and wealthiest families in… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Oprah Winfrey! Today media icon turns 72. After facing considerable hardship growing up, Winfrey has become one of the most successful and influential entrepreneur’s in the world. Image: Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson / Wikimedia Commons Although Winfrey was named “Orpah” on her birth certificate, people mispronounced it as “Oprah” so often that the name stuck. Born into poverty in rural Mississippi, she got her start working in radio and by the age… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Alan Alda! Today the star turns 90. Image: Alan Alda / Library of Congress He was born Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo on January 28, 1936 in New York City, New York to Robert Alda and Joan Browne. The son of an actor, it was only a matter of time before Alda decided to pursue a career in show business. In 1972, he took on his most memorable role as Hawkeye Pierce on the… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the birthday of legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Image: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Wikimedia Commons Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria to Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl. A child prodigy, Mozart began composing music and performing before royalty at the age of 5. During his childhood, his father took Mozart and his sister, Maria Anna, on a grand European tour to perform at the courts of Munich,… Read the full story

Today we celebrate what would have been legendary actor Paul Newman’s 101st birthday. Image: Paul Newman / Library of Congress Born on January 26, 1925, Newman was the second son of Theresa Fetzko and Aurthur Sigmund Newman. His mother was born in Hummenne in what is today Slovakia and his father was the son of Jewish immigrants from Hungary and Poland. As a child, Newman showed an early interest in theater and participated in school plays…. Read the full story

On this day in 1813, Norwegian writer Camilla Collett was born in Kristiansand, Norway. Often referred to as the first Norwegian feminist writer, Collett was a passionate advocate of women’s rights and an influential figure in Norwegian literature. Image: Camilla Collett / National Library of Norway, Flickr Collett was the daughter of Alette Thaulow and Nicolai Wergeland, a priest and politician. Her father was a member of the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll, which wrote the Constitution of Norway… Read the full story

On this day in 1901, Queen Victoria died at the age of 81. At the time of her death, the Queen had reigned for 63 years, 7 months and 2 days, making her the longest reigning British monarch. It wasn’t until 2015 that her second great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, surpassed her record as the longest reigning monarch in British history. Image: Queen Victoria / Wikimedia Commons At the time of her birth on May 24, 1819,… Read the full story

On this day in 1793, Louis XVI was executed for treason by guillotine. Image: Louis XVI / New York Public Library Louis XVI was born on August 23, 1754 in the Palace of Versailles. He was the second son of Louis, the Dauphin of France, and thus the grandson of Louis XV. When his brother died at the age of nine, followed by the death of his father in 1765, a young Louis became the next… Read the full story

Happy 96th birthday to Buzz Aldrin! Image: Buzz Aldrin / NASA On January 20, 1930, Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey to Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Sr. and Marion Gaddys. His nickname “Buzz” originated in his childhood; his younger sister mispronounced the word “brother” as “buzzer” and the name stuck. The family later shortened it to Buzz. As the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, Aldrin made the first manned lunar landing… Read the full story

Today country music superstar Dolly Parton celebrates her 80th birthday! Parton went from very humble beginnings to become one of the most successful artists in history. Not only has she made her mark in music and film, but she even has her own theme park called Dollywood. Image: Dolly Parton / Wikimedia Commons Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Locust Ridge, Tennessee and was the fourth of twelve children born to Robert Lee Parton… Read the full story

Today we remember trailblazing Mexican film actress Katy Jurado, who was born on this day in 1924. Considered one of the leading actresses during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, Jurado was one of the first Mexican actresses to successfully crossover to Hollywood. Image: Katy Jurado / Wikimedia Commons She was born María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico to a wealthy family. Despite the disapproval of her family, Jurado decided to pursue… Read the full story

Today we remember iconic civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr, who was born on this day in 1929. Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Library of Congress King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams. An inspiring leader, King helped make significant advancements in civil rights through non-violent protest. In 1955, King led the Montgomery bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing… Read the full story

On this day in 1957, actor Humphrey Bogart died at the age of 57. Image: Humphrey Bogart / Wikimedia Commons Bogart was born on December 25, 1899 in New York City, New York to Belmont DeForest Bogart, a doctor, and Maud Humphrey, an illustrator and suffragist. Through his father’s branch, Bogart can trace his ancestry to the early Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam. He is a direct descendant of Sarah Rapelje, who is said to… Read the full story

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1596, Dutch artist Jan van Goyen was born. A prolific artist, van Goyen (sometimes spelled Goijen) produced about 1,200 paintings and over 1,000 drawings during his lifetime. Image: Jan van Goyen / Wikimedia Commons He was born Jan Josephszoon van Goyen in Leiden, Netherlands. Van Goyen began an apprenticeship at the age of ten and studied painting under the tutelage of several masters. Although he made… Read the full story

On January 12, 1876, American journalist and author Jack London was born in San Francisco, California. Image: Jack London / Library of Congress The author is best remembered for his novels, Call of the Wild and White Fang, which are both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. He was one of the first fiction writers to gain worldwide celebrity and fortune from his works of fiction alone. London died on… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Catherine, Princess of Wales! Today she turns 44. Image: Catherine, Princess of Wales / Photo by Ian Jones, Wikimedia Commons (OGL v1.0) Born on January 9, 1982 in Reading, Berkshire, England, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton is the eldest child of Michael Middleton and Carole Goldsmith. She first met Prince William while they were students at the University of St Andrews, where she earned a degree in art history. They were married in 2011… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Elvis! 91 years ago today, Elvis Presley was born. Known as the King of Rock and Roll, Presley is remembered as one of the most successful and iconic musicians in history. Image: Elvis Presley / Wikimedia Commons Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi in a two-room shotgun house built by his father, Vernon Presley. Sadly, Presley’s identical twin brother was delivered stillborn 35 minutes before his birth. Presley grew up as… Read the full story

American author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891. A central figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston wrote four novels and more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays on the African-American experience. Image: Zora Neale Hurston / Library of Congress Hurston was the fifth of eight children born to John Hurston, a Baptist preacher and carpenter, and Lucy Ann Potts, a school teacher. She was born in Notasulga, Alabama and moved… Read the full story

On this day in 1852, Louis Braille died at the age of 43. Braille developed a system of reading and writing for the blind and visually impaired. Known simply as braille, the system continues to be used worldwide today. Image: Braille alphabet / Library of Congress Braille was born on January 4, 1809 in Coupvray, a small town near Paris, France. He was blinded at the age of 3 after an accident in his father’s… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Diane Keaton on what would have been her 80th birthday. Image: Diane Keaton / Firooz Zahedi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Keaton was born Diane Hall on January 5, 1946 in Los Angeles, California. She was the eldest of four children born to Dorothy Deanne Keaton and John Newton Ignatius “Jack” Hall. Her mother was a homemaker and an amateur photographer and her father was a real estate broker. With an… Read the full story

Today we remember science fiction author Isaac Asimov on what would have been his 105th birthday! Image: Isaac Asimov / Wikimedia Commons Although the exact date of his birth is unknown, Asimov celebrated it on January 2. He was born in Petrovichi, Russia and came to the United States with his family at the age of 3. By the age of 5, he had taught himself how to read and at 19, he sold his first story to a science… Read the full story

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what made 2025 such a memorable year for Geni. From new features to a major milestone for the World Family Tree, this year was filled with discoveries, collaboration, and connections that brought family history to life. Join us as we revisit some of the highlights that made 2025 a year to remember on Geni. New Features and a Major Milestone We… Read the full story

It’s New Year’s Eve! It wouldn’t be a New Year’s celebration without hearing the holiday’s signature song, “Auld Lang Syne.” Did you know Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788? Image: Robert Burns / Library of Congress The song was set to the tune of an old Scottish folk song and was never intended to be a holiday song. Nevertheless, the song gained enormous popularity and it became tradition to sing the song to… Read the full story

Do you remember reading The Jungle Book? On this day in 1865, author Rudyard Kipling was born. Image: Rudyard Kipling / Library of Congress He was born on December 30, 1865 in Bombay, in Bombay Presidency of British India to John Lockwood Kipling and Alice MacDonald. Kipling’s experiences in India, as both a young child and years later as a young adult, highly influenced much of his writings. Considered a major innovator in the art… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Ted Danson! Today the popular star turns 78. Image: Ted Danson / Dominique Redfearn, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was born Edward Bridge Danson III on December 29, 1947 in San Diego, California. His father, Edward “Ned” Bridge Danson, Jr., was an archaeologist and a director of the Museum of Northern Arizona. Raised in Flagstaff, Arizona, Danson attended Stanford University where he became interested in drama. He later transferred to Carnegie… Read the full story

On this day in 1803, Estonian writer Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald was born. A pivotal figure of Estonian literature, Kreutzwald is often considered to be the father of the national literature. He was the author of the national epic Kalevipoeg. Image: Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald / Wikimedia Commons Kreutzwald was born on December 26, 1803 in Kadrina, Virumaa, Estonia, then a part of the Russian Empire. From humble beginnings, Kreutzwald managed to receive a good education and… Read the full story

On this day in 1823, the popular holiday poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” was first published in the Troy New York Sentinel. Today the poem is more commonly known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Although initially published anonymously, Clement Clarke Moore would later claim authorship of the poem. However, in recent years, some have claimed that the poem’s true author may actually be Henry Livingston, Jr. Image: New York Public Library Since its publication, the poem has become… Read the full story

On this day in 1858, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy. Image: Giacomo Puccini / Library of Congress He was born Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini to Michele Puccine and Albina Magi. One of nine children, Puccini had come from a long line of musicians. His second great grandfather, also named Giacomo Puccini, was the first of five generations of composers in the family. Remembered as one of the greatest… Read the full story

Today we remember French singer and actress Édith Piaf, who was born on December 19, 1915 in Paris, France. Image: Édith Piaf / Nationaal Archief, CC0 She was born Édith Giovanna Gassion to Annetta Giovanna Maillard, a cafe singer, and Louis Alphonse Gassion, a street acrobat. Piaf was named after the World War I British nurse Edith Cavell, who was executed for helping soldiers escape from German captivity in Belgium. Piaf first rose to fame after she… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Steven Spielberg! Today the legendary director turns 79. Image: Steven Spielberg / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Spielberg was born on December 18, 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Leah Posner, a concert pianist and restauranteur, and Arnold Spielberg, an electrical engineer. He developed an interest in filmmaking as a child after earning his Boy Scout photography merit badge with a nine-minute 8mm film entitled The Last Gunfight. In the late 1960s, Spielberg began… Read the full story