Author: Amanda

Check out some interesting genealogy articles from the past week! The Genealogy Sphere Family Tree’s Startling Roots (New York Times) – Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discovers that comedian Wanda Syke has the longest continuously documented family tree of any African American he has researched. Woman traces family back to Revolutionary War (Shelby Star) – A woman traces her genealogy to the Revolutionary War beginning at an overgrown cemetery. 1800s couple’s portraits reunited with help of… Read the full story

Last night Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s newest PBS series Finding Your Roots premiered with a look into singer and actor Harry Connick, Jr.‘s genealogy. In the episode, Harry learned that one of his ancestors was a privateer who fought for the colonists during the American Revolutionary War. Did you catch this latest genealogy show? Harry Connick, Jr. is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related? View Harry Connick,… Read the full story

Tonight’s new episode of Who Do You Think You Are? features actress Helen Hunt as she traces her paternal ancestry. Her search leads her to San Francisco, where she discovers her family’s connection to the formation of the banking institution, Wells Fargo. Will you be watching tonight? Helen Hunt is connected to over 60 million profiles on Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Helen Hunt’s Geni Profile  

On March 22, 1923, acclaimed French actor and mime Marcel Maceau was born in Strasbourg, France. Marceau gained international fame for his silent performances as Bip, the white-faced character he brought to life on the stage and screen. Marcel Marceau’s family tree is still pretty small. Perhaps you can help build his tree and connect him to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. View Marcel Marceau’s Geni Profile  

The release of the 1940 U.S. census records is less than two weeks away! Are you excited to get your hands on these documents and upload them to your family’s Geni profiles? Let’s take a look at what you can expect to find in the 1940 census records. Standard information from census records: Name Age Gender Marital status Race Education Occupation Place of birth Citizenship Place of residence Home owned or rented? Value of the home?… Read the full story

On on March 21, 1871, journalist Henry Morton Stanley began his famous search through Africa for the missing British explorer Dr. David Livingstone. Livingstone had set out for a two year expedition into Africa in 1865 to find the source of the Nile River. However, six years after his expedition began, little was heard of Livingstone. The New York Herald sent Stanley on a highly publicized search to find him. Upon their meeting in 1871, Stanley… Read the full story

Today we are rolling out the latest enhancements to Geni Projects. Now there are even more picture and video options for projects! Read more about these changes below. Add More Pictures and Videos You can now add multiple pictures and videos to projects. Click on Photos & Documents to view all the photos, documents and videos tagged to a project.   Here you can easily view all the photos, documents and videos that have been… Read the full story

Catch up on some genealogy articles by checking out the links below. The Genealogy Sphere BBC reporter Mark Simpson learns of Titanic relative (BBC News) – Mark Simpson, a reporter for the BBC, discovers he is related to a passenger of the Titanic Titanic letter returning to Belfast (BBC News) – A litter written aboard the Titanic is brought back to Belfast for an exhibition Family Photo Preservation (Save Photo blog) – Tips on how… Read the full story

On March 19, 1947, actress Glenn Close was born in Greenwich, Connecticut. This year she was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her role in the film Albert Nobbs. She lost the coveted award to Meryl Streep, her 15th cousin once removed. Glenn Close is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Glenn Close’s Geni Profile  

Tomorrow, people all around the world will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Millions of Irish people have emigrated abroad and it is estimated that 80 million people worldwide claim some Irish descent. Did you know that over 34.7 million people in the U.S. claim Irish ancestry? That’s more than seven times the population of Ireland! Do you claim any Irish roots? Join some of Geni’s great Irish genealogy projects to collaborate with people from all… Read the full story

Tomorrow, March 17, is St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of the festive Irish holiday, we are highlighting St. Patrick‘s profile on Geni! St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and one of Christianity’s most widely known figures. Do you have any Irish ancestry? Let us know you will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the comments below! St. Patrick is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you… Read the full story

On this day in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate by Marcus Junius Brutus and a group of approximately 60 Roman senators. Although the Senate passed an amnesty on the assassins, the uproar among the population caused Brutus and the conspirators to leave Rome. A series of civil wars ultimately followed, ending with the victory of Caesar’s adopted heir, Octavian and the formation of the Roman Empire. Octavian would become… Read the full story

Today is Pi Day! Pi Day commemorates the mathematical constant π (pi) each year on March 14, or 3/14, which are the first three digits of π (3.14). π is a mathematical constant that measures the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter. Because π is an irrational number, it cannot be expressed as a fraction. Its decimal representation never ends and is never repeated. In honor of Pi Day, we thought it would be fun to highlight… Read the full story

On March 14, 1879, German physicist Albert Einstein was born. Regarded as the “father of modern physics” and one of the most prolific intellects in history, Einstein’s name has become synonymous with genius. He is perhaps best remembered for his theory of relativity and his mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc². In 1921, Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his revolutionary contributions to the field. Albert Einstein is connected to over 60 million… Read the full story

On March 13, 1855, mathematician and astronomer Percival Lowell was born. Lowell is best known for fueling speculation that there were canals on Mars. He also formed the beginning of the effort that led to the discovery of Pluto. In fact, the naming of Pluto was influenced by Percival Lowell’s initials “PL.” Percival Lowell is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Percival Lowell’s Geni… Read the full story

Check out some interesting articles from the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Handwritten journals from Lizzie Borden lawyer donated to FRHS (The Herald News) – Hand written letters from Lizzie Borden’s lawyer were recently donated to the Fall River Historical Society Behind the Scenes of the Milstein Suspense Trailer (New York Public Library) – A behind the scenes look at the cool movie trailer-style promo video for the Milstein Division of the U.S. History, Local… Read the full story

On March 12, 1947, GOP candidate Mitt Romney was born in Detroit, Michigan. The race to win the Republican presidential nomination has intensified with Rick Santorum on the heels of the former Massachusetts governor. Will front-runner Romney be able to clinch the nomination? Mitt Romney is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Mitt Romney’s Geni Profile  

Happy Middle Name Pride Day! Today everyone is encouraged to celebrate their middle names. Middle names are an interesting thing in genealogy. Some people may choose to hide their middle name, while others choose to embrace them. Either way, it’s likely that you have encountered a few unusual middle names in your genealogy research. As you find them, it might be fun to try to understand their origins. Middle Names and Family Connections   Some… Read the full story

Did you miss the live stream of Noah Tutak’s presentation at RootsTech? No problem! The video for his entire presentation is now available. Click the video below to watch “Privacy in a Collaborative Environment.” Description: When we work together on genealogy, we’re no longer are constrained to “My tree” or “Your tree.” Suddenly, we’re all working on “Our tree.” In this presentation, Noah Tutak, CEO of Geni.com, will explain how to properly handle private and public… Read the full story

Tonight’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? features retired NFL player Jerome Bettis on his journey to learn about his family history. Follow Bettis as he travels to the fields his ancestors worked on as slaves. Jerome Bettis’s family tree is not yet connected to the world family tree. Perhaps after tonight’s episode you can help connect him to over 60 million profiles on Geni!   View Jerome Bettis’s Geni Profile  

Today is Purim! Beginning yesterday at sundown, Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, the royal vizier to the king. Haman had plotted to kill Mordechai and all of the Jews in ancient Persia. However, Queen Esther, who was a Jew, and Mordechai discovered and foiled the plot. Haman was hanged from the gallows, which had originally been built… Read the full story

On March 8, 1702, Queen Anne ascended to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland after the death of William III. In 1707, Queen Anne united the kingdoms of England and Scotland into a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain. Despite multiple pregnancies, Anne died without an heir, and thus was the last monarch of the House of Stuart. She was succeeded by George I of the House of Hanover. Queen Anne is connected… Read the full story

On this day in 1876, inventor Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone. Credited with creating the first practical telephone, his invention would revolutionize the way people communicate for years to come. Bell’s research on hearing and speech were profoundly influenced by his mother and wife, who were both deaf. This work led to his experimentation with hearing devices. He was inspired to improve upon the telegraph and sought to develop a mechanism… Read the full story

On March 7, 2010, director Kathryn Bigelow made Oscar history by becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for the film, The Hurt Locker. Did you know that Bigelow was once married to fellow nominee James Cameron? The Hurt Locker would also ultimately claim Best Picture over Cameron’s Avatar.   View Kathryn Bigelow’s Geni Profile

On March 6, 1927, Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez was born. Considered one of the most significant Latin American authors of the 20th century, Márquez was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982. He is perhaps best known for his novels, One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera. Gabriel García Márquez is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View… Read the full story

Check out some interesting articles in the world of genealogy from the past week! The Genealogy Sphere Frankie Meyer: Use Google as a resource for hard-to-find books (The Joblin Globe) – Columnist Frankie Meyer gives tips on how to use Google Books in genealogy Female Ancestors: After the Marriage (RootDig.com) – Having trouble tracking down your female ancestors? This article provides some great tips. Tracing Ship Movements and Genealogy (a3Genealogy) – Genealogist Kathleen Brandt provides… Read the full story

On March 5, 1887, Brazillian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos was born in Rio de Janeiro. Described as “the single most significant figure in 20th-century Brazillian art music,” Villa-Lobos has become one of the best known Latin American composers in history. He is best known for composing Bachianas Brasileiras, which combines Brazilian folk music with European classical music styles. Heitor Villa-Lobos is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?  … Read the full story

Tonight’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? features country singer Reba McEntire. Watch her journey as she discovers how her family came to America. Reba McEntire is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Reba McEntire’s Geni Profile  

Update March 2014: For current membership offers and subscription pricing, please visit the Geni Help Center. Today we’re announcing some great enhancements for our basic (free) members that will make Geni better for the whole family. Free Gifts for All Birthday and anniversary gifts are now free for everyone! Help your family celebrate their special day by sending them a birthday or anniversary greeting accompanied by a special gift that will make your message truly standout. Add… Read the full story

Happy Saint David’s Day! Saint David’s Day is a Welsh national holiday in honor of Saint David, Wales’s patron saint. Are you searching for your Welsh ancestors? The Geni community could use your help! Check out some great Geni projects and collaborate with other Geni users in discovering your common ancestry. UK Portal – Wales   This project encourages everyone researching their links to Wales to join. Communicate with other Geni members and contribute what… Read the full story

Today, Wales celebrates Saint David’s Day in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Across the country, festivities and parades are occurring in celebration of the holiday. Saint David is the patron saint of Wales. He was a Welsh Bishop during the 6th century. Regarded as a renowned teacher, Saint David founded a monastery at Glyn Rhosyn (The Vale of Roses), which is where St. David’s Cathedral stands today. His foundation at Glyn Rhosyn became… Read the full story

Today, we highlight the “Rock Star of Opera,” Gioachino Rossini, who was born February 29, 1792 in Pesaro, Italy. Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas, including his most famous Italian comedy, The Barber of Seville. He is considered one of the most popular opera composers in history. Have you seen today’s Google Doodle in honor of Rossini’s Leap Day birthday? Gioachino Rossini’s family tree is still pretty small. Perhaps you can help build… Read the full story

On February 28, 1953, scientists James D. Watson and Frances Crick discovered the double-helix structure of DNA at Cambridge University. Their research was instrumental in understanding how genetic information is passed and revolutionized the study of biology and medicine. Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for their historic scientific breakthroughs. James D. Watson is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are… Read the full story

Here are this week’s links! The Genealogy Sphere Marque these records (The Legal Genealogists) – Tips on using letters of marque and reprisal documents in genealogy Use Internet to dig up family roots (ClintonNews.com) – Tips on using the Internet to research your African-American ancestry Mormon Baptism for the Dead: History and Explanation of an Unusual Ritual (Huffington Post) – There’s been some controversy lately surrounding this Mormon practice. Here’s a brief explanation of the… Read the full story

On February 27, 1807, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. Longfellow was considered one of the most popular poets of his day. His works were significant in shaping the American character and legacy, especially his poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” which created the American legend of Paul Revere‘s Midnight Ride. Longfellow was also the first American to translate Dante Alighieri‘s The Divine Comedy. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is connected to over 60 million… Read the full story

The 84th annual Academy Awards are this Sunday, February 26 with comedian Billy Crystal returning as host. Are you excited to see who will win Hollywood’s most coveted prize? This year, best buds George Clooney and Brad Pitt will both be vying for the Oscar for Best Actor. Did you know the pranking two-some are also related? Brad Pitt is George Clooney’s 18th cousin twice removed! Let’s take a look at how some of this… Read the full story

Who Do You Think You Are? is back tonight with an all new episode featuring actor Blair Underwood. Follow him on his journey as DNA testing and newly discovered documents help him to reconnect with his ancestors. Blair Underwood is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Blair Underwood’s Geni Profile  

Today we highlight popular inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla, whose groundbreaking discoveries help give birth to the commercialization of electricity. In 1856, Tesla was born in the village of Smiljan in what is now Croatia. He pioneered concepts that paved the way for modern alternating current (AC) electricity and in 1891, invented the Tesla coil. Nikola Tesla is connected to over 60 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related? View Nikola Tesla’s… Read the full story

Nearly all National Scout Associations throughout the world are celebrating Founder’s Day or World Thinking Day today in remembrance of Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement, and his wife, Olave Baden-Powell, founder of Girl Guide movement. Coincidentally, the husband and wife team both share February 22 as their birthday. Robert Baden-Powell was a lieutenant-general in the British Army. An avid outdoorsman, Robert published the first book of the scouting movement, Scouting for Boys, in… Read the full story

On February 22, 1975, actress and producer Drew Barrymore was born in Culver City, California. Barrymore was born into the famous Barrymore dynasty of actors. She is the granddaughter of acting legend John Barrymore. After her breakout role in ET: the Extra-Terrestrial at the age of 6, Barrymore quickly became one of the most recognized child actors. Following a turbulent childhood and adolescent drug addiction, Barrymore successfully transitioned from a child actor to a highly… Read the full story

We hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend! To help you get back into the swing of things, check out some great articles from the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Hitler had son with French teen (The Telegraph) – New evidence reveals Hitler fathered a son Lost and found (The Hindu) – Geni was featured in an article for The Hindu in India Rediscovering family roots (BuffaloNews.com) – A local genealogical society helps novice genealogists… Read the full story

Yesterday, February 20, marked the anniversary of the death of abolitionist and equal rights leader Frederick Douglass. Douglass was born into slavery in Tuckahoe, Maryland. In 1838, Douglass escaped from slavery and soon became one of the leading figures of the Abolitionist movement. He wrote several autobiographies detailing his life as a slave, including his 1845 autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which became influential in its support for abolition. Frederick… Read the full story

This Monday, February 20, the U.S. celebrates Presidents Day across the country. Although the holiday was created specifically to remember George Washington‘s birthday, observance of the holiday has expanded to honor all the presidents of the United States. Check out how you can celebrate Presidents Day on Geni! U.S. Presidents and Vice Presidents Project   A great Geni project is dedicated to all the U.S. Presidents and Vice Presidents. Check out the family trees of… Read the full story

Tomorrow, February 18th, is musician and artist Yoko Ono‘s birthday. Ono instantly gained worldwide fame when she married Beatles front man John Lennnon in 1969. During their marriage, the pair often collaborated on musical and art projects to promote peace. After Lennon’s death, Ono continued her work in avant-garde art, music and film making. She has also continued her philanthropic contributions to the arts, peace and AIDS outreach programs. Yoko Ono is connected to over 60 million… Read the full story

This Saturday, February 18, will mark the 90th anniversary of famed Estonian writer and poet Juhan Smuul‘s birth. Smuul wrote several novels, often based on his life in his native islands of Muhu. In 1965, he was named People’s Writer of the Estonian SSR. Over his career, Smuul was honored with several prestigious awards for his work. He was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1952 and the Lenin Prize in 1961. Johan Smuul is connected to over… Read the full story

Today we’re excited to announce the first step in some major new enhancements to Geni Projects. Projects were first introduced over a year ago as a way for users to organize and work together on groups of related profiles. We think you are all going to love our new changes to Projects. Check out the enhancements below! A New Look   We’ve given our Projects page a makeover. Featured Projects are displayed right at the top… Read the full story

On February 15, 1874, polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton was born. Shackleton was one of the principle figures during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. His expeditions to Antarctica pioneered routes into the continent’s interior. In 1909, Shackleton and his team made a southern march and established a record Farthest South latitude at 88° 23′ S, by far the closest convergence in exploration history at the time. For his achievement, Shackleton was knighted by King Edward VII. Sir… Read the full story

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Throughout the world, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by the exchange of candy, flowers and gifts with loved ones. In honor of this romantic day, we’re featuring the Famous Couples in History project on Geni! Check out the family trees of some of the most prominent couples from all over the world. Here you will find a wide range of famous relationships, including historical figures Mark Antony and Cleopatra and the celebrity couple… Read the full story

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today, we highlight Giacomo Casanova, an Italian adventurer and author whose name has become synonymous with the art of seduction. Although history remembers him best as a womanizer, Casanova is also recognized as one of the foremost chroniclers of his age. His autobiography, Histoire de ma vie (Story of My Life), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th… Read the full story

A recap of the past couple of weeks in links! The Genealogy Sphere Genealogy Research vs. Privacy Restrictions (Archives.com) – Talking about privacy restrictions in genealogy research Genealogy: FamilySearch indexes all U.S. censuses, will add 1940 quickly after April release (The Salt Lake City Tribune) – 1940s census records are coming soon! How NBC’s ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ Picks Its Celebrities (Investors.com) – Ever wonder how the celebrities in Who Do You Think… Read the full story