2016

On this day in 1965, Edward White became the first American to “walk” in space. White was born on November 14, 1930 in San Antonio, Texas to Edward H. White, Sr., a Major General in the U.S. Air Force, and Mary Rosina Haller. In 1962, he was one of nine men chosen as part of NASA’s Astronaut Group 2. Considered to be a high-flier in the elite group, White was chosen as pilot of Gemini 4 along… Read the full story

Do you have roots in the Old West? Wild Bill Hickok, one of America’s most legendary gunslingers, was born on this day in 1837. Born and raised on a farm in rural Illinois, James Butler Hickok lived a life filled of adventures. During the American Civil War, Hickok served as a scout and spy for the Union army. He also worked as a stagecoach driver and lawman. A gifted marksman from an early age, the legend… Read the full story

We’re excited for the 47th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree taking place on June 3-5, 2016 at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel. Jamboree has always been one of the most fun genealogy events of the year. A short drive from the Geni office, Jamboree is a great opportunity to reunite with old friends and meet new faces. This year’s theme is “Giving to the Future by Preserving the Past.” Presentations will be held on a… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Western film? On this day in 1907, legendary icon John Wayne was born in Winterset, Iowa. Although he was born Marion Robert Morrison, he preferred to be called by his nickname, “Duke.” He was a gifted athlete and even landed a football scholarship to the University of Southern California. Wayne got his start in film with small parts in low budget Westerns. His big break came when he was cast in… Read the full story

Do you have royal blood? On this day in 1819, Queen Victoria was born in Kensington Palace in London. One of the longest reigning monarchs in British history, Victoria’s strategic marriage of her nine children to royal and noble families across Europe earned her the nickname, “the Grandmother of Europe.” Image: Library of Congress In honor of her birthday, here are some interesting facts about Queen Victoria: 1. She was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke… Read the full story

Have you found any funny or unusual names during your genealogy research? Naming trends change and evolve over time, so what may seem odd-sounding to us today, may not have been so strange at the time. Nevertheless, we still get a good chuckle when we come across one of these names as we think to ourselves, “what were they thinking?” Check out some funny and unusual names we found in Geni’s World Family Tree! 1. Experience Bliss 2. Fanny Rash 3. Honest… Read the full story

As any genealogist will say, documents are vital to doing good genealogy research. It’s important to remember to upload your documents to your family’s profiles on Geni and add sources to ensure the family tree is as accurate as possible. What happens when you have a document with multiple people in it? Records such as the census or passengers lists may hold the names of entire families. Instead of uploading the document to every profile, you can simply tag… Read the full story

Today Norway celebrates its Constitution Day, referred to simply as syttende mai (seventeenth May) by Norwegians. The national holiday is observed each year to commemorate the signing of the Constitution of Norway at Eidsvoll on May 17, 1814. The constitution declared Norway to be an independent nation in an attempt to avoid being ceded to Sweden after Denmark-Norway’s defeat in the Napoleonic Wars. The Crown Prince of Denmark-Norway, Christian Frederik, was named the first king of Norway,… Read the full story

Do you have immigrant ancestors? Here’s an interesting video from Metrocosm depicting immigration to the United States from 1820 to 2013. Watch the changing immigration patterns in the U.S. over a period of nearly two centuries. The data comes from the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration Office. In this colorful animation, the country’s brightness corresponds to its total migration to the U.S. at any given time, while each dot represents 10,000 individuals. It’s interesting to see how immigration patterns have… Read the full story

We had a great time meeting everyone at the NGS 2016 Family History Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida! Between May 4-7, genealogists and family historians from all around the country gathered at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Boward County Convention Center to enjoy a fascinating array of genealogy lectures and learn more about what’s going on in the world of genealogy. The Geni booth at NGS 2016 before opening day At the Geni booth, we welcomed many people interested in… Read the full story

Happy birthday, George Clooney! Today the star turns 55. Clooney has an interesting pedigree. Not only is he the nephew of famous actress Rosemary Clooney, but his fourth great grandmother, Mary Ann Whitehouse (Sparrow), is the half sister of Nancy Lincoln, the mother of President Abraham Lincoln. That makes Abraham Lincoln his first cousin five times removed! After small parts on television, Clooney finally hit it big with a starring role in the hit drama ER. Since then,… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Brady Bunch? On this day in 1926, actress Ann B. Davis was born in Schenectady, New York. Best known for playing the beloved and hilarious housekeeper Alice Nelson on the popular 70s sitcom, Davis was a longtime veteran of the stage and screen. She caught the acting bug in college, where she had originally planned to study medicine. After her breakout hit on the 1950s sitcom The Bob Cummings Show, for which she won two… Read the full story

It was reported recently that a Northern Idaho family has finally broken their 100 year old streak – the Underdahl family finally welcomed their first baby girl after 101 years. The record was finally broken when Scott and Ashton Underdahl welcomed Aurelia Marie Ann on April 12. The couple have a son, Archer, and had been hoping to finally bring a girl into the family. After a century-long streak of boys, baby Aurelia was born at 8lbs 3oz…. Read the full story

Are you related to a media tycoon? On this day in 1863, American newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst was born in San Francisco, California. Hearst was the only son of wealthy mining magnet George Hearst and his wife, Phoebe Apperson Hearst. He entered the publishing business after receiving control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father. Before long, Hearst used his vast wealth to acquire more and more newspapers and magazines across the country. His vast media… Read the full story

Next week Geni is heading to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the NGS 2016 Family History Conference. From May 4-7, genealogists and family historians from all around the country will come together at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center to learn more about the latest in genealogy. Attendees will have the opportunity to choose from over 150 lectures on a wide range of topics. The theme to this year’s conference is “Exploring the Centuries: Footprints… Read the full story

Today marks the 162nd birthday of British engineer and inventor Hertha Marks Ayrton. A pioneering scientist, Ayrton was the first woman to read her own paper before the British Royal Society. She presented her work on electric arcs and ripples in sand and water, and brought a scientific explanation for this simple observation, “when a wave washes over sand, ripples will appear.” She was awarded the society’s prestigious Hughes Medal for her work. Ayrton was born Phoebe Sarah… Read the full story

While the world celebrated the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death on April 23, today marks the day the Bard was baptized. Image: Wikimedia Commons Although the exact date of William Shakespeare’s birth is unknown, we do know the day he was baptized thanks to his baptism records. He was baptized at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-on-Avon on April 26, 1564. Since a child’s baptism generally takes place just a few days after birth, it is… Read the full story

This Earth Day, we highlight the profile of naturalist and advocate John Muir, who was instrumental in preserving the wilderness of the United States. Muir was born on April 21, 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland and immigrated with his family to the United States when he was eleven years old. The family settled in Wisconsin, where Muir developed a fascination and wonder for the natural world. Muir devoted much of his later life to the preservation of… Read the full story

We were shocked to hear of the sudden padding of legendary musician Prince today. A musical genius and innovator, Prince was one of the most significant figures in the music industry. A pioneer of Minneapolis sound, Prince combined multiple genres – rock, R&B, jazz, funk, pop, disco, soul, hip hop, and psychedelia – to create his unique sound. Image: Penner, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)  In honor of his memory, we look back on some interesting… Read the full story

Today Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 90th birthday! She was born on April 21, 1926 in the home of her maternal grandfather’s house in London. On May 29, she was christened at Buckingham Palace and named Elizabeth after her mother, Alexandra after King George V’s mother who had died a few months before, and Mary after her paternal grandmother. At the time of her birth, no one expected that she would one day become queen…. Read the full story

Are you searching for your American Revolutionary War ancestors? You may want to check out the American Revolutionary War genealogy project on Geni! Image: Library of Congress Collaborate with others in Geni’s friendly and knowledgable community of researchers to discover the Patriots in your family tree. The Shot Heard ‘Round the World On April 19, 1775, battle broke out at Lexington as British forces and American colonial militias fought for the first time, marking the beginning of… Read the full story

Yesterday, news broke of the passing of actress Doris Roberts. She was perhaps best remembered for her role on the hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Roberts was born Doris May Green on November 4, 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri. When she was 10, her father left the family. She would later take on her stepfather’s name Roberts as her own. Roberts discovered acting at an early age and dropped out of college to pursue acting full time…. Read the full story

As British forces prepared to march onto Lexington and Concord on April 18, 1775, two patriots set out on horseback to warn American colonists of the British advancement. While everyone may know the story of Paul Revere’s midnight ride, the story of William Dawes’s ride is often forgotten. Revere and Dawes embarked on different routes across Massachusetts in the event one was be captured. Dawes was assigned to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that they were in danger of… Read the full story

We love hearing about stories from the Geni community about their journeys to uncover their family history. Today we’d like to share Anne Brannen’s story. A recent addition to Geni’s team of dedicated volunteer curators, Anne shares her family stories and the path that led her to tackle the medieval lines of the World Family Tree. After 22 years of working in Pittsburgh teaching at Duquesne University, Anne is now living a semi-retired life while… Read the full story

On this day in 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into outer space. Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934 in the village of Klushino in Russia. The son of a carpenter and milkmaid, Yuri was the third of four children. As a young man, Yuri learned to fly while volunteering for weekend training as a Soviet air cadet at a local flying club. He later joined the… Read the full story

On this day in 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba. As the Emperor of France, Napoleon established a hegemony over most of continental Europe. Often regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history, Napoleon was able to establish a large empire through a series of military campaigns that would become known as the Napoleonic Wars. In 1812, Napoleon launched a disastrous invasion of Russia. The existing continental powers… Read the full story

Famous painter Pablo Picasso died on this day in 1973. Named one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century, Picasso proved to be an immensely successful and prolific artist during his lifetime. He was baptized Pablo Diego Jose Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Maria de los remedios Cipriano de la Santisima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso, a series of names honoring various saints and relatives. Picasso was born on October 25, 1881… Read the full story

On this day in 1900, actor Spencer Tracy was born. Considered one of the biggest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Tracy captivated audiences with his impressive range and his frequent collaborations with fellow Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn. Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was born on April 5, 1900 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A rambunctious child, Tracy was place in the care of Dominican nuns at the age of 9 in the hopes of transforming his behavior. At the… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Robert Downey, Jr. Today the star turns 51. Born into a creative household, the Iron Man star grew up in New York City’s Greenwich Village. As a child, he was exposed to drugs by his father, filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr. He would eventually overcome his drug addiction, but not before he spent several months in prison for drug related charges. As an actor, he has won great praise for his work. In 1992, he earned his… Read the full story

Now that spring is officially here, it’s the perfect time to do a little genealogy spring cleaning. Take a break from your research to reorganize, refresh and get yourself in the best shape before tackling your next genealogy hurdle. Image: Nationaal Archief, Flickr Here are some quick tips to get started on your genealogy spring cleaning: Time to scan old documents and photos! Do you have a pile of old documents and photos that you’ve been meaning to… Read the full story

World War I was an interesting time for women. As millions of men were off fighting in the Great War, women back home entered the work force in droves. It was the first time in American history that many women began to take on the jobs traditionally held by men. Before the U.S. entered the war, women were relegated to the home or to domestic work. In 1914, when World War I broke out in Europe, the traditional… Read the full story

Are you related to the Tudors? On this day in 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died at the age of 69. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn and succeeded to the throne after the death of her elder sister Queen Mary I. The last of the Tudor monarchs, Elizabeth I’s reign was known as the Elizabethan Era and is regarded as a golden age of English history. Her reign… Read the full story

“Give me liberty or give me death!” On this day in 1775, Patrick Henry uttered his famous line in a speech made to the Second Virginia Convention. It was Henry’s impassioned words that was said to have convinced the delegates at the convention to pass a resolution that would mobilize arms against encroaching British forces before the start of the American Revolutionary War. Among the delegates in attendance were George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Considered one of the Founding… Read the full story

Did you know you can customize how names are displayed on Geni? Since Geni’s World Family Tree is shared by everyone, it’s important to provide you with ways you can personalize how names are displayed without infringing on the preferences of others. These name preferences apply to the family tree, lists and the rest of Geni. You can customize your name preferences in your Account Settings. Select Name Preferences to customize how names are displayed on Geni… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Reese Witherspoon! Today the actress turns 40. Born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon, Reese grew up in Tennessee and began her career as a child actor. From early roles in Election and Legally Blonde to her Academy Award winning role as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, Reese has found much success on film in a variety of roles. Reese recently celebrated her 40th birthday with a star-studded bash, which included a private concert from her cousin Taylor… Read the full story

It’s St. Patrick’s Day! In celebration of the holiday, we take a look at some famous faces in Geni’s World Family Tree with surprising Irish ancestry. Barack and Michelle Obama Image: Peta Souza / White House The Obamas each have surprisingly deep Irish connections. The President’s Irish ancestry can be traced through his maternal lineage. His third great grandfather, Fulmoth Kearney, was born in Offaly, Ireland in 1830. He would later immigrate to the United States along with… Read the full story

Today we remember former First Lady Pat Nixon on what would have been her 104th birthday. Nixon was born Thelma Catherine Ryan on March 16, 1912 in Ely, Nevada. She was given the nickname “Pat” by her father as a reference to her birthdate and Irish ancestry. She later dropped her first name and used “Pat,” and sometimes “Patricia,” though she never legally changed it. She grew up on a small truck farm in California, and by… Read the full story

Are you related to a U.S. President? On this day in 1767, Andrew Jackson was born near the border of North and South Carolina. The 7th President of the United States, Jackson was born near the end of the colonial era. His parents. Andrew and Elizabeth Jackson, had emigrated from Ireland just two years before Jackson was born. His father died three weeks before his birth. Only 13 during the American Revolution, Jackson worked informally as a militia… Read the full story

Are you familiar with the story of Frankenstein? On this day in 1818, author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley first published her best known Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus. Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin was born in London, England in 1797 to Mary Wollstonecraft, a feminist philosopher and writer, and journalist William Godwin.  In 1814, she met poet Percy Shelley. The couple traveled around Europe for some time and struggled with financial difficulties and the death of their… Read the full story

What’s in a middle name? Not everyone has one and its significance varies between different cultures. If you come across someone with a middle name during your genealogy research, a closer investigation may give you fascinating insights into family traditions, your ancestors or even clues to missing branches. While the concept of a “middle name” has been around since the Middle Ages, it was not until 1835 that the phrase “middle name” first appeared in the Harvard University… Read the full story

Today we celebrate International Women’s Day, which recognizes the past and present achievements of women all around the world. In honor of the the day, here are some of the remarkable women throughout history found in Geni’s World Family Tree: Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) Image: Wikimedia Commons A gifted mathematician, Ada Lovelace wrote the world’s first computer program nearly a century before the first computers were built. Lovelace envisioned a day when a single machine could be programed for… Read the full story

Are you having trouble searching for your female ancestors? Documentation for women is often difficult to come by in the historical record. Often times, name changes and omissions in favor of male relatives make it difficult to track down your female ancestors. Image: Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Archives The month of March is designated as Women’s History Month. In honor of the month long celebration, here are some ways you can uncover the maiden names of your… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Jon Bon Jovi! Today the rocker turns 54. John Francis Bongiovi, Jr. was born on March 2, 1962 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. His parents, John Francis Bongiovi, Sr. and Carol Sharkey, met while in the Marines. Interestingly, his mother was also a former model and one of the first Playboy bunnies. Jon’s interest in music began when he was young, and by his early teens, he knew he wanted to be a rock… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Justin Bieber! Today the pop star turns 22. Bieber was born on March 1, 1994 in London, Ontario, Canada. From a young age, Bieber showed a special talent for music. Growing up, he learned to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet. At the age of 12, his mother uploaded a video of Bieber performing at a local singing competition to YouTube so their family and friends to see. As she continued to upload more… Read the full story

Today is Leap Day! Why do we have leap days? Because it actually takes about 365¼ days for the Earth to orbit the sun. To account for this, an extra day is added every four years to the Gregorian calendar. This occurs every year divisible by four, with the exception of century years, unless it is divisible by 400. Here are some interesting facts about leap day: 1. You can thank Julius Caesar for leap year. The… Read the full story

Congratulations to Leonardo DiCaprio for finally winning his first Oscar! The six-time Academy Award nominee finally took home the coveted prize for Best Actor for his role in the film, The Revenant. The film was inspired by the experiences of American frontiersman Hugh Glass, who had been left for dead by his companions after being mauled by a grizzly bear. Years in the making, DiCaprio earned his first Oscar nomination 22 years ago in 1994. When accepting the award, the audience… Read the full story

Since the first grade, Geni Curator Jim Wile knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. With dreams to become a math teacher, Jim was working towards his degree in education when his birth date was called in the military draft lottery. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 902nd Military Intelligence Group. Despite his three-year detour, Jim went on to achieve his goal to become a teacher of… Read the full story

After spending time merging duplicates, it’s easy to forget to go back to resolve conflicting data on profiles. Data conflicts arise when two profiles are merged but some of the information on the profiles do not match. Instead of discarding the mismatched information, we allow you to review these conflicts and choose the best data to keep. The information you select will appear on the individual’s profile page. Below we’ll walk you through how to review and… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Drew Barrymore! Today the actress turns 41. Drew Blythe Barrymore was born into the famous Barrymore dynasty of actors. The granddaughter of legendary actor John Barrymore, Drew descends from a long line of performers. John Barrymore’s siblings, Lionel and Ethel, were also renowned stage actors. Not only that, her great grandparents, Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew, were accomplished stage actors as well. Her second great grandparents, John and Louisa Lane Drew, owned and ran their own… Read the full story

Today we mourn the death of brilliant author Harper Lee. She passed away at the age of 89 in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. The beloved author of To Kill a Mockingbird was revered by many who grew up reading her classic novel. In honor of her passing, we take a look back at her life. 1. Nelle Harper Lee was the youngest of four children born to Frances Cunningham (Finch) and Amasa Coleman Lee. Her first name was… Read the full story