2017

On this day in 1694, Mary II, Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, died at the age of 32. Her death came just five years after Mary and her husband, William III, jointly became king and queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland following the Glorious Revolution. Mary was born on April 30, 1662 and was the eldest daughter of King James II and VII and his first wife, Anne Hyde. Although her mother bore eight children, only Mary… Read the full story

As 2017 comes to a close, we’re taking some time to reflect on this past year on Geni. We celebrated an exciting milestone, introduced new enhancements, met genealogists all around the country, and heard some wonderful stories from our users. Here are our highlights: This year, Geni celebrated our 10th anniversary! Geni first launched in January 2007 with one goal in mind – to create a single family tree of the entire world. Today, Geni’s World Family Tree… Read the full story

On this day in 1972, President Harry S. Truman died at the age of 88. He and his wife Bess, who died in 1982, are buried at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri to John Anderson Truman and Martha Ellen Young. His middle name was a matter of debate between his parents. His father wanted to give him the middle name… Read the full story

Do you have any vintage holiday cards? It’s an old practice to send holiday cards to friends and loved ones during the holidays. They are also a great find for genealogists. Old postcards can often provide some important clues for your family history and can provide an intimate connection with your family’s past. They may even provide you with a new name or give you a clue as to how someone is related. With the holidays only a few days away, here’s a… Read the full story

What’s your favorite holiday movie? On this day in 1946, It’s a Wonderful Life premiered in New York City. The holiday classic starred James Stewart in his first film after taking a break from Hollywood to serve in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. The film was based on the short story, “The Greatest Gift,” written by Philip Van Doren Stern. Stern had self-published the story as a palm-sized booklet and printed about 200 copies to give to friends… Read the full story

On this day in 1732, Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack was published for the first time. The almanac was published annually for 25 years and became one of colonial America’s most popular publications. Remembered as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Franklin was also a successful inventor, printer, and writer. He used the pseudonym Richard Saunders to publish the popular almanac, which was composed of a calendar, weather forecasts, poems, proverbs, puzzles, astrological information, practical advice, and more. Most of the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Steven Spielberg! Today the legendary director turns 71. Known for his blockbuster and award-winning films, Spielberg has directed and produced many of the most popular movies in history. Spielberg was born on December 18, 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio to an Orthodox Jewish family. His mother, Leah Posner, was a concert pianist and restauranteur, and his father, Arnold Spielberg, worked as an electrical engineer. His paternal grandparents were emigrants from the Ukraine, who settled in… Read the full story

When news of Prince Harry’s engagement to American actress Meghan Markle broke, we shared how the newly engaged couple were related through Geni’s World Family Tree. With excitement still in the air, we thought it would be fun to share a few more of Meghan’s surprising relatives. Recently, our parent company, MyHeritage, shared the news that Meghan was related to William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill through her English roots. This was possible thanks to Geni’s World Family Tree, which connects over 120… Read the full story

On this day in 1503, French astrologer Nostradamus was born in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Provence, France. Nostradamus believed he could predict the future and documented his predictions in his book, The Prophecies. Since its initial publication, many people have believed that his predictions have come true or will come true in the future. Not much is known about the early years of Nostradamus’s life. He was born Michel de Nostradame and excelled in school where he studied medicine. He spent many… Read the full story

On this day in 1818, Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States and wife of Abraham Lincoln, was born in Lexington, Kentucky. She was the fourth of seven children born to Robert Smith Todd and Elizabeth Parker and came from a prominent slaveholding family in Kentucky. Her paternal grandfather, Levi Todd, and his two brothers, fought in the American Revolutionary War. Early Kentucky pioneers, Todd and his brothers founded Lexington after the war. In 1839,… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 135th birthday of German physicist and mathematician Max Born, who was instrumental in the development of quantum mechanics. In 1954, Born won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to the field. Born was born on December 11, 1882 in Breslau in what was then a part of the German Empire (now Wroclaw, Poland). He was the son of Gustav Jacob Born, a prominent German histologist and medical author, and Margarethe… Read the full story

On this day in 1941, Imperial Japanese Naval Air forces attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, which left more than 1,100 people wounded and 2,403 people dead. The surprise military attack was a profound shock to the American people and immediately drew the United States into World War II. Pearl Harbor under attack on December 7, 1941 / National Archives and Records Administration In his address to Congress the day following the attack, President Franklin D…. Read the full story

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” 62 years ago today, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her act of defiance would become one of the defining moments of the American Civil Rights movement. On December 1, 1955, Parks was riding home from a long day of work on a segregated bus. After the whites-only section was filled, the bus… Read the full story

Today’s Google Doodle honors British horticulturist and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll on her 174th birthday. Considered one of the most well known and influential garden designers in history, Jekyll created over 400 gardens throughout Europe and the United States. Jekyll was born on November 29, 1843 in London, England. She was the fifth of seven children born to Captain Edward Joseph Hill Jekyll and Julia Hammersley. Her brother, Walter, was a friend of author Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson would… Read the full story

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged! Did you know that Prince Harry and Megan are also related? Discover how in Geni’s World Family Tree. According to the official announcement, the couple will marry in the spring of next year. They were introduced by a mutual friend and have been together for over a year. While making their debut as an engaged couple outside of Kensington Palace, Prince Harry revealed that he knew she was the one from the moment they met.

We’re sad to hear of the passing of David Cassidy, who died Tuesday at the age of 67. One of the biggest musical and television stars of the 1970s, Cassidy will perhaps be forever remembered as the star of the musical television series, The Partridge Family. Cassidy was born on April 12, 1950 in New York City, New York to singer and actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward. After his parents divorced, his father married actress… Read the full story

In a very special live segment on Good Morning America, a mother and daughter were reunited for the first time in over 30 years thanks to MyHeritage DNA. In 1986, Angie Oracoy placed her daughter, Meribeth, up for adoption. Only 19 years old at the time, the young mother never had the chance to hold her daughter before she was taken away. Angie hoped Meribeth would be adopted by a loving family who could give her daughter the life that she… Read the full story

People magazine recently named country music star Blake Shelton 2017’s Sexiest Man Alive. Are you a fan? Explore his family tree on Geni and discover how you’re related! The Oklahoma native was born Blake Tollison Shelton on June 18, 1976 to Richard Shelton, a used car salesman, and Dorothy Byrd, a beauty salon owner. His father served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a member of the Honor Guard. At 14, he lost… Read the full story

On November 11, the United States celebrates Veterans Day to give thanks, honor, and celebrate the brave men and women who have served in the nation’s armed forces. Originally observed as Armistice Day, which commemorated the end of World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who died while in… Read the full story

“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Those were the first words uttered by journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley when he found missing explorer David Livingstone on November 10, 1871 in present-day Tanzania. Born John Rowlands in Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales, Stanley immigrated to the United States at 18 and changed his name. During the American Civil War, he served in both the Confederate and Union armies. After the war, he became a journalist. In 1871, he was commissioned by The New York… Read the full story

Have you found your connection to royalty? On this day in 1841, King Edward VII was born in Buckingham Palace. The eldest son of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, Edward VII held the record for the longest serving heir-apparent in British history at 59 years, until he was surpassed by his second great grandson Prince Charles in 2011. He was named Albert Edward after his father and his maternal grandfather, Prince Edward Duke of Kent and Strathearn. He was known… Read the full story

Sometimes when you hit a brick wall in your genealogy research, you may feel like there is no hope in overcoming it. However, there may be a few things to try that you may have overlooked. Here are a few quick tips on how to overcome your brick walls: Review what you have Go back and review what you know about your ancestor. Take some time to to create a timeline during your review to get a better picture of your… Read the full story

Remember watching Little House on the Prairie? On this day in 1936, star Michael Landon was born in Queens, New York. He was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz to Peggy O’Neill, a dancer and comedy actress, and Eli Maurice Orowitz, a theater manager and publicist. Once he started acting school, he changed his name to “Michael Landon” after finding the name in a phone book. In 1959, he landed his first starring role on television on the… Read the full story

Today “The Fonz,” Henry Winkler, celebrates his 72nd birthday! Winkler was born on October 30, 1945 in Manhattan, New York to Ilse Anna Marie Hadra and Harry Irving Winker, who emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1939. From a young age, Winkler had a passion for acting and earned a MFA from Yale School of Drama in 1967. He caught his big break when he was cast as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on the hit television show Happy… Read the full story

On this day in 1881, gunslingers Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp found themselves involved in the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. On October 26, 1881, the long simmering feud between the outlaw Cowboys, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury, and town Marshal Virgil Earp, and lawmen Morgan and Wyatt Earp, erupted in a 30-second shootout in Tombstone, Arizona. Holliday was a good friend of Earp’s and was assisting as a temporary policeman at the… Read the full story

Today we remember music legend Fats Domino, who passed away at the age of 89. One of rock and roll’s earliest pioneers, Domino’s unique music style influenced generations of musicians. He was born Antoine Domino, Jr. on February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The eighth child of Antoine Caliste Domino and Marie-Donatille Gros, he was born in his family’s home with the assistance of his grandmother, who was a midwife. His family was Creole and spoke French Creole… Read the full story

Teacher Annie Edson Taylor had a unique way of celebrating her 63rd birthday on October 24, 1901. On that day, Taylor became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She was born on October 24, 1838 in Auburn, New York and was one of eight children. Taylor grew up comfortably and studied to become a school teacher before marring at the age of 17. However, after her husband died in the Civil War,… Read the full story

Heeere’s Johnny! Today we remember late-night host Johnny Carson on what would have been his 92nd birthday. Do you remember watching the “King of Late Night”? Carson was born on October 23, 1925 in Corning, Iowa to Homer Lloyd Carson and Ruth Elizabeth Hook. He showed a talent for entertainment at a young age and performed public magic shows as “The Great Carsoni.” At the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served… Read the full story

One of the most basic pieces of information a genealogists may search for is an ancestor’s date of death. However, sometimes family history researchers are unable to locate a death certificate for an ancestor. Good thing there are many other options available to locate an ancestor’s death information! If you’re searching for an ancestor’s death information, you may want to consider exploring these valuable resources: 1. Newspapers and obituaries The Harlowton News, October 27, 1911 Search through old newspapers for obituaries and death notices,… Read the full story

On this day in 1469, Isabella I of Castile married Ferdinand II of Aragon. Their marriage brought stability to the kingdoms and paved the way for the unification of Aragon and Castile into the single country of Spain. Isabella was born on April 22, 1451 to John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal. Isabella and Ferdinand were second cousins, both descending from John I of Castile. Since they were both so closely related, their… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Murder, She Wrote? Today star Angela Lansbury celebrates her 92nd birthday! On October 16, 1925, legendary actress Angela Lansbury was born to an upper middle class family in London, England. She was the daughter of English stage actress Moyna Macgill and Edgar Lansbury, a politician and timber merchant. Her paternal grandfather, George Lansbury, was the leader of the Labor Party. At the age of 9, Lansbury lost her father to stomach cancer. She turned to film… Read the full story

If you haven’t yet hopped into Geni’s public discussions, then you’re missing out on a valuable resource – the entire Geni community! Public discussions are the perfect place to ask questions, connect with other Geni users and even reach out for help from other members and volunteer curators. Whether it is a question about a profile or a request for help to fix the tree, public discussions are a great way to interact with others online. There are… Read the full story

It’s World Teachers’ Day! The day commemorates the hard work and dedication of teachers all around the world. In celebration of World Teachers’ Day, we’re highlighting some of history’s most notable educators. Read about them below and check out more in the Notable Educators project on Geni! 1. Anne Sullivan Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan / Library of Congress Perhaps one of the most famous American teachers in history, Anne Sullivan was known as Helen Keller’s devoted instructor… Read the full story

On this day in 1960, the classic sitcom The Andy Griffith Show premiered for the first time on television. The show starred Andy Griffith as a widower and sheriff of the small town of Mayberry and introduced the world to a 6-year-old Ron Howard as his young son, Opie. Rounding out the cast was actor Don Knotts, who played bumbling deputy Barney Fife, and Francis Bavier as the lovable Aunt Bee. Knotts would win five Emmys for his role, three… Read the full story

This may be a familiar sight to you – you have old photographs of your ancestors but no one is smiling! It’s not often you will find 19th century photographs of a smiling subject. While photographs provide us with a glimpse into who our ancestors were and what they looked like, don’t assume that no one is smiling because they were perpetually unhappy. c.1885 / Library of Congress Long exposure times? During the 19th century,… Read the full story

On this day in 1973, top women’s tennis player Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. King’s triumph on the court not only helped legitimized female professional athletes, but also marked a milestone in women’s equality. Once ranked the top women’s tennis player in the country, King won a total of 39 Grand Slam titles over the course of her tennis career and founded the Women’s Tennis Association. A… Read the full story

Happy 33rd birthday to Prince Harry! The second son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Princess Diana, Harry is currently fifth in line to the throne, behind his nephew, Prince George, and his niece, Princess Charlotte. He will soon be bumped to sixth after the birth of his brother’s third child. Harry was only 12 years old when his mother died tragically in a car crash. Recently, the Prince has spoken publicly about how he struggled to come… Read the full story

We’re excited to announce a new feature to help you create an unconnected family tree branch on Geni. If you want to build the family tree for a person not yet on Geni and you don’t know how the person is related, you can now easily start an unconnected branch of the tree and work towards finding its connection to the World Family Tree. There are many times when you may have information about a person or family, but do not yet know… Read the full story

Love chocolate? On this day in 1857, confectioner Milton S. Hershey, founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company, was born in Derry Township, Pennsylvania. The Hersheys were members of Pennsylvania’s Mennonite community. The future confectioner grew up speaking Pennsylvania Dutch on his family’s small farm and didn’t receive much schooling beyond the 4th grade. By the age of 14, he became an apprentice to a master confectioner with the aim of opening his own candy shop. In… Read the full story

Carole Forsman was born a twin in Omaha, Nebraska on October 7, the anniversary of the hospital. To celebrate, the hospital gifted the all the mothers who gave birth that day no hospital bill. And she even got her picture in the local newspaper! Carole Forman A writer, a board member for the Danish Cemetery in Omaha, Nebraska and a member of the local Danish Club, Carole’s path to genealogy began after she became interested… Read the full story

Happy 50th birthday to Harry Connick, Jr.! The singer and actor was born Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. on September 11, 1967 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Both of his parents were prominent lawyers in New Orleans. His father, Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Sr., was the district attorney of Orleans Parish and his mother, Anita Frances Levy, served as a judge in New Orleans and later a Louisiana Supreme Court justice. They encouraged their son’s early… Read the full story

We’re back from the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2017 National Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From August 30 – September 2, genealogists and family historians from all around the country gathered at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center for a wide variety of sessions held by numerous genealogy experts. The exhibit hall entrance before opening day Many attendees also had the opportunity to visit a wide variety of vendors in the exhibit hall. The Geni booth was the perfect place for… Read the full story

Today we remember Diana, Princess of Wales, on the 20th anniversary of her death. On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died tragically in a car crash in Paris, France. Known as the “People’s Princess” for her compassion and charitable efforts, Princess Diana was beloved all and the world mourned when news spread of her sudden death. In honor of her memory, we take a look back at her life. Image: Wikimedia Commons 1. Diana Frances Spencer… Read the full story

On August 30, 1797, author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born. She was born in London, England to political philosopher William Godwin, and philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1816. Only one of their four children survived beyond infancy, a son named Percy Florence Shelley. She is best known for her first novel, Frankenstein. It was originally published anonymously in 1818 and remains widely read, and has inspired many theatrical and film… Read the full story

Next week Geni will be heading to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2017 Conference. The conference will take place August 30 – September 2 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Hosted by the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, this year’s them is “Building Bridges to the Past.” The conference will have a wide variety of sessions available for all skill levels. Geni will be at booth 123 eager to meet attendees, help answer… Read the full story

On this day in 1485, Richard III of England was killed during the Battle of Bosworth Field, bringing an end to the Plantagenet dynasty. Although Richard III would be king for only 2 years, his short reign would prove to be a turning point in history. He came to power after seizing the throne from his 12-year-old nephew, Edward V. After his brother’s marriage was declared invalid, his children were considered illegitimate, thus making the young Edward… Read the full story

Forty years ago today, Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, died at the age of 42. The music legend was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi in a two-room shotgun house built by his grandfather. His twin brother, Jesse, died during childbirth. Although he grew up poor, by the time of his death, Presley had become one of the most successful musicians in history. After exploding into the spotlight with his… Read the full story

Do you love to cook? On this day in 1912, beloved chef Julia Child was born. Julia Carolyn McWilliams was born on August 15, 1912 in Pasadena, California to John McWilliams, Jr., a land manager, and Julia Weston. Her maternal grandfather, Byron Weston, was the founder of the Weston Paper Company and served as the 32nd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. The host of the popular cooking show, The French Chef, Child didn’t learn to cook until she… Read the full story

We’re excited to announce some recent enhancements to our DNA features on Geni. These new improvements will make it easier for you to find your connection to relatives based on your shared DNA. Shared DNA Matches   Your DNA matches will now display shared DNA matches between you and your match. By seeing the DNA matches you have in common, you can start narrowing down your connection in the family tree. For example, if your… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Dustin Hoffman! Can you believe the actor turns 80 today? Dustin Lee Hoffman was born on August 8, 1937 in Los Angeles, California. He was the second son born to Lillian Gold and Harry Hoffman, who worked as a set decorator at Columbia Pictures. He was named after stage and silent film actor, Dustin Farnum. Hoffman comes from a Jewish family of immigrants from Ukraine, Poland, and Romania. After dropping out of college, Hoffman pursued acting full… Read the full story