June 2018

The World Family Tree on Geni currently has over 120 million people connected. This has been made possible through collaborative research of millions of Geni users. Although information on public profiles is accessible to everyone, the ability to edit them may be limited depending on your permissions. All users can edit the basic information of any public profile they are connected to, but to get full edit permissions on a profile, you will need to send a collaboration request… Read the full story

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist during an official visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia. His assassination sparked a chain of events that would lead to the beginning of World War I. Ferdinand was the eldest son of Princess Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria, who was the younger brother of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria, and Maximilian… Read the full story

Today we remember author, activist, and lecturer Helen Keller, who was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Helen Adams Keller spent her childhood living at her family’s homestead, Ivy Green, which was built by her grandfather in 1820. Born physically normal, Keller did not lose her sight or hearing until she was 19 months old due to an illness. Although her health recovered, the illness left her deaf and blind for the rest of her life. Unable to see, hear… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Ariana Grande! Today the popular singer turns 25. She was born Ariana Grande-Butera on June 26, 1993 in Boca Raton, Florida to Joan Grande and Edward Burtera. Her parents separated while she was a child. Grande has Italian ancestry through both of her parents and has described herself as half Abruzzesse and half Sicilian. Her ancestors were born in Italy before making their way to the United States. Much of her Sicilian ancestry on the paternal side… Read the full story

Remember reading Nineteen Eighty-Four? On this day in 115 years ago, author George Orwell was born. Orwell is often considered one of the most influential voices of the 20th century. The author was born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903 in Motihari, Bihar, British India. His father, Richard Walmesley Blair, worked in the Opium Department of the Indian Civil Service. At the age of one, his mother took him and his sisters to England. Better known by his… Read the full story

Happy birthday to the Duke of Cambridge! Today Prince William turns 36. The Duke of Cambridge was born on June 21, 1982 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. The Prince was the first royal heir to be born in a hospital. Since then, all three of his children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were also born at the same hospital as their father. The tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, when he… Read the full story

In many parts of the world, the end of the school year means students receive their yearbooks to sign and remember the year they’ve had. Years from now, they will be able to look back at these yearbooks to remember what happened during this unique moment of their lives. Yearbooks are also fantastic records to explore for genealogy, too. With these school records, you can learn about what clubs and activities family members were a part of and see… Read the full story

Have you found your connection to a Titanic passenger? On this day in 1863, English fashion designer and survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon was born. She was considered one of the leading fashion designers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Lady Duff-Gordon was born Lucy Christiana Sutherland on June 13, 1863 in London, England to Douglas Sutherland, a civil engineer, and Elinor Sounders. After her first marriage, Lady Duff-Gordon began working as a dressmaker… Read the full story

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank Today we remember Anne Frank, who was born on this day 89 years ago. Annelies Marie Frank was born on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany to Otto and Edith Frank. The family lived in Frankfurt until Anne was five. In 1933, the family fled to Amsterdam after the Nazi party came to power. On her… Read the full story

On this day in 1909, American obstetrical anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar was born. Known as the inventor of the Apgar score, Apgar is credited with saving the lives of millions of newborn babies. Apgar was born on June 7, 1909 in Westfield, New Jersey. She developed her interest in science partly from her father, who was an amateur astronomer and inventor. In 1949, Apgar became the first woman to become a full professor at the Columbia University College of… Read the full story

We had a fun time at the 49th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree! From May 31 – June 2, a few members of the Geni team headed over to the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel in Burbank, California to participate in this exciting and engaging conference. The Geni booth before the doors opened For the first time, the exhibit hall was open on the Thursday, which is usually reserved for DNA Day. This year the day was packed with… Read the full story

Today we remember Robert F. Kennedy on the 50th anniversary of his assassination. After winning the California presidential primary, Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968. He would succumb to his wounds 26 hours later. Kennedy was the seventh child born to Joseph Kennedy, Sr. And Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. During his brother’s presidency, Kennedy served as the Attorney General of the United States and was one… Read the full story