2018

On this day in 1881, President James A. Garfield died of complications from a gunshot wound he received on July 2, 1881. Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States and holds the distinction of being the second U.S. President in history to be assassinated. Garfield was born on November 19, 1831 in a log cabin in Orange, Ohio. The youngest of five children, Garfield grew up in poverty. His father died when… Read the full story

Have you found your connection to Danish royalty? On this day in 1786, Christian VIII, King of Denmark, was born at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. His paternal grandfather was King Frederick V of Denmark and Norway. In 1814, Christian was elected as the King of Norway and ruled under the name Christian Frederick. However, his reign was… Read the full story

Today is Constitution Day! On this day, the U.S. observes the adoption of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. The U.S. Constitution / U.S. National Archives Here are seven interesting facts about the Constitution: 1. The U.S. Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787 by 39 delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Some notable signers included George Washington, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton. 2. James Madison is often hailed as the “Father… Read the full story

Are you a country music fan? On this day in 1923, country music’s first superstar, Hank Williams, was born. Although his career was cut short after his death at the age of 29, Williams is often regraded as one of the most influential singers and songwriters of the 20th century. Williams was born Hiram King Williams on September 17, 1923 in Mount Olive, Alabama to Jessie Lillybelle Skipper and Elonzo Huble Williams. His father was drafted during… Read the full story

Growing up, our parents taught us to be polite and practice good manners – say your “pleases” and “thank yous,” hold the door for others, don’t talk with your mouth full, etc. And as we grew up, we strive to pass along these best practices to our children. During the 19th century, etiquette guides were a booming business. To the people of the Victorian Era, practicing good manners was essential to all social interactions. Many books were written… Read the full story

On this day in 1814, Francis Scott Key penned the poem that would later become the lyrics to the United States’ national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Key was born on August 1, 1779 at the family plantation in Maryland. His father was a lawyer, a judge and an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. During the War of 1812, Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British forces while aboard the British… Read the full story

Last night, musician and artist John Legend became the first African American male and the youngest person to achieve EGOT status. Legend, along with Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, won an Emmy for Outstanding Live Variety Special for Jesus Christ Superstar, Live in Concert at the Creative Arts Emmys. They are now among just 15 individuals who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards. Legend was one of the executive producers and star of the… Read the full story

We are excited to share that Geni will be participating in the first-ever MyHeritage user conference and you’re invited! MyHeritage LIVE will take place on the weekend of November 2-4, 2018 in Oslo, Norway. The conference is open to anyone around the world who would like to learn more about Geni and MyHeritage. The conference will feature a keynote speech from MyHeritage Founder and CEO Gilad Japhet, a lecture and workshop from Geni’s General Manager,… Read the full story

On this day in 1936, music legend Buddy Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas. A pioneering figure of 1950s rock and roll, Holly’s short career would go on to inspire many future generations of artists. Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley on September 7, 1936 to Lawrence Odell Holley and Ella Pauline Drake. The fourth and youngest child in the family, Holly was given the nicknamed “Buddy” by his mother, who thought that his given name was too big… Read the full story

On this day in 1638, Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. As soon as he ascended to the throne, Louis XIV took steps to consolidate his power and establish his absolute authority. He would become one of the longest reigning monarchs in European history. During his reign, Louis built the Palace of Versailles, an opulent palace that posed as a symbol of Louis’s centralized power. Although he… Read the full story

Geni will be performing scheduled site maintenance and making a number of improvements to our infrastructure starting at 1:30 AM EST on September 5, 2018 (10:30 PM PDT tonight) and lasting for approximately 2 hours. During this time the Geni website will be unavailable. We’ll do our best to complete the maintenance quickly and return to normal service as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.

Today we remember Princess Diana, who passed away on this day 21 years ago. She was born on July 1, 1961 in Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk and was the fourth of five children born to John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Roche. Her family had been closely allied with the British Royal Family for several generations. Both of her grandmothers served as ladies in waiting to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Diana grew up on the… Read the full story

Last week we had a great time at the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2018 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The conference took place at the Grand Wayne Convention Center, which was conveniently located across the street from the Allen County Public Library. The library is home to one of the largest collections of genealogical materials in the country. We enjoyed chatting with attendees as they stopped by the Geni booth to learn more about Geni’s World Family Tree…. Read the full story

Today we remember Senator John McCain, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 81. An American war hero and U.S Senator, McCain is remembered for staying true to his principles and his lifetime of service to the country. McCain was born on August 29, 1936 at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone. In 1958, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy, following in the footsteps of his father and… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who has passed away at the age of 76. Dubbed the “Queen of Soul,” Franklin is regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time. Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis Tennessee. Her father, C.L. Franklin, was a Baptist minister, and her mother, Barbara Siggers, was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. Her parents had a troubled marriage and they separated in 1948. Her mother died in 1952,… Read the full story

Next week Geni will be at the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2018 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The conference will take place August 22-25, with the exhibit hall opening for everyone on the 23rd. The theme of this year’s conference is “On the Three Rivers – Past, Present & Future.” The conference is being held at the Grand Wayne Convention Center and is conveniently located right across the street from the Allen County Public Library, which holds one… Read the full story

Today we remember award winning writer V.S. Naipaul, who passed away earlier this week on August 11 at the age of 85. He was born Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul on August 17, 1932 in Trinidad and Tobago to Seepersad Naipaul and Droapatie Capildeo. His father was also a writer and worked as a journalist for the Trinidad Guardian. His paternal grandparents had emigrated from India to work as indentured servants on a sugar plantation. Naipaul’s mother was a member of the Capildeo… Read the full story

What’s your favorite Alfred Hitchcock film? On this day in 1899, the legendary filmmaker was born in London, England. Hitchcock was the youngest of three children born to William Hitchcock and Emma Jane Wheland. At the age of 5, Hitchcock’s father once sent him to the local police station with a note asking the officer to lock him up in a cell for a few minutes for behaving badly. For the rest of his life,… Read the full story

Now that summer is in full swing, you can take advantage of these long days to do more with your genealogy research. There are plenty of outdoor and indoor activities to get your family more involved and interested in your family history. Here are some activities to keep you and your family occupied this summer: Take a genealogy trip Image: Missouri State Archives Ready for a summer vacation out of town? Take a genealogy-themed trip to visit… Read the full story

On this day in 1903, renowned paleoanthropologist and archaeologist Louis Leakey was born. Remembered for his fossil discoveries in Africa, Leakey’s paleoanthropological work would significantly impact our understanding of human evolution. Leakey was born Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey on August 7, 1903 in what is today Kenya. He was the son of British missionaries and grew up among the Kikuyu people. Growing up in Africa, Leakey had a lifelong passion for the study of human evolution…. Read the full story

On this day in 1881, Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming was born. Fleming is best remembered for discovering penicillin. His accidental find would become one of the most important discoveries in the history of science. Fleming was born on August 6, 1881 at Lochfield farm near Darvel, Scotland. He was the third of four children born to Hugh Fleming, a farmer, and his second wife, Grace Stirling Morton. Fleming spent four years working at a shipping office before attending medical… Read the full story

Do you have a connection to Norwegian royalty? On this day in 1872, Haakon VII of Norway was born. Regarded as one of the greatest Norwegians of the 20th century, Haakon VII is one of the few monarchs in history to have been elected to the throne. The Norwegian king was born Christian Frederick Carl Georg Valdemar Axel on August 3, 1872 in Denmark at Charlottenlund Palace near Copenhagen. Before becoming the King of Norway,… Read the full story

Have you found ancestors in the United States census? Census records are one of the most important resources in genealogy. With the information provided in these records, finding a relative in the census will often open doors to additional discoveries. The very first U.S. census was conducted on August 2, 1790. Every household was visited by a census taker to record information for each person who was within the household on the census day. In… Read the full story

On this day in 1876, Wild Bill Hickok, one of the most famous gunfighters of the American Wild West, was killed while playing a game of poker. He was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall. “Wild Bill” was born James Butler Hickok on May 27, 1837 in Homer, Illinois. An outstanding marksman from a young age, Hickok gained notoriety when news spread of his role during the McCanles Massacre in 1861 in Rock… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 200th birthday of pioneering astronomer Maria Mitchell! Mitchell is best remembered for discovering a new comet, which became known as “Miss Mitchell’s Comet.” She is often recognized as the first professional female astronomer in the United States. Mitchell was born on August 1, 1818 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The third of ten children, Mitchell grew up in a family of Quakers. Her father was a school teacher and encouraged Mitchell’s interest in astronomy… Read the full story

Happy birthday, J.K. Rowling! Today the Harry Potter author turns 53. The day also marks Harry Potter’s birthday! On July 31, 1965, Joanne Rowling was born in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. She later adopted the pen name “J.K. Rowling,” incorporating her paternal grandmother’s name, Kathleen, for the second initial. From a young age, Rowling frequently wrote stories of fantasy. When she began writing the first Harry Potter book, Rowling was a single mother and struggling financially. However, her… Read the full story

While researching your family history, you may sometimes come across funny names in your family tree or maybe an amusing name will pop out in an old document. For fun, we took a look at some profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree and a few historical records to find some very amusing names that will be sure to give you a chuckle. Check them out below! 1. Here’s Pleasant Wear in the World Family Tree. 2. Wealthy Nutter can be found in the 1920 U.S…. Read the full story

On this day in 1920, pioneering scientist Rosalind Franklin was born. Although her work was not recognized during her lifetime, James Watson and Francis Crick’s discovery of the chemical structure of DNA would not have been possible without Franklin’s groundbreaking research. Franklin was born on July 25, 1920 in London, England to an influential Jewish family. Her great uncle, Herbert Samuel, was a prominent politician and served as Home Secretary in 1916. As child, Franklin had a… Read the full story

On this day in 1783, Venezuelan military leader and politician Simón Bolívar was born. Called “The Liberator,” Bolívar was instrumental in Latin America’s successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire. Bolívar was born into a wealthy family in a house in Caracas, Captaincy General of Venezuela on July 24, 1783. Before the age of ten, Bolivar had lost both of his parents. His father died when he was three and his mother passed away six years… Read the full story

Today marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela, who is often considered one of the most inspirational and beloved leaders in history. In honor of this occasion, check out these 10 interesting facts about the former South African president and freedom fighter. Image: Library of Congress 1. Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtata, South Africa. He was given the name Rolihlahla, a Xhosa… Read the full story

Do you have Norwegian ancestry? On this day in 1872, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was born in Borge, Østfold, Norway. Amundsen was born into a family of shipowners and captains and had a lifelong desire for polar exploration. One of the key figures of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Amundsen was the first explorer to reach the South Pole. He gained invaluable knowledge for his journey in the Antarctic from his earlier expedition traversing the… Read the full story

Was anyone in your family tree a passenger on the RMS Titanic? On this day in 1864, Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor IV was born in Rhinebeck, New York. At the time of his death on the doomed luxury ship, Astor was considered one of the richest men in the world. Astor was born into the prominent Astor family. His great grandfather, John Jacob Astor, was a German immigrant and made his fortune by building a fur trading… Read the full story

Do you remember reading Charlotte’s Web? On this day in 1899, author E.B. White was born in Mount Vernon, New York. The youngest child of Samuel Tilly White and Jessie Hart White, Elwyn Brooks White was the couple’s sixth child. He hated the name “Elwyn,” spent most of his life going by the nickname “Andy.” His older brother, Stanley Hart White, was a professor of Landscape Architecture and inventor of the Vertical Garden. He was a very… Read the full story

On July 6, 1921, former First Lady Nancy Reagan was born. She was the wife of Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, and spent her years at the White House as an advocate for decreasing drug and alcohol abuse. Although known as “Nancy” throughout her life, she was born Anne Frances Robbins in Manhattan, New York to Kenneth Seymour Robbins, a farmer and car salesman, and Edith Prescott Luckett, a film and… Read the full story

On this day in 1883, author Franz Kafka was born in Prague in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The eldest of six children, Kafka grew up in a middle-class, German-speaking, Jewish family. His two younger brothers died in infancy, leaving him as the only son in the family. Though Kafka died several years before World War II, his three sisters would go on to perish during the Holocaust. Kafka showed an interest in writing at an early age, however, his work attracted little… Read the full story

On this day in 1698, English inventor and engineer Thomas Savery received the patent for the first steam engine. His invention would lead to the first commercially used steam powered engine. Savery was born to a prominent family in England in 1650. Known to have an interest in engineering, mathematics, and invention, Savery became a military engineer and invented various types of devices. In 1698, he patented an early steam engine that provided a new method for pumping water… Read the full story

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

We’re proud to announce a long awaited improvement for Geni users – our new HTML tree is now available on all tablet and mobile devices! The new HTML tree replaces our HTML5 version of the tree, which was previously available for devices that do not support Flash. In the past, the HTML5 tree presented users with a very limited version of the family tree, which did not provide users with the best experience for working… Read the full story

Remember watching Bugs Bunny cartoons? On this day in 1908, voice actor Mel Blanc was born in San Francisco, California. Known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices,” Blanc brought to life some of the most iconic cartoon characters during America’s golden age of animation. While working for Warner Bros., Blanc created the voices for about 90 percent of the studio’s cartoons, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat and… Read the full story