2018

How are you related to the Kennedy’s? On this day in 1917, John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. Remembered as one of the most beloved presidents in the history of the United States, Kennedy’s leadership and accomplishments continues to inspire generations years after his death. Kennedy was the second of nine children born to Joseph “Joe” Kennedy and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald. He was named in honor of his maternal grandfather, John Francis Fitzgerald, who… Read the full story

Today the U.S. celebrates Memorial Day to honor of the men and women who have died while serving in the country’s armed forces. Many people will take this time to visit cemeteries to honor our fallen soldiers. The holiday is traditionally celebrated with large parades and family barbecues as we also welcome the unofficial beginning of summer. Image: Kathleen T. Rhem, U.S. Army This long weekend also presents a great opportunity to research your military ancestors. Here are a few ideas on… Read the full story

On this day in 1934, infamous outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot and killed in an ambush by police in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Between 1932-1934, the famous gangsters captured the attention of the American public as they traveled throughout the country committing robberies and murders. The media coverage of their dangerous actions was intense and the couple used this to their advantage. After evading capture for two years, they were finally stopped as they drove… Read the full story

Will you be at the 49th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree next week in Burbank, California? Geni will be there May 31 – June 2, 2018 at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel. We look forward to this fun conference every year! A few changes are in store for this year’s conference. By popular demand, this year, the exhibit hall will be open a day early on Thursday, May 31 during the Genetic Genealogy Conference. Jamboree will then… Read the full story

On this day in 1927, Charles Lindberg completed the world’s first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Lindbergh completed the flight in his custom built single-engine monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York to Paris, France in 33 and a half hours. Lindbergh was born on February 4, 1902 in Detroit, Michigan to Charles August Lindbergh, a former Congressman, and Evangeline Lodge Land. From a young age, Lindbergh showed an… Read the full story

On this day in 1868, Nicholas II of Russia was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. The last Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II’s reign saw the Russian Empire fall from one of the greatest powers in Europe and into economic and military ruin. Nicholas II was the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna. He was closely related to several monarchs in Europe, including King George V of England, who was his first cousin. In 1894,… Read the full story

Do you have Polish ancestry? Today we remember Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka, who was born on this day 120 years ago. Known as “The Baroness with a Brush,” Lempicka gained fame for her bold Art Deco portraits of aristocrats and celebrities. Lempicka was born Maria Górska on May 16, 1898 in Warsaw, Poland. Her father was a Russian Jewish lawyer and her mother was a Polish socialite. As a young child, Lempicka developed a strong… Read the full story

It’s World Family History Day! World Family History Day is celebrated on on May 15 of each year and it falls on the same day that the United Nations observes its International Day of Families. This is the perfect day to dive into your genealogy research and share with your relatives all of the amazing things you have uncovered about your family history. In honor of World Family History Day, check out our list of fun ways you can make… Read the full story

“Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality.” Poet Emily Dickinson died on this day in 1886 in Amherst, Massachusetts. Although her family were prominent members of the community, Dickinson lived much of her life as a recluse at the family homestead built by her paternal grandfather, Samuel Fowler Dickinson, in Amherst. Her grandfather was a prominent lawyer and helped establish the foundations for Amherst College. Her father, Edward, was an active politician and… Read the full story

Do you remember the songs “White Christmas,” “Blue Skies” or “Anything You Can Do”? They all were written by legendary composer and lyricist Irving Berlin, who was born on this day in 1888. Berlin was born Israel Isidore Baline in Tyumen, Siberia in the Russian Empire. One of eight children, Berlin and his family fled to the United States to escape Jewish persecution. The family settled in New York City in 1893, where Berlin worked to help support his… Read the full story

We’re back from Grand Rapids, Michigan where the Geni team was at the National Genealogical Society 2018 Family History Conference. Over 2,000 people were in attendance for the genealogy conference, which took place May 2-5 at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was exciting to introduce Geni to those who were still unfamiliar with the concept of the World Family Tree and they were quickly intrigued by the idea of connecting the… Read the full story

Happy Cinco de Mayo! The Mexican holiday is primarily observed in the United States and parts of Mexico as a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture. Many don’t realize that the holiday also commemorates the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Image: DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University / Flickr In honor of the holiday, here are 5 things to know about the history of Cinco de… Read the full story

It recently came to our attention that the privacy policy page on Geni omitted an important detail. The description of who can edit the public profiles you manage failed to include users within the maximum Family Group range of the managed profile, as well as limited access to all Geni users. These are explained in detail below. Maximum Family Group Public profiles can be edited by users that are near the profile in the family… Read the full story

On this day in 1729, Russian Empress Catherine the Great was born. Although she is remembered as one of Russia’s most renowned and longest-ruling female leaders, Catherine was not born in Russia. She was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst in Stettin, Pomerania, in the Kingdom of Prussia and was the eldest daughter of a minor Prussian prince. At the age of 15, Catherine married the grandson of Peter the Great and heir to the Russian throne, Peter III. After… Read the full story

This week we’ll be in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the National Genealogical Society 2018 Family History Conference. This exciting conference will take place May 2-5, 2018. Will you be there? NGS 2018 is the perfect opportunity to learn from over 175 lectures on a variety of genealogy topics for all skill levels. Explore the exhibit hall and come visit Geni at booth 206! We’re excited to share the power of collaboration in Geni’s World Family Tree and meet Geni… Read the full story

It’s DNA Day! Celebrated each year on April 25, DNA Day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003 and the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick. In honor of the anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project, here are 15 interesting facts about DNA: 1. The discovery of structure of DNA would not have been possible without the work of… Read the full story

Do you remember reading Anne of Green Gables? On this day in 1942, author Lucy Maud Montgomery died at the age of 67. Montgomery was born on November 30, 1874 in Clifton in Prince Edward Island, Canada to Hugh John Montgomery and Clara Woolner Macneill. When she was 21 months old, her mother died of tuberculosis and she was placed in the care of her maternal grandparents. An only child, Montgomery found solace in writing during… Read the full story

Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge! The royal couple welcomed their third child, a healthy baby boy, on April 23, 2018 at 11:01 local time at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, West London. The prince weighed 8 pounds and 7 ounces. Welcome to the family. pic.twitter.com/nKSd5kh5bZ — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 23, 2018 While the public awaits for the official announcement of the prince’s name, here are some interesting facts about the newest addition to… Read the full story

Today we remember playwright William Shakespeare, who died on this day in 1616. Considered one of the greatest writers of the English language, Shakespeare’s vast body of work has been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright in history. While the exact date of his birth is unknown, his baptism record states he was baptized on April 26, 1564 at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. Since a child’s… Read the full story

Some people are lucky to have found old letters during their genealogy research. They may be thoughtful love letters sent home from soldiers at war or general greetings from one cousin to another across the country. But did you know that in the early days of the U.S. parcel service, some parents tried to send their babies by mail? Smithsonian Institution / Flickr After the parcel service was introduced in 1913, a few children were sent via parcel post with… Read the full story

Today we remember former First Lady of the United States Barbara Bush, who passed away yesterday at the age of 92. The matriarch of the Bush family, Barbara was known for her frank and outspoken manner. As First Lady, she worked tirelessly to advance the cause of literacy and founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Barbara Pierce was born on June 8, 1925 in Rye, New York to Pauline Robinson and Marvin Pierce. She first met George H.W. Bush… Read the full story

We’ve made some new enhancements on how to share content from Geni. Now when you want to share a page on Geni, whether it’s a profile, a project or even a discussion, you can simply click on the new Share icon at the top of every page to quickly copy the URL or share it on social media. In the heading of a page, you will now see a new Share icon between your notification count and your profile picture. When… Read the full story

Today we remember pioneering nurse Clara Barton, who died on April 12, 1912 at the age of 90. A battlefield nurse and founder of the American Red Cross, Barton is remembered for her incredible humanitarian work throughout her life. She was born Clarissa Harlow Barton on December 25, 1821 in Oxford, Massachusetts. The youngest of five children, Barton found her calling for helping people at a young age. At the age of 10, she helped nurse her brother back… Read the full story

While researching your ancestors, have you come across a cause of death that you do not recognize? When looking at old records, it’s not uncommon to find a cause of death or illness whose name is no longer in use today. You may find these terms in old historical records such as obituaries, death certificates, probate records, or census mortality schedules. Here’s a quick roundup of a few terms you may encounter: Croup – a swelling of… Read the full story

On this day in 1909, Arctic explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew Henson became the first men to reach the North Pole. Henson is remembered as the first African-American Arctic explorer and assisted Peary for nearly 23 years on his explorations of the Arctic. Henson was born on August 8, 1866 on his parents’ farm near the Potomac River in Charles County, Maryland. His parents were sharecroppers and free people of color before the American… Read the full story

Did your ancestors ever received mail via the Pony Express? The Pony Express was once hailed as the fastest way to send and receive mail across the United States. Although it’s existence was short, its impact and popularity on the American West has continued to endure. Pony Express poster / Wikimedia Commons Check out these interesting facts about the old mail-delivery system of the United States. 1. The Pony Express was founded by William Russell, Alexander Majors,… Read the full story

Spring is here! As you start your spring cleaning in your home, you may also want to make time to do a little spring cleaning in your Merge Center too. Do you recall the last time you took a look at your Requested Merges, Tree Conflicts, or Data Conflicts? It’s easy to forget to check these when you are busy adding new branches. Take a fresh look at some of these pending requests and conflicts… Read the full story

On this day in 1625, King James VI and I died at the age of 58. Crowned the King of Scotland at thirteen months old, James’s reign in Scotland lasted for 57 years and 246 days, longer than any of his predecessors. James was born on June 19, 1566 and was the only son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. His mother’s reign was plagued in scandal. On May 15, 1567, his… Read the full story

On this day in 1750, astronomer Caroline Herschel was born in Hanover, Germany. A pioneer for women in the field of astronomy, Herschel made several significant contributions to the field, including the discovery of several comets. As a young girl, Herschel was struck with typhus, which stunted her growth. At just 4 feet and 3 inches, her mother believed that she would be destined for spinsterhood and would not require much of an education. However, her father… Read the full story

We are sad to hear of the passing of renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who has died in his home at the age of 76. Considered one of the most brilliant minds in science, Hawking overcame great odds to make some of the most groundbreaking discoveries about our universe. Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 in Oxford, England to Frank Hawking and Isobel Walker. Born into a well educated family, Hawking showed an aptitude for math and science at an early age. He studied… Read the full story

We’re back from RootsTech 2018 and we had a wonderful time! Thousands of genealogists from all around the world gathered at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah to attend the largest family history conference in the world. Throughout the conference, the Geni booth was packed with people eager to learn more about collaboration  and Geni’s World Family Tree. Several users stopped by to say hi and tell us how much they enjoy using the… Read the full story

How far telephones have come! On this day in 1876, inventor Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his new revolutionary invention, the telephone, and forever changed the way people communicated. Bell’s family had a significant influence on his research on hearing and speech. His father and grandfather were elocutionists and both his mother and his wife were deaf. His research led to experimentations with hearing devices and an interest in transmitting speech over wires. Bell… Read the full story

Have you read One Hundred Years of Solitude? On this day in 1927, Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez was born in Aracataca, Colombia. Considered one of the greatest Latin American writers of the 20th century, Márquez was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982. Affectionally known as “Gabo” throughout Latin America, Márquez pioneered the style of “magical realism,” which incorporated fantastic or magical elements into seemingly realistic fiction. He was raised by his maternal grandparents… Read the full story

We’re excited to share that the science team at Geni’s parent company, MyHeritage, led by MyHeritage’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Yaniv Erlich, has had a groundbreaking paper published today in Science, one of the most influential academic journals in the world. The research was conducted with scientists at Columbia University, the New York Genome Center, MIT and Harvard, and provides fresh insights into the last couple of centuries of marriage and migration in Europe and… Read the full story

Have you taken a DNA test for genealogy? On this day in 1953, scientists James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the chemical structure of DNA. Their revolutionary discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA would forever change the study of genetics and heredity. Crick was born on June 8, 1916 in Weston Favell, Northamptonshire, England. His grandfather, Walter Drawbridge Crick, was an amateur naturalist who corresponded with Charles Darwin. From a young age, Crick had a strong interest in… Read the full story

Have you ever met someone at a conference and wanted to quickly see if you’re related? Now you can use the Geni Pathfinder, our new handy tool on your mobile device to easily discover how you’re related to the people you meet at genealogy conferences, family reunions, or anywhere else! Begin by navigating to this url on your mobile device: https://www.geni.com/pathfinder (you will be prompted to login, if you have not already). A QR code and… Read the full story

Remember reading The Grapes of Wrath? On this day in 1902, author John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California. Considered one of the great American novelists, Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. Steinbeck was the son of Olivia Hamilton, a former school teacher, and John Ernst Steinbeck, who served as Monterey County treasurer. Growing up in a small rural town, Steinbeck spent his summers working on nearby ranchers alongside migrant workers. Many of… Read the full story

Today we remember English poet John Keats, who died on this day in 1821 at the age of 25. The young poet had devoted his life to poetry, publishing three books of poetry before his death. Although his poems were not generally well received by critics during his lifetime, today Keats is regarded as one of the most beloved English poets history. Keats was born on October 31, 1795 in Moorgate, London, England to Thomas Keats… Read the full story

Next week the Geni team will be heading to Salt Lake City, Utah for RootsTech 2018, the world’s largest genealogy conference. Between February 28 – March 3, thousands of genealogists from around the world will gather at the Salt Palace Convention Center to learn more about the latest in the world of genealogy. This year has an exciting group of keynote speakers, including Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton and renowned genealogist Henry Louis Gates, Jr. With… Read the full story

Today marks George Washington’s 286th birthday! Washington was born on February 22, 1732 on his family’s plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Remembered as one of the most important figures in American history, Washington led the Continental Army to victory during the American Revolution and went on to serve as the nation’s first president. Recently, a researcher at the Schaffer Library in New York discovered what is believed to be a lock of George Washington’s hair… Read the full story

On this day in 1728, Peter III of Russia was born. The Russian ruler served as Emperor of Russia for a mere 6 months before he was overthrown by his wife, Catherine the Great. Peter III was the son of Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, a nephew of Charles XII of Sweden, and Anna Petrovna, the daughter of Emperor Peter I. Born in Kiel, in the duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, both of Peter’s parents died when he… Read the full story

On this day in 1902, photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams was born in San Francisco, California. He is best remembered for his iconic black and white photos of the American wilderness, especially those of Yosemite National Park. Adams was the only child born to Charles Hitchcock Adams and Olive Bray. His grandfather founded a prosperous lumber business, which his father eventually inherited. Adams would later come to condemn the lumber industry for cutting down many of… Read the full story

Happy Chinese New Year! Also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, the new year is celebrated according to the lunar calendar with each year associated with one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Today marks the first day of the Year of the Dog on the lunar calendar. In celebration of the new year, here are some things to know about the holiday: 1. At the core of the holiday is family… Read the full story

On this day in 1809, Charles Darwin was born. Darwin’s theory of evolution by the process of natural selection transformed the world’s understanding of nature. In commemoration of his enormous contributions to science, his birthday is celebrated each year as Darwin Day. Darwin was born at his family home, the Mount, in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The large home was built by his father, Robert Darwin, a wealthy society doctor and financier. His paternal grandfather was Erasmus Darwin, a renowned… Read the full story

Geni curator Randy Schoenberg recently gave a great webinar, “Introducing the Geni World Family Tree,” with Legacy Family Tree webinars. If you missed it, you can catch it now in the video below. Join Randy as he gives a great introduction to the benefits of collaboration in the World Family Tree and discusses why you should be building and preserving your family tree on Geni. Randy also talks about some of the unique features of Geni, including genealogy projects, which… Read the full story

Do you have any poets in your family? On this day in 1874, American poet Amy Lowell was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. A leading poet of the Imagist school of poetry, Lowell was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1926. Amy Lawrence Lowell was born into a prominent New England family. Her brother, Percival Lowell, was an astronomer whose work would lead to the discovery of Pluto. In fact, the dwarf planet’s name was… Read the full story

Geni curator Jarrett Ross, also known as the GeneaVlogger, recently made a great video on how to use Projects on Geni. Projects are a great way to organize your research about any particular topic and work with others who are also interested in that same research topic. By adding relevant profiles to the project, all project collaborators can easily work together to add new discoveries to the World Family Tree. If you are interested in a particular genealogy research subject, you can quickly start a… Read the full story

We recently asked this question on Facebook, “What’s the oldest photograph you have of an ancestor?” We received so many great responses that we thought it would be great to share some of the beautiful photographs we received. Check out a few of our favorite photos below and feel to share some from your own collection of old photographs in the comments below! Felipe Vargas Brignardello: The oldest picture I have is from 1864, in the middle is… Read the full story

Remember watching Charlie’s Angels? On this day in 1947, star Farrah Fawcett was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Ferrah Leni Fawcett was the youngest of two daughters born to Pauline Alice Evans, a homemaker, and James William Fawcett, an oil field contractor. After generating interest from various agencies, Fawcett dropped out of the University of Texas to try her luck in Hollywood. Fawcett quickly booked several commercials and television guest spots. Her big break came in 1976 when she… Read the full story

Happy 37th birthday to Justin Timberlake! This year will be a big one for the popular musician. In just a couple of days, his fifth studio album will be released, right before his performance at this year’s Super Bowl halftime show. The former Mouseketeer was born Justin Randall Timberlake on January 31, 1981 in Memphis, Tennessee to Lynn Harless and Randall Timberlake, a Baptist minister. He grew up surrounded by music and was taught to play the… Read the full story