2025

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what made 2025 such a memorable year for Geni. From new features to a major milestone for the World Family Tree, this year was filled with discoveries, collaboration, and connections that brought family history to life. Join us as we revisit some of the highlights that made 2025 a year to remember on Geni. New Features and a Major Milestone We… Read the full story

It’s New Year’s Eve! It wouldn’t be a New Year’s celebration without hearing the holiday’s signature song, “Auld Lang Syne.” Did you know Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788? Image: Robert Burns / Library of Congress The song was set to the tune of an old Scottish folk song and was never intended to be a holiday song. Nevertheless, the song gained enormous popularity and it became tradition to sing the song to… Read the full story

Do you remember reading The Jungle Book? On this day in 1865, author Rudyard Kipling was born. Image: Rudyard Kipling / Library of Congress He was born on December 30, 1865 in Bombay, in Bombay Presidency of British India to John Lockwood Kipling and Alice MacDonald. Kipling’s experiences in India, as both a young child and years later as a young adult, highly influenced much of his writings. Considered a major innovator in the art… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Ted Danson! Today the popular star turns 78. Image: Ted Danson / Dominique Redfearn, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was born Edward Bridge Danson III on December 29, 1947 in San Diego, California. His father, Edward “Ned” Bridge Danson, Jr., was an archaeologist and a director of the Museum of Northern Arizona. Raised in Flagstaff, Arizona, Danson attended Stanford University where he became interested in drama. He later transferred to Carnegie… Read the full story

On this day in 1803, Estonian writer Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald was born. A pivotal figure of Estonian literature, Kreutzwald is often considered to be the father of the national literature. He was the author of the national epic Kalevipoeg. Image: Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald / Wikimedia Commons Kreutzwald was born on December 26, 1803 in Kadrina, Virumaa, Estonia, then a part of the Russian Empire. From humble beginnings, Kreutzwald managed to receive a good education and… Read the full story

On this day in 1823, the popular holiday poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” was first published in the Troy New York Sentinel. Today the poem is more commonly known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Although initially published anonymously, Clement Clarke Moore would later claim authorship of the poem. However, in recent years, some have claimed that the poem’s true author may actually be Henry Livingston, Jr. Image: New York Public Library Since its publication, the poem has become… Read the full story

On this day in 1858, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy. Image: Giacomo Puccini / Library of Congress He was born Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini to Michele Puccine and Albina Magi. One of nine children, Puccini had come from a long line of musicians. His second great grandfather, also named Giacomo Puccini, was the first of five generations of composers in the family. Remembered as one of the greatest… Read the full story

Today we remember French singer and actress Édith Piaf, who was born on December 19, 1915 in Paris, France. Image: Édith Piaf / Nationaal Archief, CC0 She was born Édith Giovanna Gassion to Annetta Giovanna Maillard, a cafe singer, and Louis Alphonse Gassion, a street acrobat. Piaf was named after the World War I British nurse Edith Cavell, who was executed for helping soldiers escape from German captivity in Belgium. Piaf first rose to fame after she… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Steven Spielberg! Today the legendary director turns 79. Image: Steven Spielberg / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Spielberg was born on December 18, 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Leah Posner, a concert pianist and restauranteur, and Arnold Spielberg, an electrical engineer. He developed an interest in filmmaking as a child after earning his Boy Scout photography merit badge with a nine-minute 8mm film entitled The Last Gunfight. In the late 1960s, Spielberg began… Read the full story

On this day in 1706, French mathematician Émilie du Châtelet was born. Image: Émilie du Châtelet / Wikimedia Commons Du Châtelet was born Garbielle Émilie le Tonnelier de Breteuil on December 17, 1706 in Paris, France. Her father, Louis Nicolas le Tonnelier de Breteuil, was a member of the lesser nobility. He held a weekly salon, to which well-respected writers and scientists were often invited. An intelligent child, du Châtelet’s father brought in tutors to… Read the full story

German composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born 255 years ago. Image: Ludwig van Beethoven / Library of Congress Beethoven was born in Bonn in the Electorate of Cologne, which was then a part of the Holy Roman Empire. Although there is no known record of the exact date of his birth, it is known that his baptism took place on December 17, 1770. Since baptisms typically took place a day after birth during this time,… Read the full story

On this day 1832, French architect and engineer Gustave Eiffel was born in Dijon, France. He is perhaps best remembered for his work to build the Eiffel Tower, which bears his name. Originally constructed for the 1889 Universal Exposition, today the tower has become one of the most recognizable structures in the world and an iconic symbol of France. Image: Gustave Eiffel / Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons Eiffel was born Alexandre-Gustave Bönickhausen on December 15, 1832 to Catherine-Mélanie Moneuse and… Read the full story

Have you seen the painting The Scream? Today we remember Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, who was born on this day in 1863. Image: Edvard Munch / National Library of Norway Munch was born in a farmhouse in Løten, Norway on December 12, 1863. After his mother died in 1868, Edvard and his siblings were raised by his father, who often entertained the children with vivid ghost-stories and tales of Edgar Allan Poe. These stories and the loss of… Read the full story

Pioneering astronomer Annie Jump Cannon was born on December 11, 1863 in Dover, Delaware. Nicknamed the “Census Taker of the Sky,” Cannon was instrumental in the development of the current system of stellar classification. Image: Annie Jump Cannon / Library of Congress Cannon was the eldest of three daughters born to Wilson Lee Cannon, a ship builder and Delaware state senator, and his second wife, Mary Elizabeth Jump. From a young age, Cannon had a… Read the full story

“That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.” – Emily Dickinson On this day in 1830, poet Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. Image: Emily Dickinson / Wikimedia Commons With deep ancestral roots in New England, Dickinson lived much of her life in her family’s homestead in Amherst. She was born to a prominent family with strong ties to the community. Her paternal grandfather, Samuel Dickinson, was one of the… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actor Kirk Douglas, who was born on this day in 1916. Image: Kirk Douglas / Wikimedia Commons Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York. His parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants and the family adopted the surname Demsky in the United States. Growing up, Douglas went by the name Izzy Demsky until he legally changed it to Kirk Douglas shortly before entering the Navy during World War II. After… Read the full story

On this day in 1542, Mary, Queen of Scots was born in Linlithgow, Scotland. Image: Mary, Queen of Scots / Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0) The only legitimate child of King James V, Mary was named Queen of Scots just six days after her birth when her father died following the Battle of Solway Moss. While still an infant, her great uncle, King Henry VIII of England, took the opportunity to propose marriage… Read the full story

What’s your favorite Disney film? On this day in 1901, Walt Disney was born. A pioneer in animation, Disney co-created the iconic cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. He produced several classic animated films and founded the Disney theme parks, which are still enjoyed by visitors from all around the world today. Image: Walt Disney / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Disney was born Walter Elias Disney on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fourth of… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jeff Bridges! Today the actor turns 76. Image: Jeff Bridges / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Born into a Hollywood family, Bridges got his start on film as an infant in the movie, The Company She Keeps. His father, Lloyd Bridges, was a prolific actor best known for starring in the television series Sea Hunt. Growing up, Jeff was very close to his older brother, Beau, who often acted as a surrogate father when their… Read the full story

On this day in 1857, author Joseph Conrad was born in Berdychiv in what was then the Russian Empire. Regarded as one of the greatest novelists in the English language, Conrad was in his twenties before he was able to speak the language fluently. Image: Joseph Conrad / New York Public Library He was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski to Polish parents, Apollo Korzeniowski and Ewelina Bobrawska. Conrad’s family belonged to the Polish szlachta (nobility) and were… Read the full story

On this day in 1852, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte took the French throne as Napoleon III. Image: Napoleon III / Wikimedia Commons The nephew and only heir to Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte was born in Paris, France on April 20, 1808. After Napoleon was removed from power in 1815, the entire Bonaparte family was forced into exile. Determined to reclaim the French crown, Louis-Napoléon attempted a failed coup. Undeterred, he continued to assert his views in political writings… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bette Midler! Today the singer and actress turns 80. Image: Bette Midler / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Bette Midler was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ruth Schindel, a seamstress, and Fred Midler, a painter at a Navy base. She was named after Bette Davis, one of her mother’s favorite actresses. Growing up in Hawaii, Bette’s family was one of the few Jewish families in the neighborhood. She attended Radford… Read the full story

Image: Anne Hathaway / Wikimedia Commons On this day in 1582, William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway were married in Stratford-upon-Avon. Six months later, Hathaway gave birth to their daughter, Susanna. Although not much is known about Hathaway’s life beyond references in legal papers, much has been speculated about her relationship with the legendary Bard. She is believed to have grown up in a farmhouse in the village of Shottery. At the time of their marriage, Shakespeare was 18… Read the full story

When the Mayflower arrived in the New World in 1620, it carried with it 102 passengers. The settlers established the Plymouth colony in what is now Massachusetts. Today, millions of Americans can trace their ancestry back to these early settlers. Here’s a look at some notable Mayflower passengers and their famous descendants. Jane Fonda Actress Jane Fonda is a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger William Bradford. Bradford was an English Separatist leader, a signer of… Read the full story

Today we remember cartoonist Charles M. Schulz who was born on this day in 1922. Best known for the beloved comic strip Peanuts, Schulz is widely regarded as one of the most influential cartoonist of all time. Image: Charles Schulz / Library of Congress Schulz was born on November 26, 1922 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the only child of Carl Schulz, born in Germany, and Dena Halverson, who was of Norwegian descent. As a… Read the full story

On this day in 1914, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio was born. Considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak record still stands today. Image: Joe DiMaggio / Library of Congress DiMaggio was born on November 25, 1914 in Martinez, California. He was the eighth of nine children born to Italian immigrant parents, Giuseppe DiMaggio and Rosalia Mercurio. His father worked as a fisherman and had hoped his sons would… Read the full story

Today we remember Grace Darling, the daughter of an English lighthouse keeper, who helped rescue the survivors of the Forfarshire shipwreck in 1838. Image: Wikimedia Commons, Dallas Museum of Art Grace Horsley Darling was born on November 24, 1815 in her grandfather’s cottage in Northumberland, England. She was the seventh of nine children born to William and Thomasin Darling. The Darlings lived at the lighthouse on Longstone Island, one of the Farne Islands, where her father operated the lighthouse…. Read the full story

Image: Goldie Hawn / photo by Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0 Today we celebrate actress Goldie Hawn’s 80th birthday! Hawn was born on November 21, 1945 in Washington, D.C. to Laura Steinhoff, a dance school owner, and Edward Rutledge Hawn, a musician. Raised in a Jewish household, Hawn was named after her mother’s aunt, Goldie. After getting her start as a dancer, Hawn landed her first notable gig as a cast member on the sketch… Read the full story

Do you have Swedish ancestry? On this day in 1858, Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf was born. In 1909, Lagerlöf became the first female writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Image: Selma Lagerlöf / Library of Congress Lagerlöf was born on November 20, 1858 in Mårbacka, her family’s estate, in Värmland, Sweden. She was the fifth of six children born to Erik Gustaf Lagerlöf, a lieutenant in the Royal Värmland Regiment, and Louise Wallroth…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jodie Foster! Today the versatile actress and director turns 63. Image: Jodie Foster / Franz Richter, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 1.0) She was born Alicia Christian Foster on November 19, 1962 in Los Angeles, California to Evelyn Almond and Lucius Foster III, a decorated U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel. She started her career at the age of 3 when she appeared in a Coppertone commercial. By the time she was 12, she earned… Read the full story

On this day in 1923, astronaut Alan Shepard was born in East Derry, New Hampshire. In 1961, Shepard became the first American to travel into space. Image: Alan Shepard / San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Flickr Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. was the oldest of two children born to Alan B. Shepard, Sr. and Pauline Renza Emerson. Shepard’s family had very early roots in America. His 8th great grandfather was Mayflower passenger Richard Warren, who was… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Danny DeVito! Today the star turns 81. Image: Danny DeVito / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) DeVito was born on November 17, 1944 in Neptune Township, New Jersey to Daniel DeVito, Sr., a small business owner, and Julia Moccello. After graduating high school, DeVito worked as a beautician in his sister’s salon. He decided to pursue a career as a professional makeup artist and enroll in classes at the American… Read the full story

Do you have French ancestry? On this day in 1840, French Impressionist painter Claude Monet was born in Paris, France. A leading figure of the Impressionist movement, Monet’s work transformed French painting in the late 19th century. Image: Claude Monet / Wikimedia Commons He was born Oscar Claude Monet on November 14, 1840 to Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubrée. As a child, Monet was known locally for sketching charcoal caricatures and often drew members of his… Read the full story

Image: Robert Louis Stevenson / State Library of New South Wales On November 13, 1850, Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Stevenson is perhaps best known for his novels Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A literary celebrity during his lifetime, Stevenson still ranks as one of the most translated authors in the world. On December 3, 1894, Stevenson died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage in his home… Read the full story

On this day in 1815, American suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born. An early leader of the women’s rights movement in the United States, Stanton helped pave the way for the eventual passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Image: Elizabeth Cady Stanton / Library of Congress Stanton was born on November 12, 1815 in Johnstown, New York to Daniel Cady and Margaret Livingston. Her father was a prominent lawyer and… Read the full story

It’s Veterans Day in the U.S. Today we honor all the men and women who have served in the armed forces. In honor of the holiday, we highlight General George S. Patton, who was also born on this day in 1885 in San Gabriel, California. Considered one of the most successful generals in history, Patton was instrumental in the liberation of Germany from the Nazis during World War II. Image: George S. Patton / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian… Read the full story

On this day in 1925, actor Richard Burton was born. Known for his roles on the stage and screen, Burton is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation. Image: Richard Burton / Nationaal Archief, CC0 He was born Richard Walter Jenkins on November 10, 1925 in Pontrhydyfen, Wales and grew up in a working class family. His father, Richard Walter Jenkins Sr., was a coal miner and his mother, Edith… Read the full story

Today we celebrate Polish physicist Marie Curie, who was born on this day in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland. Not only was the pioneering scientist the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, but she was also the first person to win twice in two different fields. Image: Marie Curie / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr She was born Maria Skłodowska on November 7, 1867 and was the fifth and youngest child of Bronisława Boguska and Władysław Skłodowski, both… Read the full story

On this day in 1814, Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, was born in Dinant, in what is today Belgium. Image: Adolphe Sax / Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Wikimedia Commons Sax was born Antoine-Joseph Sax to Marie-Joseph Masson and Charles-Joseph Sax, a maker of wind and brass instruments. As a young child, Sax faced many near-death experiences. He was struck in the head by a brick, swallowed a needle, fell onto a burning stove, survived a fall from… Read the full story

Remember watching Gone With the Wind? On this day in 1913, star Vivien Leigh was born in Darjeeling, India. Image: Vivien Leigh / Wikimedia Commons Leigh had dreams of stardom at an early age. She was first introduced to American audiences when she was cast as the southern belle Scarlett O’Hara in the film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s beloved book, Gone With the Wind. The film would become a tremendous success and be remembered as a Hollywood… Read the full story

America’s Cowboy Philosopher Will Rogers was born on this day in 1879. Known for his homespun humor and social commentary, Rogers was one of the most popular and highest paid stars throughout the 1930s. Image: Will Rogers / Library of Congress He was born William Penn Adair Rogers on November 4, 1879 on his parents’ Dog Iron Ranch in Cherokee Nation of Indian Territory near what is today Oologah, Oklahoma. His parents both had Cherokee… Read the full story

Do you have Italian ancestry? On this day in 1801, operatic composer Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania, Sicily. Image: Vincenzo Bellini / Rijksmuseum Bellini was born to a highly musical family and showed signs of his musical talent at an early age. Although not much is known about his early life, some stories say that he learned to sing at 18 months and play the piano at the age of 3. His grandfather and his… Read the full story

On this day in 1795, English Romantic poet John Keats was born in London, England. Image: John Keats / Wikimedia Commons The son of Thomas Keats and Frances Jennings, Keats was the eldest of the couple’s four surviving children. Keats lost both of his parents while he was still young. His father died when Keats was 8 after falling from a horse. When he was 14, his mother died of tuberculosis. During this time, Keats found… Read the full story

Remember watching Happy Days? Today star Henry Winkler turns 80! Image: Abbyarcane, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 A graduate of the prestigious Yale School of Drama, the classically trained actor got his big break when he was cast as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on the classic sitcom Happy Days. Although the Fonz was originally meant to be a minor character, Winkler immediately became an audience favorite. Did you know that initially he was not allowed to wear his signature leather jacket? Executives… Read the full story

On this day in 1891, radio star and actress Fanny Brice was born in Manhattan, New York. Known as the original “Funny Girl,” Brice entertained audiences for over four decades with her comedic chops, which made her one of America’s earliest female comedy superstars. Image: Fanny Brice / Library of Congress Brice was born Fania Borach to Rose Stern, a Hungarian Jewish immigrant, and Charles Borach, an Alstatian immigrant. The third of four children, Brice got her… Read the full story

On this day in 1914, Dr. Jonas Salk was born. Salk discovered and developed the first successful polio vaccine. Image: Jonas Salk / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive, Flickr Salk was born on October 28, 1914 in New York City, New York to Daniel Salk and Dora Press. His parents were Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants. Although they lacked a formal education, they encouraged Salk and his siblings to pursue their education. A gifted student, Salk… Read the full story

Have you found how you’re related to a U.S. President? On this day in 1858, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, was born. Image: Theodore Roosevelt / Library of Congress Born into the prominent and wealthy Roosevelt family in New York, Roosevelt was nicknamed “Teddy” when he was young. He suffered from poor health as a child, but by his teens he was able to maintain a physically active lifestyle and become known… 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. Image: Annie Edson Taylor / Library of Congress 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 marrying at the age of… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson? Today we remember legendary talk show host Johnny Carson on what would have been his 100th birthday. Image: Johnny Carson / State Library and Archives of Florida, Flickr Carson was born on October 23, 1925 in Corning, Iowa to Homer Lloyd “Kit” Carson and Ruth Hook. In 1943, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a communications officer in charge of decoding encrypted messages. Carson took… Read the full story

Great Scott! Today actor Christopher Lloyd turns 87! Best known for portraying Doc Brown in the popular Back to the Future film trilogy, Lloyd has been entertaining audiences on the stage and screen for nearly six decades. Image: Christopher Lloyd / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0 Lloyd was born on October 22, 1938 in Stamford, Connecticut to Samuel R. Lloyd and Ruth Laphram. His maternal grandfather, Lewis Lepham, was one of the founders of Texaco Oil Company…. Read the full story