May 2025

Image: Rosemary Clooney / Library of Congress On May 23, 1928, singer and actress Rosemary Clooney was born in Maysville, Kentucky. One of five children, she and several of her siblings became successful entertainers, as did their children. Today, her nephew, George Clooney, is one of the most highly sought after stars in Hollywood. A successful jazz vocalist, Clooney first rose to prominence in the early 1950s with the hit “Come On-a My House” and… Read the full story

Are you a fan of Sherlock Holmes? On this day in 1859, author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Image: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle / Library of Congress Supported by wealthy uncles, Doyle was sent to the Roman Catholic Jesuit preparatory school, Hodder Place, Stonyhurst, at the age of 9. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School and it was there that he began writing short stories. In 1887,… Read the full story

Today we remember English fossil collector and paleontologist Mary Anning, who was born on this day in 1799. Image: Mary Anning / Wikimedia Commons Mary Anning was born on May 21, 1799 in Lyme Regis, a coastal town in Dorset, England. Her father, Richard Anning, was a cabinet maker who supplemented his income by mining the coastal cliffside for fossils to sell to tourists. Growing up, Anning often accompanied her father on fossil hunting expeditions… Read the full story

Geni will be at the NGS 2025 Family History Conference in Louisville, Kentucky on May 23-26, 2025. This year’s conference will be both in-person and online. If you are planning to attend in-person, be sure to stop by the Expo Hall and visit the Geni booth #218. You can pick up a handy Geni notebook or sit down and take advantage of free Geni Pro and MyHeritage data subscription access from the booth’s computers. New… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Cher! Today the music legend turns 79. Image: Cher / Nationaal Archief, CC0, Wikimedia Commons Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California on May 20, 1946 to John Sarkisian and Georgia Holt. From a young age, Cher knew she wanted to become famous. At 16, she dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Cher first rose to fame as part of a music duo… Read the full story

On this day in 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII of England, was beheaded for charges of treason and adultery. Image: Anne Boleyn / Wikimedia Commons Her marriage to Henry VIII was scandalous from the start and had plunged the country into political and religious upheaval. Denied an annulment for his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon by the Roman Catholic Church, Henry VIII broke away from the Church to establish the Church… Read the full story

On this day in 1905, star Henry Fonda was born in Grand Island, Nebraska. Image: Henry Fonda / Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Navy Fonda was the patriarch of a family of famous actors, including children Jane and Peter Fonda and granddaughter Bridget Fonda. With a career that spanned over five decades, Fonda is widely considered to be one of the best actors in history. Some of his most notable films include The Grapes of Wrath, 12 Angry… Read the full story

On this day in 1856, author L. Frank Baum was born. The noted children’s book writer is perhaps best remembered as the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels. Image: L. Frank Baum / Library of Congress Baum was born on May 15, 1856 in Chittenango, New York. He was the seventh of nine children born to Cynthia Ann Stanton and Benjamin Ward Baum. Named after his uncle, Lyman, Baum preferred to… Read the full story

Happy birthday to George Lucas! Today the filmmaker turns 81. Image: George Lucas / Nicolas Genin, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Lucas was born on May 14, 1944 in Modesto, California to Dorothy Ellinore Bomberger and George Walton Lucas, Sr., a stationary store owner. In his youth, Lucas dreamed of becoming a race car driver. However, just days before his high school graduation, Lucas was involved in a near-fatal accident and quickly changed his mind…. Read the full story

The Roman Catholic Church has announced its next pope – Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, whose chosen name is Pope Leo XIV. He makes history as the first American to be elected pope. Pope Leo XIV was born on September 14, 1955 to Louis Prevost and Mildred Martinez in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a World War II Navy veteran and school administrator and his mother was a former librarian at Von Stuben and Mendel Catholic… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Golden Girls or Maude? Today, we remember star Bea Arthur on what would have been her 103rd birthday. Image: Bea Arthur / Wikimedia Commons She was born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York. Before beginning her career as an actress, Arthur worked as a truck driver and typist in the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve during World War II. After the war, she found success in theater… Read the full story

Do you have any nurses in your family tree? On May 12, 1820, pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. Image: Florence Nightingale / Library of Congress Named after her place of birth, Florence was born to a rich, upper-class British family. From a young age, she knew her calling was to become a nurse and help the ill and poor. During the Crimean War, reports about the horrific conditions for the wounded… Read the full story

We’re thrilled to share an exciting new milestone – Geni’s World Family Tree has now surpassed 200 million profiles! A Global Family, Built Together This incredible achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of our amazing community of genealogists, family history enthusiasts, and volunteer curators from around the world. Together, we are building the most comprehensive and collaborative family tree ever created. The World Family Tree is a single, shared family… Read the full story

On this day in 1860, author James Barrie was born in Kirriemuir, Scotland. Today he is best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. Image: J.M. Barrie / Library of Congress James Matthew Barrie was the ninth of ten children born to David Barrie, a weaver, and Margaret Ogilvy. As a child, Barrie and his mother often entertained each other by telling stories. The character of Peter Pan first appeared in the novel, The Little… Read the full story

On this day in 1884, Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, was born. Image: Harry S. Truman / Library of Congress Truman was the eldest of three children born to John Anderson Truman and Martha Ellen Young. He was given the middle name “S” to honor both of his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young. After the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, Truman was sworn into office… Read the full story

Poet and playwright Robert Browning was born on May 7, 1812 in Camberwell, England. Widely recognized as a master of dramatic monologue, Browning is considered to be one of the foremost poets of the Victorian age. Image: Robert Browning / Library of Congress Browning was the only son of Sara Anna Wiedermann, an accomplished pianist, and Robert Browning, a clerk for the Bank of England. Browning grew up surrounded by books. His father had amassed… Read the full story

On this day in 1915, Orson Welles was born. An actor, writer, director, and producer, Welles is remembered as one of the most influential filmmakers in history. Image: Orson Welles / Library of Congress Welles was born on May 6, 1915 in Kenosha, Wisconsin to Beatrice Ives, a pianist, and Richard Head Welles, an inventor of a popular bicycle lamp. After his father’s death in 1930, Welles traveled to Ireland, where he made his acting debut… Read the full story

On this day in 1864, journalist Nellie Bly was born. A pioneer in her field, Bly helped launch a new kind of investigative journalism. Image: Nellie Bly / Library of Congress Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864 in Cochran’s Mills, Pennsylvania. The town of Cochran’s Mills was named after her father, Michael Cochran, who was a mill owner and judge. As a journalist, she wrote under the pen name “Nellie Bly.”… Read the full story

On this day in 1729, Russian Empress Catherine the Great was born. Image: Catherine the Great / British Library, Flickr 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… Read the full story

On this day in 1852, American frontierswoman and folk hero Calamity Jane was born near Princeton, Missouri. Image: Calamity Jane / Library of Congress Calamity Jane’s early life is a mystery. Much about what is known comes from an autobiographical booklet from 1896. The booklet, dictated by Calamity Jane, was written for publicity purposes, and thus, some of the information was likely exaggerated or false. What is known is that she was born Martha Jane… Read the full story