2026

Do you remember watching The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson? Today we celebrate what would have been host Johnny Carson’s 101st birthday. Image: Johnny Carson / State Library and Archives of Florida John William Carson was born on October 23, 1925 in Corning, Iowa to Homer Homer Lloyd “Kit” Carson and Ruth Hook. As a child, Carson developed his entertainment skills by performing magic for his family and friends. He called himself “The Great Carsoni” and… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jeff Goldblum! Today the actor turns 74. Image: Jeff Goldblum / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Goldblum was born on October 22, 1952 in West Homestead, Pennsylvania to Jewish parents, Shirley Jane Temeles, a radio broadcaster, and Harold Leonard Goldblum, a doctor and major in the U.S. Army during World War II. From a young age, Goldblum wanted to become an actor. At 17, he went to New York City… Read the full story

On this day in 1833, Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Image: Alfred Nobel / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr Although today Nobel is best remembered for establishing the Nobel Prizes, he first earned his fortune as the inventor of dynamite. After his brother died in an explosion at his father’s arms factory, Nobel sought to find a safer substance than the unstable nitroglycerin. It was after a newspaper incorrectly published Nobel’s obituary that he became concerned… Read the full story

Today we remember singer and songwriter Tom Petty on what would have been his 76th birthday. The lead vocalist and guitarist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Petty is considered to be one of the best selling music artists of all time. Image: Tom Petty / Takahiro Kyono, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Petty was born on October 20, 1950 in Gainesville, Florida to Earl Petty, a traveling salesman, and Katherine Avery, a local tax… Read the full story

Good news for Geni Pro Workspace users – your private projects can now be made public! We are always listening to your feedback, and one of the most common requests we’ve received is the ability to transition a private project into a public one. We know that many of our users prefer to start a project as a private draft, taking the time to organize their research before opening it up for the rest of… Read the full story

On this day in 1850, mountaineer, lecturer, and suffragist Annie Smith Peck was born. Image: Annie Smith Peck / Library of Congress Peck was born on October 19, 1850 in Providence, Rhode Island and was the youngest of five children born to George Bacheler Peck and Ann Power Smith. Growing up, Peck wished to attend Brown University, just like her father and brothers had done, but she was refused admission due to her gender. She… Read the full story

On this day in 1854, Irish writer Oscar Wilde was born. Considered one of London’s most popular playwrights in his day, Wilde was known for his brilliant intellect, quick wit, and flamboyant personality. Image: Oscar Wilde / Library of Congress He was born Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. Wilde was the second child born to Sir William Wilde, a prominent surgeon and author, and Jane Wilde, an Irish… Read the full story

On this day in 1943, Penny Marshall was born. After gaining fame as Laverne in the hit television show Laverne & Shirley, Marshall would go on to direct several box office hits on the big screen. Image: Penny Marshall / Wikimedia Commons Marshall was born on October 15, 1943 in New York City, New York to Anthony “Tony” Masciarelli, later known as Anthony W. Marshall, and Marjorie Irene Ward. Her father worked as a director… Read the full story

On this day in 1890, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, was born. Image: Dwight D. Eisenhower / Library of Congress Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas to David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Elizabeth Stover. The third of seven sons, Eisenhower grew up in Abilene, Kansas and formed a great fondness for the outdoors. An excellent athlete, Eisenhower excelled at sports in high school and received an… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Paul Simon! Today the legendary singer-songwriter turns 85. Image: Paul Simon / National Archief, Wikimedia Commons Simon was born on October 13, 1941 in Newark, New Jersey to Hungarian Jewish parents. His road to musical stardom began at the tender age of 11, when he met Art Garfunkel. The young musicians performed together in their sixth grade production of Alice in Wonderland. At 13, the duo were soon singing under the name “Tom &… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Hugh Jackman! Today the actor turns 58. Image: Hugh Jackman / Eva Rinaldi, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) Jackman was born on October 12, 1968 in Sydney, Australia to Grace McNeil (Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman. His parents were English and had come to Australia as part of the “Ten Pound Poms” immigration in 1967. Implemented after World War II, the immigration program was an effort to increase the population of Australia. Emigrants… Read the full story

Recently, our parent company, MyHeritage, made a huge splash in the news with the incredible discovery that actress Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are 9th cousins once removed. This find was made possible by the MyHeritage research team utilizing the power of Geni’s World Family Tree, which connects over 210 million people into a single, shared family tree. Inspired by MyHeritage’s findings, we decided to take it a step further. We did a little more… Read the full story

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” Today we remember singer John Lennon on what would have been his 86th birthday. Image: John Lennon / Library of Congress Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England to Julia Stanley and Alfred Lennon. He was named John Winston after his paternal grandfather, John “Jack” Lennon, and then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill. By the age of 4,… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Matt Damon! Today the actor turns 56. Image: Matt Damon / Nicolas Genin, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Damon was born on October 8, 1970 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is the second son of Kent Telfer Damon, a stockbroker, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, a professor in early childhood education. Through his mother’s branch of the family, Damon has Swedish and Finnish roots. His mother’s family surname was changed from “Pajari” to “Paige.” In… Read the full story

Are you a fan of the spooky tales written by Edgar Allan Poe? 177 years ago today, the famous poet and writer died in Baltimore, Maryland at the age of 40. Image: Edgar Allan Poe / U.S. National Archives Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809, Poe was orphaned as a young child. He was taken in by John Allan, a successful merchant, and his wife. Considered the inventor of detective fiction, Poe is… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Carole Lombard, who was born on this day in 1908. Image: Carole Lombard / Wikimedia Commons She was born Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was the third child and only daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Peters. Discovered by a director while playing baseball with friends, Lombard made her first film appearance at the age of 13. She went on to star in more than 20 silent films and… Read the full story

On this day in 1882, American engineer, physicist, and inventor Robert H. Goddard was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Known as the “Father of Modern Rocketry,” Goddard is credited with building and launching the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Image: Robbert H. Goddard / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Goddard was born Robert Hutchings Goddard on October 5, 1882 to Nahum Danford Goddard, a bookkeeper, and Fannie Louise Hoyt. Inspired by H.G. Wells’ novel, The War of… Read the full story

On this day in 1452, Richard III of England was born. With his death at the age of 32, Richard III became the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty. Image: Richard III of England / Wikimedia Commons Richard was the fourth son born to Richard, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. After the death of his brother, Edward IV, in 1483, Edward’s twelve-year old son, Edward V, succeeded him and Richard was named Lord Protector of the Realm. However, after Richard succeeded in declaring his brother’s marriage… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actor James Dean, who passed away on this day 71 years ago. Image: James Dean / Wikimedia Commons James Byron Dean was born on February 8, 1931 in Marion, Indiana to Winton Dean and Mildred Marie Wilson. After his family moved to California, Dean’s mother died of uterine cancer. His father, unable to care for him, sent Dean back to Indiana to live with family. He later returned to California and enrolled in… Read the full story

Do you have Spanish ancestors? Today in 1547, author Miguel de Cervantes was born in Alacalá de Henares, Spain. Image: Miguel de Cervantes / New York Public Library He was the fourth of seven children born to Rodrigo Cervantes Torreblanca, a barber-surgeon, and Leonor de Cortinas, the daughter of a nobleman. His paternal grandfather, Juan de Cervantes, was a prominent and influential lawyer, while his uncle, Andrés de Cervantes, served as mayor of the city of Cabra…. Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Ed Sullivan Show? On this day in 1901, Ed Sullivan was born. Image: Ed Sullivan / Library of Congress Edward Vincent Sullivan was born on September 28, 1901 in Harlem, New York City, New York to Peter Arthur Sullivan and Elizabeth Smith. He was born a twin, but his brother Danny died a few months after birth. Growing up, Sullivan excelled in sports and wrote for his school newspaper. After graduating, he landed… Read the full story

Remember reading The Sound of the Fury? Today we remember author William Faulkner, who was born on this day in 1897. Image: William Faulkner / Library of Congress The author was the first of four sons born to Murry Cuthbert Falkner and Maud Butler. Born in Albany, Mississippi, Faulkner’s experiences growing up in the South greatly influenced his writings. He was named after his great-grandfather, William Clark Falkner, and grew up hearing stories about the “Old Colonel,” who was a successful… Read the full story

Beloved Muppet creator Jim Henson was born on this day in 1936. Today we remember him on what would have been his 90th birthday. Image: Jim Henson / Library of Congress Henson was born on September 24, 1936 in Greenville, Mississippi to Paul Ransom Henson and Betty Brown. He had a close relationship with his maternal grandmother, who was an avid painter, quilter, and needleworker. She encouraged Henson’s artistic passions and creativity. Henson rose to… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bruce Springsteen! Today the Boss turns 77. Image: Bruce Springsteen / Takahiro Kyono, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey to Douglas Frederick Springsteen and Adele Zerilli. He was raised in a working class household. His father worked various jobs from bus driver to mill worker while his mother worked as a legal secretary. Springsteen fell in love with rock and roll… Read the full story

On this day in 1791, English physicist Michael Faraday was born in Surrey, England. Faraday is remembered for his groundbreaking discoveries in electromagnetism. Image: Michael Faraday / Science History Institute Faraday was the third child born to James Faraday and Margaret Hastwell. His family was not well off and could only afford him a basic education. At the age of 14, he began an apprenticeship with a local bookseller and educated himself by reading a wide… Read the full story

Are a fan of science fiction? On this day in 1866, author H.G. Wells was born in Kent, England. Image: H.G. Wells / Library of Congress Herbert George Wells was the fourth and youngest child born to Joseph Wells, a shopkeeper and professional cricketer, and Sarah Neal, a former domestic servant. When he was a child, an accident left Wells bedridden with a broken leg. To pass the time, he immersed himself in books and discovered… Read the full story

Do you have Swedish roots? On this day in 1905, Swedish actress Greta Garbo was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Image: Greta Garbo / Library of Congress She was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson to Anna Lovisa Karlsson and Karl Alfred Gustafsson. She grew up in poverty and daydreamed about becoming an actor from an early age. At 13, she dropped out of school to care for her sick father, who died in 1920. After getting her… 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. Image: Hank Williams / Wikimedia Commons Williams was born Hiram King Williams on September 17, 1923 in Mount Olive, Alabama to Jessie Lillybelle Skipper and Elonzo Huble… Read the full story

Today we remember screen legend Lauren Bacall, who was born on this day in 1924. Image: Lauren Bacall / Wikimedia Commons Actress Lauren Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924 in New York City, New York. She was the only child of William Perske and Natalie Weinstein, who later legally changed her surname to Bacal. After her parents divorced, Bacall was raised by her mother. Bacall began her career as a model before catching the… Read the full story

What’s your favorite Agatha Christie novel? On this day in 1890, the crime novelist was born in Torquay, England. Image: Agatha Christie / Nationaal Archief, CC0 She was born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller to a wealthy upper-middle class family. From a young age, Christie was an avid reader with a vivid imagination. During World War I, Christie joined the war effort as a volunteer for the Voluntary Aid Detachment and worked as a nurse to tend wounded soldiers… Read the full story

Image: Library of Congress 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… Read the full story

Have you read “The Gift of the Magi”? On this day in 1862, author O. Henry was born. His comedic and ironic stories, often with surprised endings, made Henry one of the most popular short story writers of his time. Image: O. Henry / Wikimedia Commons He was born William Sidney Porter on September 11, 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Before he began his career as a writer, Porter held a variety of jobs. At 15, he began… Read the full story

On this day in 1776, Nathan Hale, a solider in the Continental Army, volunteered to spy behind British lines. Image: New York Public Library Nathan Hale was born in Coventry, Connecticut Colony on June 6, 1755. Educated at Yale, Hale joined the Connecticut militia after the start of the American Revolutionary War. Prior to the upcoming Battle of Harlem Heights, General George Washington called for a volunteer to cross enemy lines to gather intelligence. Hale volunteered… Read the full story

Have you read Anna Karenina? On this day in 1828, author Leo Tolstoy was born at his family’s estate in Tula, Russia. Image: Leo Tolstoy / Library of Congress The Tolstoy family was a prominent family of old Russian nobility. He was the fourth child born to Count Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy, a veteran of the Patriotic War of 1812, and Countess Maiya Tolstaya. Tolstoy’s parents died while he was young, and so his relatives helped care… Read the full story

On this day in 1932, legendary country singer Patsy Cline was born. Image: Patsy Cline / Wikimedia Commons Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Virginia to Hilda Patterson, a 16-year-old seamstress, and Samuel Hensley, a 43-year-old blacksmith. She was introduced to music at an early age and by the age of 8, she had taught herself to play the piano. She later started performing with her mother in the local church choir and… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Beyoncé! Today the music superstar turns 45. Image: Beyoncé / Jen Keys, Wikimedia Commons Beyoncé Giselle Knowles on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas to Matthew and Celestine “Tina” Knowles. Her first name is a tribute to her mother’s maiden name, Beyoncé. Her maternal grandparents were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles and it is through her mother’s branch of the family that she descends from Joseph Broussard, who led the first group of Acadians to what is today Louisiana. Broussard… Read the full story

Today we remember American poet E.E. Cummings, who passed away on this day in 1962 at the age of 67. A prolific writer, Cummings is often regarded as one of the most important American poets of the 20th century. Image: E.E. Cummings / Library of Congress He was born Edward Estlin Cummings on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His father, Edward Cummings, was a professor and Unitarian minister. From a young age, Cummings began writing… Read the full story

On this day in 1948, high school teacher Christa McAuliffe was born in Boston, Massachusetts. McAuliffe made history when she became the first American civilian to be selected to go into space. Sadly, she died in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. Image: Christa McAuliffe / NASA In 1985, McAuliffe was selected to participate in the NASA Teacher in Space Project and become the first teacher to go to space. The purpose of the program was… Read the full story

Happy birthday to actress and comedy legend Lily Tomlin! Today the star turns 87. Image: Lily Tomlin / U.S. Department of State Tomlin was born Mary Jean Tomlin on September 1, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan to Guy Tomlin and Lillie Mae Ford. After high school, Tomlin enrolled at Wayne State University to study medicine. During her time in school, she began taking theater art classes and before long, she was performing stand-up comedy at local… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Richard Gere! Today the actor turns 77. Image: Richard Gere / Francesco, Flickr (CC BY 2.0) The popular actor was born Richard Tiffany Gere in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 31, 1949. His middle name comes from his mother, whose maiden name was Tiffany. Gere’s family had deep early American roots. He descends from Mayflower passengers through both his mother and father. As a teen, Gere excelled at gymnastics and even earned a… Read the full story

On this day in 1814, Irish horror writer Sheridan Le Fanu was born. Considered to be the leading ghost story writer of the 19th century, Le Fanu’s works played a significant role in shaping the genre during the Victorian era. Image: Sheridan Le Fanu / Wikimedia Commons Le Fanu was born Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu on August 28, 1814 in Dublin, Ireland. He was born into a literary family with many writers and playwrights, including his great… Read the full story

On this day in 1908, Lyndon B. Johnson was born. Elected as Vice President in 1960, Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States upon the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Image: Lyndon B. Johnson / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in a small farmhouse on August 27, 1908 near Johnson City, Texas. He was the first of five children born to Samuel Ealy… Read the full story

When building out your family tree, you will occasionally come across a fascinating new line, a cluster of DNA matches, or historical records for individuals you know are part of your extended family history, but you just don’t know how they connect to the existing tree yet. To help solve this puzzle on Geni, we created the Create a Branch feature. This free tool allows anyone to seamlessly start an unconnected family tree branch and… Read the full story

On this day in 1819, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, was born in Schloss Rosenau, Germany. Image: Albert, Prince Consort / Library of Congress Born Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the Prince was the second son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and his first wife, Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In 1840, he married his first cousin, Queen Victoria, who had inherited the English throne just a few years earlier at the… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Sean Connery on what would have been his 96th birthday. Image: Sean Connery / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Thomas Sean Connery was born on August 25, 1930 in Edinburgh, Scotland to Euphemia McBain, a cleaning woman, and Joseph Connery, a factory worker and lorry driver. Named after his paternal grandfather, Connery went by the name “Tommy” growing up. Before becoming an actor, Connery’s first job was a milkman at the age of… Read the full story

Do you have family ties to Dutch royalty? On this day in 1772, William I of the Netherlands, the first King of the Netherlands, was born. Image: William I of the Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons He was the son of William V, Prince of Orange of the Dutch Republic, and Wilhelmina of Prussia. In 1791, he married his first cousin, Wilhelmina, who was the daughter of King Frederik William II of Prussia. After the French… Read the full story

On this day in 1765, William IV of the United Kingdom was born. The third son of George III, William became king after the death of his elder brother George IV. Image: William IV / Wikimedia Commons William was born at Buckingham Palace on August 21, 1765. As the third son born to King George III and Queen Charlotte, William was never expected to inherit the crown. He joined the Royal Navy at the age… Read the full story

On this day in 1833, Benjamin Harrison was born. Harrison served as the 23rd President of the United States from 1889 to 1893. Image: Benjamin Harrison / Library of Congress Harrison was born on August 20, 1833 to John Harrelson and Elizabeth Irwin in North Bed, Ohio. He was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States and first governor of the Indiana Territory. Harrison was seven years old when his grandfather was… Read the full story

Are you a Star Trek fan? On this day in 1921, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was born in El Paso, Texas. Image: Gene Roddenberry / NASA As a young man, Roddenberry became interested in aeronautical engineering and earned a pilot license through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. During World War II, Roddenberry enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps and flew an estimated 89 combat missions. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross…. Read the full story

Today we remember Robert Redford on what would have been his 90th birthday. Image: Robert Redford / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Charles Robert Redford, Jr. was born on August 18, 1936 in Santa Monica, California. He was the only child born to Martha W. Hart and Charles Robert Redford, Sr., a milkman-turned-accountant. After starting out with small roles on television, Redford became a major star after co-starring with Paul Newman in the box office… Read the full story