On the morning of December 27, 2016, Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher passed away after suffering a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles just four days earlier. Image: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons  An accomplished author, screenwriter and actress, Fisher was well known for her quick wit and candor. She held memorable parts in When Harry Met Sally and Hannah and Her Sisters, but she will perhaps forever be remembered for her iconic… Read the full story

Do you remember writing letters to Santa Claus? What did you ask for? Every year, children all around the world take a moment to ask Santa for gifts for being good during the year. The Mountainair Independent, December 21, 1916 / MyHeritage SuperSearch Have you ever wondered what your ancestors may have asked for 100 years ago? Newspapers often printed children’s letters to Santa. Common gift requests included dolls, firecrackers, candy, and fruits, particularly apples and… Read the full story

Looking for a great gift for the holidays? Whether you are looking for a gift for the family historian or genealogist in your circle of friends and family or just looking to share your love of family history with your relatives, here are some nifty gift ideas for this holiday season. For something nostalgic…   Poster of your family tree A family tree poster is an excellent gift to to give to your family. You can… Read the full story

On December 8, legendary astronaut John Glenn died at the age of 95. A hero of the space age and the last of the original Mercury 7, Glenn inspired generations of scientists and explorers. Image: NASA Remembered best as the first American to orbit Earth, Glenn was also a national war hero and former U.S. Senator. In honor of his memory, here are some interesting facts about the life of the American icon. 1. He grew up… Read the full story

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy struck the U.S. navel base at Pearl Harbor in a surprise military attack. The attack lasted a couple of hours and left more than 1,000 wounded and 2,400 people dead. Image: U.S. Navy The attack was intended as a preventative action to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with the planned military actions of… Read the full story

We love hearing of stories from users who have discovered a new piece of their family on Geni. Today we share a story from Jens Petter Kleven, who grew up knowing very little about his father’s family. What he found on Geni would open up an entirely new world to him. Jens was born in September 1950 in Oslo, Norway. He describes his childhood as difficult from day one.  His mother had denied his father… Read the full story

When trees overlap on Geni, they are merged together to create a single, more complete family tree. Usually this happens when you encounter a Tree Match notifying you of a duplicate profile. But did you know you can still merge duplicate profiles even without a Tree Match? There are multiple ways to merge duplicates, but here we will cover how to begin a merge from a profile page. To merge the duplicate profile, first click on… Read the full story

As we get ready to enjoy Thanksgiving with family, we are reminded of the many traditions that come with the holiday. From the huge family feast of turkey and stuffing to football and even the annual Thanksgiving Day parade, traditions help make the holiday we spend with family special. But there’s an old American tradition that many may not be aware of from a time when Thanksgiving looked a little different than today. Image: Library of… Read the full story

Today we celebrate Veterans Day in recognition of the men and women who have served in the armed forces. In honor of the holiday, here’s a look at a few famous veterans in Geni’s World Family Tree: 1. Buster Keaton Buster Keaton’s WWI draft card / NARA Remembered as one of the funniest comedians of the Silent Film Era, Buster Keaton served in the United States Army in France with the 40th Infantry Division during World War I…. Read the full story

It’s Election Day in the U.S. Today, millions of Americans will head to the polls to cast their votes for President. This presidential election between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton will certainly go down into the history books and may possibly result in the country’s first female president. As voters take to the polls, we take a minute to remember that many of our ancestors may have also participated in elections during their lifetimes. Did your ancestors vote? Voter… Read the full story