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

It’s Movember again, an annual event where men grow out their mustaches during the month of November to raise awareness for men’s health. When looking through old family photos, it’s likely you’ve come across some mustachioed ancestors. Mustache styles have changed over time, so your ancestor’s facial hair may even be a clue to help you date your photo. In honor of Movember, here’s a fun look at some epic mustaches of the past. Image: Australian National… Read the full story

November 1 and 2 marks the celebration of the Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, a traditionally Mexican holiday focused on the remembrance of friends and family who have died. Although the holiday is particularly a Mexican holiday, the Day of the Dead is observed by many cultures throughout the world. The colorful and festive holiday is celebrated with family and friends in remembrance of their loved ones who have died. In honor of… Read the full story

We love to hear stories from our users about the fascinating discoveries they have made on Geni. Below we share a story from Angela Sinickas Shiromani, who connected with descendants of her grandmother’s siblings through Geni. This amazing discovery finally united two lines of the family after being separated across two continents for over 60 years. In June 2013, while on a trip to Lithuania to speak at the Lithuanian World Economic Forum, Angela decided… Read the full story

Before Geni introduced documents, users were able to upload records, such as census records or passenger lists, as photos. Now years later, many people are still not aware that you can convert those old photos into documents. By converting these types of photos into documents, you make these records even more useful in your family tree. Once the image is made into a document, you can use them as sources for your family’s profiles. For each profile… Read the full story

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Barbara Zinn first became interested in family history in 1998 when her husband’s aunt sent the couple his family history. Since then, Barbara had been doing her husband’s genealogy off and on.  After researching her husband’s family for a number of years, Barbara became interested in seeing what she could find about her own family. Mary Louise Spencer (Barbara’s paternal grandmother) / Courtesy of Barbara Zinn “Because of my upbringing, and… Read the full story

On October 11, 1890, the Daughters of the American Revolution was founded. The non-profit organization and genealogical scoeity welcomes women who are directly descended from Patriots who served in the American Revolutionary War. The group works to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. Check out these fast facts about the founding of the Daughters of the American Revolution: 1. It emerged during a time of renewed passion and interest in the early days of American history. Image: Library… Read the full story

We love hearing stories of families reunited through Geni. Recently, Eli Rabinowitz finally found his first cousin Zara Smushkovich after being separated for over 35 years! The discovery was made thanks to the help of a friendly person on Facebook who found the family tree on Geni. Zara’s father, David, and Eli’s mother, Rachel Zara’s father, David Zeldin, and Eli’s mother, Rachel, were siblings. During World War II, David had joined the Soviet Army. His children, Mendel and… Read the full story

It’s Family History Month! Throughout the month of October, we’ll be sharing stories from the Geni community in celebration of genealogy and family history. Read below of one Geni user’s journey into genealogy and her excitement for the endless possibilities of connecting and collaborating in the World Family Tree. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Tamar Weinberg likes to call herself a professional hustler. A work-at-home mom with 4 kids under the age of 7, Tamar… Read the full story