The Geni team will be heading to RootsTech this week from February 11-14. We will be joining the MyHeritage team in Salt Lake City, Utah to share with everyone the latest developments in the World Family Tree. RootsTech is one of the largest family history events in the entire world! This unique genealogy conference brings techies and genealogists of all skill levels together to discover new technologies for researching your family history. Many hands-on presentations and… Read the full story

Many countries around the world have their own set of laws or customs for naming children. The reasons behind these policies varies widely from country to country. Image: Nationaal Archief, flickr Check out these interesting naming laws from around the world: ICELAND Parents in Iceland may only choose names approved by the Icelandic Naming Committee. The Personal Names Register includes about 1,800 approved Icelandic names for each gender. Girls should be given female names and… Read the full story

Can you image discovering rare, undeveloped photographs from WWII and then being the first person to ever view them? Recently, photographer Levi Bettweiser made such a discovery after coming across 31 undeveloped rolls of film shot by a soldier during World War II. Bettweiser launched the Rescued Film Project in an effort to find and rescue old and undeveloped rolls of film. In 2014, he found the undeveloped batch of rolls at an auction in Ohio. Other than the… Read the full story

Have a great genealogy-filled weekend? Check out our roundup of articles from around the web! The Crowded Cemeteries of Hong Kong / The Guardian The Genealogy Sphere The Crowded Cemeteries of Hong Kong – in pictures (The Guardian) – See these amazing pictures of the crowded cemeteries of Hong Kong 109-Year-Old Woman Says Secret to Long Life is Avoiding Men (The Huffington Post) – Does longevity run in your family tree? The oldest living woman in… Read the full story

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s death. Considered one of the greatest leaders in history, Churchill was a master orator and statesman. In honor of this momentous anniversary, here are some things you may not have known about Winston Churchill: 1. He comes from an aristocratic family Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough, a branch of the Spencer family. His 6th great grandfather was John Churchill, the… Read the full story

If you have taken a stroll through a cemetery, you may notice a few graves that are not quite like the others. Many families choose unique markers that are reflective of who the person was when they were alive, while others offer grand tributes to the deceased. Have you come across one? Check out these unique gravestones: 1. Goff Memorial at Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington D.C. Image: Sarah Stierch, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) 2. Holding… Read the full story

We’ve all been there – surrounded by a mountain of paper work as we’re trying to break through that brick wall or uncover that elusive ancestor. A snippet of a newspaper or an old photograph can easily get lost amongst the clutter. How can you avoid getting lost in the mess of research? Check out these tips to stay organized and help you keep track of your family history research. Do it as you go The best way to stay… Read the full story

We hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating the holidays! Now read up on some fantastic articles you may have missed! Image: Coins, newspapers found as time capsule is opened / The Boston Globe The Genealogy Sphere The Edwardian Sartorialist (Mashable) – Take a look at fashion trends from the streets of London c. 1905-1908 Japanese family who tended Briton’s grave for 140 years finally learn his identity (The Guardian) – For 140 years, a Japanese… Read the full story

What’s behind a name? Typically, surnames are passed down through many generations, creating a web of connected family members. The use of surnames is common in most countries around the world, but did you know they didn’t always exist? During the 13th and 14th centuries in Britain, hereditary surnames were adopted, first amongst the aristocracy and then eventually everyone. These early surnames were often derived from patronymics, places, personal characteristics and occupations. Because of this, surnames can give… Read the full story

Best-selling author A.J. Jacobs is organizing the largest family reunion in history and he’s inviting all 7 billion of his cousins to the party! During this holiday season, the Global Family Reunion team is holding a fun holiday photo contest. Winners will receive some amazing prizes! AJ Jacobs Entering the contest is easy. All you need to do is submit a photo holding an “I am a Cousin” sign by January 9, 2015 to info@worldfamily.us. There are six categories to… Read the full story