Genealogy Research »
They Died of What? Old Diseases Explained
Posted April 11, 2018 by Amanda | One Comment
While researching your ancestors, have you come across a cause of death that you do not recognize? When looking at old records, it’s not uncommon to find a cause of death or illness whose name is no longer in use today. You may find these terms in old historical records such as obituaries, death certificates, probate records, or census mortality schedules. Here’s aquick roundup of a fewterms you may encounter: Croup – a swelling of… Read the full story
Genealogy Research »
Video: Your Family Tree Explained
Posted July 9, 2014 by Amanda | One Comment
One of the best things about Geni’s World Family Tree is the ability to discover how we’re all related to each other and to historical figures and celebrities. While you are finding these new connections, you may see relationships such as “second cousin once removed” or “sixth cousin twice removed.” With all the talk about “cousins” and “removes,” do you ever wonder, “What exactly does this mean?” This short video created by CGP Grey gives… Read the full story
Genealogy Research »
How to Preserve Newspaper Clippings
Posted June 2, 2022 by Geni | No Comment
In today’s “digital age,” it may seem strange that some family historians hang on to old newspapers and clippings. There are many good reasons to keep these items- perhaps most importantly, they are original source documents for current and future genealogical research. Published news such as wedding announcements, obituaries, and important historical events about our ancestors, provide a wealth of information that may not be found in other records. To save newspaper clippings for the… Read the full story
Community »
Your Stories: Finding Alice
Posted December 17, 2019 by Geni | No Comment
The following post was written by Ian Stone from Perth, Western Australia. A Geni user since 2010, Ian discovered his passion for genealogy afterstarting his family tree on the site nearly a decade ago. After sharing his submissionfor Geni’s Family History Month Giveaway, Ianasked for the opportunityto expand onhis answer to the question,“If you could go back in time, which ancestor would you visit and why?” Ian had said that he would love to visit… Read the full story
Fun with Genealogy »
7 Facts About the History of Spirit Photography
Posted October 30, 2019 by Amanda | No Comment
Have you seen any old photos with ghostly images? Chances are you may be looking at an old spirit photograph. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spirit photography became incredibly popular. Many people came to believe that spirit photographers could capture the image ofadeceased loved one in a photograph. Check out these 7 facts about the history of spirit photography: Preus Museum, Flickr 1.Spirit photography was discovered by accident by William H. Mumler… Read the full story
Community »
Highlights From RootsTech 2019
Posted March 6, 2019 by Amanda | No Comment
We’re back from RootsTech in Salt Lake City, Utah! From February 27 – March 2, 2019, thousands of genealogists and family history enthusiasts gathered at the Salt Palace Convention Center to attend the largest genealogy conference in the world. The Geni booth before the exhibit hall opened Geni had a booth in the exhibit hall with computers available for attendees to get a chance toget started with some hands-on help from Geni staff and curators.The… Read the full story
News »
Correction to Our Privacy Page
Posted May 5, 2018 by Geni | No Comment
It recently came to our attention that the privacy policy page on Geni omitted an important detail. The description of who can edit the public profiles you manage failed to include users within the maximum Family Group range of the managed profile, as well as limited access to all Geni users. These are explained in detail below. Maximum Family Group Public profiles can be edited by users that are near the profile in the family… Read the full story
Fun with Genealogy »
Family Stories: Weddings
Posted February 14, 2017 by Amanda | No Comment
Some of the best stories come from our own families. Often these lasting memories are passed down through generations either through storytelling or in personal journals or diaries. Today take a look back at the wedding stories in your family tree. You may even want to look for their wedding announcements in old newspapers, which sometimes include astory or description of the happy couple’s special day. Beloware a fewinteresting wedding stories we found inold newspapers:… Read the full story
Community »
Global Family Reunion: Hangout with AJ Jacobs – VIDEO
Posted November 5, 2014 by Amanda | No Comment
Did you miss our Google+ Hangout on Air with best-selling author A.J. Jacobs? Don’t worry, you can catch what you missed in the video below! A lot has happened since AJ first announced the Global Family Reunion. In this hangout, AJ gave us an update on hislatest celebrity-cousin discoveries, dished on upcoming television appearances and explained ways for you to get involved. Here are some ways you can help: Connect for the Cure – Help… Read the full story
Monday Recap »
Monday Recap for October 13, 2014
Posted October 13, 2014 by Amanda | No Comment
Did you get any genealogy work done over the weekend? Kickstart the new week with these interesting articles from around the web! Image: George Spencer Millet: The Boy Who Was Kissed to Death / Slate The Genealogy Sphere Trench Life Explained in this Interactive Graphic(MadeFromHistory.com) – A great interactive graphic explaining life inside the trenches of World War I How Iceland’s Genealogy Obsession Leads to Scientific Breakthroughs (The Atlantic) – Iceland’s knack for family history… Read the full story
Profile of the Day »
Profile of the Day: Brian Wilson
Posted October 10, 2014 by Amanda | No Comment
Do you remember the song “Good Vibrations”? On this day in 1966, the hit single was released by American rock band the Beach Boys. The song was composed and producedby Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson with fellow band memberMike Lovecontributing lyrics. Wilson has recounted that the original idea for the title “Good Vibrations” came from his mother, who had explained to him as a child that dogs sometimes bark at people in response to their… Read the full story
Monday Recap »
Monday Recap for July 14, 2014
Posted July 14, 2014 by Amanda | No Comment
Get your genealogy news fix with these family history articles from around the web. Image: Before and After: 30 of the Most Creative Recreations of Childhood Photos / BoredPanda The Genealogy Sphere Genealogy research reveals blood feud between local families(Tbo.com) – A local Tampa man researching his genealogy learns of an old family blood feud Mystery haunts woman left on doorstep as baby (NorwalkReflector.com) – A woman who discovered she was abandoned on a doorstep… Read the full story
Profile of the Day »
Profile of the Day: Duke and duch*ess of Windsor
Posted June 3, 2014 by Amanda | No Comment
On June 3, 1937, the duke of Windsor married Wallis Simpson at theChâteau de Candé in France. Only a few months earlier, the Duke abdicated the British throne after news of the couple’s engagement threatened tocause a constitutional crisis early in his reign. Edward was born in 1896 and was the eldest son of King George V. Upon his father’s death, he succeeded to the throne and proclaimed his intent to marry Wallis. The British… Read the full story
Profile of the Day »
Profile of the Day: Roger Ebert
Posted April 5, 2013 by Amanda | No Comment
Today we remember legendary film critic Roger Ebert, who passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer. The first film critic to ever with a Pulitzer Prize, Ebert gained national fame with his trademark “thumbs-up and thumbs-down” film reviews on his long-running syndicated televisions seriesAt the Movieswith his partner-in-crime, the late Gene Siskel. Just days before his passing, it was announced that Ebert’s cancer had returned. He left a final blog post titled, “Leave… Read the full story
Profile of the Day »
Profile of the Day: Edward VIII
Posted December 11, 2012 by Amanda | No Comment
On December 11, 1936, Edward VIII became the first English monarch to voluntarily abdicate the throne. After only a few months on the throne, Edward caused a constitutional crisis when he proposed marriage to Wallis Simpson, a divorced American socialite. In a radio broadcast to the Empire, Edward explained his decision to abdicate, “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would… Read the full story
Community »
Congratulations to Our 2nd Curator Appreciation Month Winner!
Posted November 16, 2012 by Amanda | No Comment
We’re excited to announce our second Curator Appreciation Month winner, Laura Harmon! We hope you enjoy your complimentary 6-month subscription to Geni Pro! Laura shared her experience with Curator Erica Howton. Check out her story below: I was looking up something and I ended up finding her and I found out that I was connected to her, so I asked how. She told me how we were connected and I didn’t realize one of the… Read the full story
Monday Recap »
Monday Recap for April 9, 2012
Posted April 9, 2012 by Amanda | No Comment
Since the 1940 U.S. census was released last Monday, there were a large number of census related articles. Check out a few interesting articles below! The Genealogy Sphere J.D. Salinger Found Using NYPL’s 1940 Census Tool(Gothamist) – J.D. Salinger was found in the 1940 census using the New York Public Library’s research tool Citations Explained – A Don’t Miss Resource for all Genealogists (About.com) – With the release of the 1940 census, Kimberly Powell goes… Read the full story
Podcast »
Geni Podcast: Citing Your Sources
Posted April 7, 2011 by Geni | One Comment
[Download This Episode] [Subscribe in iTunes] [Subscribe in Your Favorite Podcatcher] Show Notes: Collaborative Genealogy What does “citing your sources” mean? When you perform genealogy research, you work with sources such as a database, a book, a newspaper article, or even a website. These are all sources of information. When you locate information that can substantiate the facts about your family history (a birth date, a death location, etc.), you should cite not only the… Read the full story
Community »
Interview with Dear Myrtle
Posted November 3, 2010 by Geni | No Comment
This week we interviewed Myrt, a popular genealogist and the voice behind the DearMYRTLE blog, one of the Internet’s leading resources for novice genealogists. Check out Myrt’s book Joy of Genealogy on Lulu. What originally piqued your interest in family history and genealogy? Was there a point where it turned from a casual hobby to the serious hobby that it now is for you? You want the truth? A dump truck hit me, and I… Read the full story
