Geni will be performing scheduled site maintenance starting at 5:00pm PST on November 5, 2024 and lasting approximately 20 minutes. During this time, the Geni website will be unavailable.

We’ll do our best to complete the maintenance quickly and return to normal service as soon as possible.

Many thanks for your patience.

The Geni Team

The post Scheduled Site Maintenance first appeared on About Geni.

Do you like to hear ghost stories? This spooky season, we’re highlighting the Ghosts of North America genealogy project on Geni. This project brings together historical figures whose spirits are said to roam some of the most notable sites across North America. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these spectral personalities who may still walk among us in the shadows.

Hiram Mills Perkins

Image: Lawrence Sun American, July 20, 1922 / OldNews.com

Hiram Mills Perkins was a Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Ohio Wesleyan University. When the Civil War began, Perkins left his teaching position to join the Union Army. However, he was rejected by the army as unfit for service because, at 6 feet 4 inches and 97 pounds, he was determined to be too skinny. Changing gears, Perkins returned to his family’s pig farm in Ohio and found success raising hogs to feed the Union Army. A strict methodist, Perkins felt it was immoral to use the wealth he acquired from war. He returned to teaching at Ohio Wesleyan University after the war, where he remained until his retirement in 1907. Over his lifetime, Perkins saved a small fortune with the dream that the university would erect a great telescope on campus. At the age of 89, Perkins donated all of his wealth to the university to obtain the world’s third largest telescope. In 1923, construction began on what would be called the Perkins Observatory. Perkins died shortly after at the age of 90, never to see the completion of the observatory. Per his request at the time of his death, Perkins’s personal bible remains at the observatory. It is said that the ghost of Perkins now haunts its halls frustrated that he never got to use the observatory he founded.

Carolyn Foster Stickney

Image: Carolyn Foster Stickney / Library of Congress

In 1902, Joseph Stickney, a wealthy coal broker and hotelier, built the luxurious Mount Washington Hotel (today the Omni Mount Washington resort) in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. A year after the hotel’s completion, Stickney passed away and his wife, Carolyn Foster Stickney, inherited the property. Every summer until her death, Carolyn stayed at the hotel in her personal suite, room 314. The room had the best views overlooking the hotel entrance and Carolyn was known to stand at her balcony to watch guests arrive. After marrying a French royal, Prince Aymon de Faucigny-Lucinge, Carolyn became known as “the Princess” by the staff and today, room 314 is known as “The Princess Room.” In 1936, Carolyn died in her home in Rhode Island. However, guests and staff have reported seeing Carolyn wandering the hotel halls over the years. Those who stay in room 314 have reported seeing a woman sitting at the edge of their bed.

Cassius Clay

Image: Cassius Marcellus Clay / Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery CC0

Military officer, politician, and abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay was born on October 19, 1810 in Madison County, Kentucky to Sally Lewis and Green Clay, one of Kentucky’s wealthiest planters and slave owners. Despite his family background, Cassius became a prominent abolitionist. The Clay Family home, White Hall, was built in the late 1700’s by Green in Richmond, Kentucky. It was later renovated by Cassius’s wife, Mary Jane, in 1861. The sprawling 44 room mansion was inherited by Cassius after the death of his father, who died in the home. Clay lived at White Hall for most of his life with his wife and children. His daughters, Laura Clay and Mary Barr Clay, would become early leaders of the women’s suffrage movement. Today White Hall has been designated a historic site and is reportedly haunted by Cassius. Visitors have reported hearing footsteps and seeing moving candle lights. Some have reported hearing piano and violin music and have witnessed ghostly apparitions walking the halls.

Check out the Ghosts of North America project to find more notable figures with their own ghostly stories.

The post Featured Project: Ghosts of North America first appeared on About Geni.

We’re back from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where we had the opportunity to attend the 44th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. The conference was held August 18-22 in the City of Brotherly Love.

The exhibit hall was open for the entire conference and attendees made good use of their time visiting the Geni table. We were happy to grant extended walkthroughs of the website to help users better understand how they can make use of all of Geni’s powerful features. Several times we were even able to connect new users to the World Family Tree within just three generations! We loved hearing from long-time users who let us know how much they have enjoyed using Geni to share their family history and collaborate with relatives.

We are grateful to Geni Curator Benjamin Schoenbrun, who volunteered some of his time to sit with attendees at the Geni table to help users with their trees.

Curator Randy Schoenberg held a Birds of a Feather for Geni users. After relocating to the tables in the exhibit hall, Randy brought the entire group over to say hello at the Geni table.

For this conference, we removed the limitations on the Geni Pathfinder and expanded it to find any blood or in-law path between two people. Geni users who registered on the Pathfinder event page received a notification if a new relationship was found to another attendee. Many people had a lot of fun with these paths and even made new discoveries! Thanks to an in-law path, a very happy user discovered that her husband was a blood relative of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania.

One of the best parts of going to genealogy conferences is the opportunity to see Geni Curators in person. It’s always a really fun time when we can get together for our Geni Curator dinners. We were lucky to be joined by local curators too!

We had an amazing time in Philadelphia and we can’t wait to see everyone next year in Fort Wayne, Indiana!

The post IAJGS 2024 Conference Recap first appeared on About Geni.

Soon Geni will be heading to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the 44th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. The conference will take place August 18 – 22 with a jam-packed schedule every day.

Come find us at the Geni table in the conference exhibit hall. We’ll be eager to chat and help answer any questions you may have about Geni. The IAJGS conferences are one of our favorites because we get to spend lots of one-on-one time with our users. It also presents an excellent opportunity to get together in-person with the Geni curators who are in attendance.

Find Family Connections with the Geni Pathfinder

If you are connected to the World Family Tree, you can use the Geni Pathfinder to see how you are related to other conference attendees who are also connected. For this conference, we expanded the Geni Pathfinder to find any blood or in-law path between two people. Previously, the Pathfinder was limited to 12th cousins or closer. By expanding the relationship path search, attendees will be able to discover more connections than ever before. Simply scan the QR code above or go to the IAJGS 2024 Geni Pathfinder page to sign up to receive notifications of new relatives at the conference. Once the conference begins, we’ll send you a Geni inbox message or a text letting you know when a new relative is found. You may even want to reach out by sending a Geni inbox message to meet up with your newly discovered relatives too!

You can update your notification settings on the event page or unregister from the event at anytime.

Will you be at IAJGS 2024 in Philadelphia? Make sure to stop by the exhibit hall to say hello!

Register for Geni Pathfinder at IAJGS now!

The post Geni is Heading to IAJGS 2024 first appeared on About Geni.

Have you been watching the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics? Athletes from all around the world have come together in Paris, France to compete for the gold. In celebration of this year’s Olympic games, we’re highlighting the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics genealogy project. You can bring your love of genealogy and your enthusiasm for the Olympics together and collaborate with others to build the family trees of this summer’s Olympic athletes.

Collaborators have been hard at work connecting Olympic athletes to the World Family Tree. You can also find some of this year’s most popular athletes already connected. Let’s take a look at a few of them below!

Simone Biles

This week gymnast Simone Biles made history by becoming the most decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history. The U.S. women’s gymnastic team took home the gold in the team final. Just a couple of days later, Biles cinched the gold medal in the women’s all-around final. She faced fierce competition against Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who came in second with a silver medal. Andrade had previously won a silver medal at the Olympic games in Tokyo, which made her the first Brazilian female gymnast to medal at an Olympic Games. Biles’s Team USA teammate Suni Lee placed third with a bronze medal.

Stephen Nedoroscik

Men’s gymnastics has also received a lot of attention thanks to pommel horse expert Stephen Nedoroscik. The “Clark Kent” of the U.S. men’s gymnastic team, Nedoroscik’s showing on the pommel horse during the men’s gymnastics final helped secure the bronze medal for the U.S. men’s artistic gymnastic team. It is the team’s first medal in almost 16 years!

Katie Ledecky

Swimmer Katie Ledecky became the most decorated female U.S. Olympian of all time when she won silver in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. The Paris games mark her fourth Olympic games. Earlier in the week, Ledecky earned gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle, breaking her own Olympic record with a finish of 15:30.02.

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics project serves as an umbrella project for the games. You can find several sub-projects that focus on athletes from specific countries, including the United States, Israel, Great Britain, the Philippines, and more. If you don’t see the athletes in your country represented, you can create your own project and add it as a related project in the 2024 Olympic umbrella project so others may easily find it and join.

Get started today!

Join the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics project

The post Featured Project: Paris 2024 Summer Olympics first appeared on About Geni.

Taylor Swift recently kicked off the European leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour with a fresh new era added to the setlist in honor of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. Before the start of her Paris concert, MyHeritage shared with the world Swift’s connection to French royalty, the former King of France, Louis XIV. The interesting path can be traced through Geni’s World Family Tree, which shows that Swift and the Sun King are 8th cousin 11 times removed.

We thought it would be fun to take a look at some other interesting connections the superstar has in the World Family Tree.

The lead single off her 11th studio album is “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone. It turns out the musical collaborators are 10th cousins thrice removed.

In addition to Post Malone, the song’s music video featured Dead Poets’ Society stars Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles as psychiatrists carrying out tests on Swift. The video was a family affair as Hawke and Swift are also 11th cousins once removed.

This also means that Post Malone and Ethan Hawke are distantly related! According to the World Family Tree, they are 15th cousins once removed.

Throughout the album, Swift name drops many well known names, from Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith to Clara Bow and Stevie Nicks. Physical copies of the album included an original poem by Nicks, who has praised Swift’s songwriting talents in the past. The duo have performed together previously at the 2010 Grammy Awards. Thanks to Geni’s World Family Tree, we can see that the music icons are ninth cousins twice removed.

How are you related to Taylor Swift? Explore Taylor Swift’s family tree on Geni and you can discover how you’re connected the star.

View Taylor Swift’s Geni Profile

The post Look Who’s Related: Taylor Swift, Post Malone, and More From the Tortured Poets Department first appeared on About Geni.

April 15 marks the anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Every year the public’s imagination is captured by the infamous ship along with its harrowing stories of survival and loss. Amongst one of the crew was stewardess Violet Jessop, who would experience more than one maritime disaster in her lifetime. She remarkably survived not only the sinking of the Titanic, but also a second disaster at sea on the HMHS Britannic only a few years later.

Image: Violet Jessop / Wikimedia Commons

Jessop was born on October 2, 1887 in Argentina to Irish immigrants William Jessop and Katherine Kelly. After the death of her father in 1903, the family moved to England. While her mother was working at sea as a stewardess, Jessop attended school and cared for her younger siblings. After her mother became ill, Jessop left school and followed in her mother’s footsteps to become a stewardess.

RMS Olympic

In 1911, Jessop began working for the White Start Line liner RMS Olympic. The Olympic was a luxury ship and the largest civilian liner at the time. Her time on the Olympic would mark her first encounter with dangers on the sea. On September 20, 1911, the Olympic left port at Southampton and collided with the British warship HMS Hawke. Fortunately, the accident resulted in no fatalities and the ship was able to return to port despite a gaping hole in her starboard quarter.

Boston Evening Record, September 20, 1911 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

RMS Titanic

Jessop continued to work aboard the Olympic until 1912 when she was transferred to her sister ship, the RMS Titanic, for her maiden voyage. In her memoir, Jessop described the night the vast ship collided with the iceberg and her realization that the “unsinkable ship” was going down into the ocean’s waters. When she first heard the crash, Jessop immediately went straight to her duties on deck to help passengers with their lifebelts and reassure them that everything was going to be fine. She helped usher passengers to the lifeboats as a “precautionary measure.” It wasn’t until she noticed the incline of the forward part of the ship that she realized the ship was actually sinking.

The Times Dispatch, April 16, 1912 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Jessop boarded lifeboat 16 along with the other women and children. As the lifeboat was lowered, a deck officer handed her a “forgotten baby.” The stewardess cared for the child throughout the freezing night until they were rescued by the RMS Carpathia. She recalled in her memoir that as soon as she boarded the Carpathia, a woman ran up to her, grabbed the baby, and ran away with it.

Image: Titanic lifeboats on the way to Carpathia / Library of Congress

HMHS Britannic

Four years after the sinking of the Titanic, Jessop would endure yet another disaster at sea. During World War I, Jessop became a stewardess for the British Red Cross and worked aboard the HMHS Britannic, a sister ship to the Titanic, which was converted into a hospital ship. On the morning of November 21, 1916, Jessop was on board when the converted hospital ship was hit by a German mine. According to her memoir, Jessop quickly returned to her cabin to grab her most valued possessions along with one practical addition, her toothbrush. She recalled how after her rescue from the Titanic, she had a difficult time locating a toothbrush aboard the Carpathia. She was jokingly advised later, “Never undertake another disaster without first making sure of your toothbrush.”

When she reached the deck, she noticed that the propellers of the ship were still moving as lifeboats were lowered into the water. In a horrific scene, the boats were sucked into the propellers, killing those on board. As the ship continued to sink, Jessop realized she had no choice but to jump into the water. As she resurfaced, her head hit the ship’s keel. In her struggle to resurface, she was able to grab onto a spare lifebelt and hold on until one of the Britannic‘s boats was able to rescue her. Jessop had managed to survive yet another maritime disaster. The ship had gone down rapidly, sinking into the Aegean Sea in just 55 minutes. The blow to her head left Jessop with a badly fractured skull and she would suffer from headaches for years after.

The Evening Standard, November 22, 1916 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Despite her experience at sea, Jessop returned to work for White Star Line in 1920 back aboard the Olympic. She later joined a new company, the Red Star Line, where she worked aboard the Belgenland.

Image: Violet Jessop on the RMS Olympic crew manifest arriving in New York, November 24, 1920 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

The rest of her career at sea was much less eventful and she eventually retired to the countryside. Jessop died on May 5, 1971 at the age of 83 in Suffolk, England.

The post The Story of Titanic Survivor Violet Jessop first appeared on About Geni.

We’re back from Salt Lake City, Utah, where we just spent a few fun-filled days at RootsTech, the largest genealogy conference in the world. We had a busy booth throughout the conference. Geni curator Benjamin Schoenbrun helped to staff the booth and he had great luck connecting attendees to the World Family Tree.

The conference was bustling with people eager to learn the latest in genealogy. The Geni booth was often packed with people wanting to hear more about collaboration in the World Family Tree.

Many couldn’t wait to get a hold of our famous Geni notebooks. These handy notebooks are always a popular giveaway item at genealogy conferences.

We met some amazing people who happily shared their Geni stories with us. One person stopped by on the first day to tell us about how she discovered her fourth cousin once removed through Geni. When she first made contact, the family had believed that her branch of the tree had died out. They were located in Chile and had no idea they had living relatives in the U.S. She said that without Geni, she probably would have never found them.

This was just one of the many heartwarming stories we heard about how Geni has helped individuals on their family history journeys. In fact, a few years ago we had the pleasure of sharing Angela Sinickas’s story on the Geni blog. Thanks to the power of Geni’s World Family Tree and MyHeritage, Angela was able to find and connect with the descendants of her grandmother’s siblings. This year we were lucky enough to meet Angela in person in the RootsTech expo hall!

Several attendees took a seat at the booth to do searches in Geni’s database to find their ancestors, start their family trees from scratch, or import their GEDCOMs.

Geni’s General Manager Mike Stangel gave a lecture about Geni’s Source Assistant at the MyHeritage booth.

Visitors were able to stop by to learn all about the ins and outs of Geni’s Source Assistant and how it can help grow your family tree.

One of the best parts of attending conferences is meeting Geni curators in person. In addition to Ben, we had the pleasure of spending time with curators Jarrett Ross, Sandra Levien, and Mona Magno-Veluz.

We had an amazing time and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone again next year!

Don’t forget to mark your calendars. RootsTech 2025 will be held March 6-8 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We hope to see you there!

The post RootsTech 2024 Recap first appeared on About Geni.

In just one week Geni will be heading to RootsTech, the largest genealogy conference in the world. Each year, RootsTech offers a wide variety of classes perfect for the beginning family history enthusiast to more advanced genealogists. The conference will be held February 29 – March 2 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Once again RootsTech will be both in-person and virtual, so if you cannot make it to Salt Lake City, you can join the fun virtually from the comfort of home! You can register for free for the RootsTech online conference. Those who sign up for the virtual conference will get access to hundreds of class sessions, virtual expo hall, awesome keynote addresses, and other unique experiences.

Exciting keynote speakers include comedian Henry Cho, photographer Nancy Borowick, and award-winning actress and singer Kristen Chenoweth. Before the conference, be sure to explore Kristen Chenoweth’s family tree on Geni and discover how you’re connected to the star in Geni’s World Family Tree!

Expo Hall

If you are planning to be there in person, the Expo Hall will be free to the public during the entire conference. We hope you stop by the expo hall to visit Geni at booth #1300 and say hello to the team! We always enjoy meeting Geni users and we’ll be happy to help answer any questions. You can also pick up fun giveaways and get a special conference discount on a Geni Pro subscription.

MyHeritage Booth Lectures

MyHeritage will be holding booth lectures every day during the entire conference. You can catch Geni’s General Manager Mike Stangel on Thursday, February 29 at 5pm at the MyHeritage booth to learn all about “Getting the Most out of Geni’s Source Assistant.” Mike will take you through how to use the Source Assistant to improve and expand Geni’s World Family Tree.

Find Relatives on Geni with the Pathfinder

Whether you are participating in person or online, you can also have a little fun with World Family Tree with the Geni Pathfinder to see how you’re related to other RootsTech attendees. Sign up now to be notified of new cousin discoveries during the conference. Visit the Geni Pathfinder page at anytime to view a list of attending relatives and send a message to your new connections.

Are you attending RootsTech in person or virtually? We hope to see you there either in person or online!

The post Join Geni at RootsTech 2024 first appeared on About Geni.

Since first introducing the Source Assistant, Geni users have been able to use this powerful tool to quickly and easily extract information from confirmed MyHeritage Record Matches and Smart Matches to the family tree on Geni. Today we are happy to announce that Geni will now notify you by email about pending Source Assistant items to review. These notifications serve as a reminder that you may have exciting new information waiting to be added to the family tree.

The email notification will contain a list of your 3 most recent Source Assistant items. Each item will include the title of the collection, the name of the profile on which the record was confirmed, what new information the MyHeritage source may contain, and the date the match was confirmed. If sources have already been added to the profile, a warning will appear to let you know that the profile may have some conflicting data. You can click the “Review” button to begin reviewing the Source Assistant items for the match.

A new tab will open taking you to the Source Assistant page so you can review and extract any new or improved information to the Geni profile.

Review our blog post to learn more about resolving Source Assistant items.

If you would like to review all your Source Assistant items at once, click the button “View all Source Assistant items” at the bottom of the email.

Geni will not continuously email you about the same Source Assistant items over and over again. You will see new notifications each week until all pending Source Assistant items have been sent, or new ones appear. As a reminder, you have control over what email notifications you receive from Geni. You may review and update your email notification preferences at any time in your account settings. 

When we introduced the Consistency Checker email notifications, we heard great feedback on how helpful they were to alert you of inconsistencies in the tree that were previously forgotten about or overlooked. We believe the Source Assistant notification will be just as helpful to ensure the accuracy and quality of the World Family Tree. 

Don’t leave your Source Assistant items waiting! You never know when a record will contain that missing piece of information that will unlock the next part of your family’s history.

The post New Source Assistant Email Notifications first appeared on About Geni.

As the new year comes to a close, we are looking back at the highlights of 2023 on Geni. From new enhancements to a return to regular in-person conferences, we had a fun year and reached a new milestone in the World Family Tree with over 180 million profiles connected!

We began the year by returning to RootsTech, which was once again in person after two years of virtual conferences. It was amazing to see so many old friends face-to-face and speak to all the Geni users who came to visit us at the booth. We were joined by curator Benjamin Schoenbrun, who was available to help answer questions and provide assistance to visitors who were having trouble with their trees. We were even able to connect a few people to the World Family Tree right at the booth!

While attending RootsTech, we had a lovely chat with an avid Geni user who made some excellent suggestions on how to improve the family map feature. Shortly after our talk at the conference, the team released some new enhancements to the family map on Geni. In addition to place of birth and current location, you can now see the place of death and burial location on the world map. We made improvements to how relatives are listed when you mouse over a pinned location. Hovering over a pin now gives you an easy-to-read list of relatives at that specific location. We also added a clickable list of names so you can get more information about the individuals at that location.

We were happy to attend the National Genealogical Society Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia. This conference was a lot of fun. Next year, NGS plans to go back to an all-virtual conference. So if you were unable to attend this year, you may have your chance next year from the comfort of your own home!

In July, the World Family Tree hit 180 million profiles connected! Thanks to the collaboration of millions of Geni users, our World Family Tree continues to grow.

Shortly after hitting the 180 million milestone in the World Family Tree we set off to London, England for the 43rd IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. While the number of attendees was smaller than what we see in the states, the Geni booth was still busy as ever with Geni users looking for help with their trees. We also had a blast connecting with several Geni curators who were also in attendance. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone again next year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

You may have also noticed a small enhancement we made to the event About section – it now supports wikitext! For some time, users have asked for the ability to format an event’s About section similar to what can be done in a profile’s About section. Now you can customize your event descriptions to make it look the way you want. We also made some more small improvements to editing wikitext that should make things a little bit easier.

A few years ago, we introduced the Consistency Checker to the World Family Tree. The Consistency Checker constantly monitors changes to profiles in the family tree to detect common errors and inconsistencies and bring them to your attention. All of your inconsistencies can be found on the Consistency Checker page, however, you can easily forget to go back and check as you are building your tree. This year we introduced a new Consistency Checker email notification to alert you of the most important issues discovered in the profiles you manage. We’ve heard great feedback from users who say it has been helpful to see inconsistencies in the tree that they have forgotten about.

We are still working on new and things for 2024, including a new Source Assistant email to remind you of pending Source Assistant items that may need your attention. We can wait to share everything with you!

Have a happy New Year!

The post Looking Back at 2023 first appeared on About Geni.

The Consistency Checker has played an important role to help improve the accuracy of the World Family Tree. Today we are excited to share that you will now receive a weekly email notification to alert you of inconsistencies found in the family tree on Geni.

In the email notification, you will see a list of the most important issues discovered on profiles you manage. The Consistency Checker automatically checks 28 different types of inconsistencies and common mistakes. Each inconsistency is classified by severity (error, warning, and informational), so you may prioritize which issue to address first. 

Click on the issue type to review and resolve the inconsistency for the profile mentioned. A new page will open showing the inconsistency from the email at the top and list any other pending consistency issues for that particular profile.

Review our FAQs to learn more about each inconsistency type and how to resolve them.

As a reminder, the Consistency Checker is meant to bring possible problems to your attention. Not all issues are actual errors, which is why it is important to carefully review each item. If the issue is correct, then you may resolve it by clicking “Ignore” and selecting “Mark this correct for all users.” The issue will then be removed for everyone. If you are not sure how to resolve it, then you can click “Hide this only from my view” to remove it from your own list of inconsistencies. The issue will still be available to other profile managers and collaborators to resolve.

If you would like to review all inconsistencies found by the Consistency Checker, click the button “View all consistency issues” at the bottom of the email.

Each person has control over what email notifications they receive from Geni. You can review and update your email notification preferences at any time in your account settings. 

Keep a lookout for the new consistency emails in your inbox! Help improve the quality of the World Family Tree by resolving any issues found.

The post New Consistency Checker Email Notifications first appeared on About Geni.

Genealogy is not just about compiling a list of names and dates; it’s about discovering the stories, experiences, and personalities of our ancestors. When exploring your family history on Geni, you have the opportunity to go beyond the basics and add rich context to your ancestors’ profiles.

Our ancestors are more than just names on a pedigree chart or entries in dusty records. They were living, breathing individuals who navigated the triumphs and tribulations of their times. When venturing beyond the realm of birth and death dates, marriages, and locations, you can unveil a multi-dimensional picture of who your ancestors truly were.

Gather Stories and Anecdotes

Beyond the standard birth, marriage, and death records, your ancestors have countless stories waiting to be discovered. Reach out to older relatives and dig into family archives to collect anecdotes, memories, and tales that paint a vivid picture of their lives. Capture them on video and upload them to Geni. These stories can add depth and personality to your family’s profiles. Flesh out a profile’s About section with a short biography to illuminate all the fascinating details about your relatives.

Incorporate Historical Context

Does your ancestor belong to one of the thousands of genealogy projects on Geni? How do they relate to the broader context of the World Family Tree? To truly understand your ancestors’ lives, it’s crucial to explore the historical context in which they lived. Research the era, events, and social conditions that shaped their experiences. By including this context on Geni, you provide a broader understanding of their lives and the challenges they faced.

Add Photographs and Documents

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a photograph of your ancestors can offer a powerful connection to the past. Scan and upload old family photographs, letters, postcards, and other documents to Geni to share with your relatives. Do you have an heirloom that once belonged to your ancestor? Photograph the item and document the story behind it. These visual artifacts not only enhance the profiles in the family tree but also allow future generations to see and appreciate their ancestors’ physical appearances and personal possessions.

Explore Occupations and Hobbies

Discovering your ancestors’ occupations and hobbies can provide fascinating insights into their daily lives and passions. Research the professions they pursued, their skills, and any notable achievements. Additionally, uncovering their hobbies, such as painting, sports, or music, can reveal hidden talents and interests that help paint a more complete picture of who they were. Include what you find in their Geni profiles to share with others.

Record Life Events

In addition to vital events, consider including other significant milestones in your ancestors’ lives. Did they immigrate to a new country? Serve in the military? Win an award? These events can be recorded on Geni in the profile’s Timeline, highlighting important moments that shaped their personal narratives.

Geni Tips: Add Events to Timelines

You may also look at the Family Timeline to see these events in the context of your entire family history.

Document Cultural Traditions

Many families have unique cultural traditions, customs, and rituals that have been passed down through generations. Ensure these valuable aspects of your family heritage are not lost by documenting them on Geni. Whether it’s a special recipe, a traditional holiday celebration, or a particular way of dressing, sharing these cultural traditions keeps them alive for future generations.

Building a family tree on Geni allows you to go beyond mere dates and names, creating a vibrant tapestry of your ancestors’ lives. By incorporating stories, historical context, photographs, documents, occupations, hobbies, life events, and cultural traditions, you can add depth and personality to their profiles. Embrace the opportunity to preserve and share your family history, ensuring that your ancestors’ legacies continue to inspire and resonate with generations to come.

Happy researching and storytelling!

The post Beyond Dates and Names: Adding Context and Life to Your Ancestors’ Profiles on Geni first appeared on About Geni.

At a recent press conference for her latest film Golda, Helen Mirren was presented with a surprising discovery from the researchers at MyHeritage – she is in fact distantly related to Golda Meir, the former Israeli Prime Minister! In the film, Mirren stars as the iconic politician and follows the enormous responsibilities and decisions Meir faced during the Yom Kippur War. The film is set to premier at the opening of the 40th Jerusalem Film Festival.

Image: Harald Krichel, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Although the relationship was distant, and went through a few marriages, Mirren appreciated learning about her personal connection to Meir, whom she said was “one of the most extraordinary characters I’ve ever played.” Mirren thanked the MyHeritage researchers, saying, “It goes to show that we are all one family, and when we’re in times of divisiveness and strife, as I know Israel is right now and the whole world is, it would be very good for all of us to remember that.”

The relationship follows a path through her father’s branch of the family tree, whose family was once a part of the Russian nobility. Her paternal grandfather, Pyotr Mironov, was a part of the Russian aristocracy and a diplomat. He was in Britain negotiating an arms deal when he and his family were stranded by the Russian Revolution in 1917. The family eventually settled in England and later, Mirren’s father would change the family name to “Mirren.” Many years later Mirren would go on to play Catherine the Great in an HBO miniseries about the Russian empress. Little did she know that she also had an interesting connection to the Russian leader. Mirren’s first cousin six times removed, Vasiliy Ivanovich Levashov, was one of Catherine the Great’s lovers.

Catherine the Great is not the only royal Mirren has portrayed on screen. She has also taken on the roles of Elizabeth I in the television series Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II in the film The Queen. She holds the distinction of being the only actor to portray both of the regnant Elizabeths on screen. According to Geni’s World Family Tree, Elizabeth I is Mirren’s 11th cousin 8 times removed.

In the Queen’s 2003 Birthday Honours, Mirren was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to drama. Four years later, Mirren would go home with the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Elizabeth II. It turns out the Queen was also Mirren’s 14th cousin twice removed!

How are you related to Helen Mirren? Explore her family tree on Geni and discover how you’re related to the actress. Perhaps you can collaborate with the Geni community to expand the maternal side of her tree to find even more connections in the World Family Tree!

View Helen Mirren’s Geni Profile

The post The Surprising Connection Between Helen Mirren, Golda Meir, and More first appeared on About Geni.

Come see Geni at the National Genealogical Society 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia. The conference will take place May 31 – June 3 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Geni is excited to once again be a Silver sponsor of the conference. If you are planning to attend, be sure to stop by the Geni booth (304, 306) in the exhibit hall and learn about what’s new on Geni. We’re excited to see everyone in person and happy to answer any questions. Don’t forget to take advantage of our special conference discount on a Geni Pro subscription. Be sure to stop by early in the conference to pick up a free Geni notebook. They go fast!

Will you be at NGS 2023 in Richmond? Stop by the Geni booth and say hello!

The post Join us at NGS 2023 first appeared on About Geni.

We’re excited to share some new enhancements to the family map on Geni. For many years, we’ve had the family map to show you where your relatives are located around the world. Now we’ve made a few improvements that will help you better visualize the locations of your relatives on Geni.

To find the Map, simply click on “Family” at the top of the page and select “Map.”

Show Death and Burial Locations

Previously, you were only able to view the current location and the place of birth for the relatives in your family tree. Now you can also visualize the place of death and the place of burial for your relatives on the world map.

Improved Relatives Lists

We’ve also improved how relatives are listed when you mouse over a pin. This is perfect to get a quick overview of individuals at a specific location. When you hover your mouse on a pin, you will now see the name of the location and the relatives at that location displayed in an easy-to-read list.

We have also added a clickable list of names so you can get more information about the individuals at that location. Simply click on a pin to reveal entire list of names to the right of the map. The selected pin will be highlighted in blue. You can click on the pin again to close the list. This is a useful tool to have with you if you are visiting a local cemetery or a local archive to check records within a specific area.

You can hover your mouse over a name to reveal the hovercard for the profile, which provides you with some quick information about the person. Or you can click on the name to open the profile in a new tab.

Add Location Details

While trying out the new map enhancements, take some time to see if you have any relatives in the family tree that are still missing these locations from their profiles. Below the map, you’ll find a list of relatives who are missing location information – current location, place of birth, place of death, or burial location. Simply click “add” to quickly enter new location details for your relatives.

Have you mapped your relatives on Geni? Try out the new map enhancements now!

The post New Enhancements to the Family Map first appeared on About Geni.

This weekend Charles III will officially be crowned King of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth realms. The coronation will take place on May 6, 2023, which coincidentally falls on the fourth birthday of his grandson, Archie. In preparation of this historic event, here are some interesting facts to know before His Majesty’s coronation.

Image: Charles III / Dan Marsh, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

1. Charles was born on November 14, 1948 in Buckingham Palace and was the eldest child of then Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinbugh (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was christened Charles Phillip Arthur George in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace.

2. When his grandfather, George VI, died on February 6, 1952, Charles immediately became the heir apparent. He has the distinction of being the longest-serving heir apparent, holding the position for 70 years, 214 days.

3. He was four years old at his mother’s coronation on June 2, 1953. The young prince received his very own hand-painted children’s invitation to the coronation. Charles was the first heir to see his mother crowned as Sovereign.

4. His mother’s coronation was the first British coronation to be televised live to tens of millions in Britain and later, aired around the world. Charles’s coronation will be the first to be live-streamed on social media and can be watched from nearly anywhere around the world.

5. The coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey, which has been the setting of every coronation since William the Conqueror was crowned in 1066. Charles will be the 40th Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey with the queen consort beside him.

6. His wife, Camilla, will also be crowned queen consort alongside Charles and will be known as Queen Camilla. Unlike the three most recent queen consorts, Camilla did not have a crown made specially for the coronation. Instead, she will wear Queen Mary’s Crown, which was reset with some diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II’s personal collection to honor her late mother-in-law.

7. During the service, Charles will be anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury, receive the traditional symbols of the monarch (including the orb and scepter), and have the St. Edwards Crown placed on his head for the first time.

8. In comparison to past coronations, Charles’s coronation will be slimmed down. His mother’s coronation ran for more than three hours, while Charles’s ceremony is expected to be about 2 hours. The number of guests is expected to be about 2,800, which is far less than the 8,000 guest invited to view his mother crowned. The procession will also be significantly shorter than Queen Elizabeth II’s five-mile journey to Westminster Abbey.

9. The senior members of the royal family will be present, including William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales and their children, and Harry, Duke of Sussex. Prince George will serve as Page of Honor for his grandfather, making him the youngest heir to the throne ever to participate in a coronation.

10. The coronation will be attended by hundreds of heads of states from around the world. First Lady Jill Biden will also be in attendance. It turns out the first lady is also a distant cousin! According to Geni’s World Family Tree, Jill Biden is Charles III’s 13th cousin once removed. They are both descended from the noble couple Phillippe III de Croÿ and his wife Johanna.

Explore Charles III’s family tree on Geni and discover how you’re related to the British monarch!

The post What to Know About the Coronation of Charles III first appeared on About Geni.

When you collaborate in a shared world tree, it is important to be able to see the history of changes in the family tree. Geni profiles show a robust revision history of a profile, so you know what was changed and by whom. This is especially important if you notice a change that was not correct. Geni’s revision histories make it easy to revert the change, so you can make sure the information in the World Family Tree remains as accurate as possible.

There are multiple places ways for you to review revisions for the profiles in the tree.

Home page

On your home page, click on the “Revisions” tab to view a list of recent revisions for the profiles you follow.

List Page

On the family list page, you can review a list of all the revisions for profiles out to your fourth cousins and your in-laws out to first cousins.

Profile Revisions Tab

Every profile page also has a Revisions tab where you can find a list of all the changes that were made to that profile.

Reviewing Revisions

Each revision is timestamped so you know when the change was made and by who. Click “view” to see what information was changed in a handy table.

In this table, you will be able to review changes to the profile facts and the profile’s About section. Under the “Facts” tab, you can easily compare the current values on the profile, the information that was changed, and the previous information on the profile before the change. You can click on the arrows in the heading of the “Change” and “Previous” columns to view more changes and previous fact values.

A green cell indicates that the field was changed during the revision and a red cell indicates that a field is not the same as the most current revision. If you have permission to edit the profile, you can easily revert a change if you need to. Simply select the value you want to use (which will highlight the cell in yellow) and click “Use Suggested Values” button.

You can click on “Back to revisions list” to return to the list of revisions for the profile. From here, you can also choose which revisions you wish to compare or restore a previous value.

You can click the “About Me” tab to review a list of revisions and compare the changes for the profile’s About section. The text highlighted in green indicates the text that was changed in the revision, while text highlighted in red indicates text that is not the same as the current revision.

These revisions can also be accessed from the profile’s Overview tab. Simply click “history” at the right of the About section. If the About section has been added in multiple languages, you can see the revisions for each language by selecting a language from the dropdown.

Revisions are a powerful tool to use in a collaborative environment. It is vital to know when a change was made, what was changed, and by whom. And with a revisions history, mistakes can be quickly caught and immediately fixed. It’s all the more reason it is important to understand revisions so everyone can continue to effectively research and collaborate in the World Family Tree.

The post Geni Tips: Understanding Profile Revisions first appeared on About Geni.

We’re back from RootsTech 2023 and it was so much fun to return to the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was wonderful to spend time with old friends and meet new people, many of whom were just getting started in their family history search.

With the last two years of conferences being all virtual, it was nice to be able to interact with attendees face-to-face once again. This year RootsTech brought the best of both worlds together with an in-person and virtual conference experience for attendees. The Geni team was joined at the booth by curator Benjamin Schoenbrun, who was available to help answer questions and provide visitors assistance with their family trees.

We also had a blast catching up with curator Jarrett Ross, who stopped by to spend some time at the Geni booth. Jarrett has been creating fantastic genealogy videos as the GeneaVlogger on YouTube. Be sure to check out his channel and catch some of his Geni videos too!

One of the best things about talking with attendees in person is the one-on-one time we get to spend helping users with their family history research. In several cases, we were even able to connect people to the World Family Tree right in the booth! We also loved hearing stories from users who stopped by to share how much they enjoyed using Geni.

Geneablogger Dick Eastman stopped by to say hello. We couldn’t believe it had 3 years since we had last seen each other in person.

The last day of the conference was the Family Discovery Day. Many families had a chance to explore fun activities in the Expo Hall and pick up free goodies from exhibitor booths. The door prize winners for the RootsTech Passport drawing were also announced. Amy Stratton was the lucky winner of the Geni door prize – a free 1-year subscription of Pro. Congratulations to Amy!

We had an amazing time in Salt Lake City and we can’t wait to see everyone again! Be sure to save the date – RootsTech 2024 will take place February 29 – March 2, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The post RootsTech 2023 Highlights first appeared on About Geni.

RootsTech 2023 is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited to see everyone in person once again. For those who can’t make it to the Salt Palace Convention Center between March 2-4 in Salt Lake City, Utah, you will also have the opportunity to attend the conference virtually for free from the comfort of your own home! That’s right – RootsTech will be both virtual and in-person.

For the last two years, RootsTech went virtual and connected with millions of participants all over the world. Now that we can be together in person once again, RootsTech has brought the best of both worlds together with this one-of-a-kind event.

This year RootsTech has a fantastic lineup of keynote speakers including photographer Me Rah Koh, singer Jordin Sparks, and actor Sean Astin. With many on demand and in-person classes, inspiring speakers, and fun activities, this year’s conference may be the best yet.

If you are planning to be there in-person, come visit the Geni booth #1008 in the Expo Hall to say hi. Bring your questions and your stories and we’ll be happy to have a chat. We’ll be offering an exclusive RootsTech discount on Geni Pro that you wont want to miss!

You can also have some fun with the Geni Pathfinder to see how you’re related to other RootsTech attendees. Sign up now to be notified of new cousin discoveries during the conference. You can go back to the Geni Pathfinder page at any time to view a list of new relatives and send a message to your new connections.

Will you be at RoosTech? We hope to see you there!

The post Join Geni at RootsTech 2023 first appeared on About Geni.

It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. While reading through old newspapers, it’s fun to find announcements celebrating 50, 60, 70 year wedding anniversaries. Some offer secrets to their lasting relationship and pictures of the happy couple, while others contain an abundance of genealogical information as families came together to celebrate these long-lasting unions.

This Valentine’s Day, we take a look at a few of them below:

After 72 years of marriage, Joseph Henry and his wife Frances’s love is still burning strong. They shared that the secret to their marriage is that they have always stayed together. The couple were married in 1900. Even after 72 years of marriage, they still hold hands. Frances tells the reporter, “We’re happy. We’ve been around a good long time, and if the Lord sees fit to call us, we’re ready to go.”

Observer-Reporter, March 7, 1972 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

On April 26, 1956, a Kentucky couple, Mr. and Mrs. Felix Grundy Greenwell, celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. Greenwell still called his wife “the best woman in the world.” When asked if they had been happily married, Mrs. Greenwell replied, “mostly.” The couple had 17 children, 48 grandchildren, between 75-80 great grandchildren, and a great great grandchild!

Toledo Blade, April 26, 1956 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

In March 1898, Charles and Susan Simmons celebrated their 50th anniversary with a party of about 150 guests. A retired fireman, Charles has been spending him time farming on “one of the pretties farms in the town.” His wife was just 15 years old when they married. Together they had six living children and eight grandchildren.

The Boston Globe, March 3, 1898 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Crosby marked their 70th wedding anniversary with a party at their home. Mr. Crosby was born on February 24, 1838 and Mrs. Crosby was born June 1, 1844. They were married on September 19, 1863 in Lake George, N.S. Mrs. Crosby is said to prefer the phonograph to the radio and still does all the housework. Mr. Crosby “putters” around the garden and credits his outdoor work for his long life. In addition to their four sons and two daughters, the Crosbys have 40 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren.

The Boston Herald, September 17, 1933 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

In celebration of their golden anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence J. Yates planned to renew their marriage vows. Although, duplicating their original wedding ceremony would be nearly impossible since the Pittsburgh hotel where they originally married was torn down, and Yates’ wedding dress was passed on to her daughter. However, present at the renewal ceremony would be Mrs. Elsie Hough, who was maid of honor 50 years before. She would be the only person from the original wedding party to take part in the celebration. The vow renewal would take place at the home of their daughter, while the reception will be held at the home of their son.

The Pittsburg Press, September 5, 1946 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

The family of Adrianus Denbroeder and Elizabeth Eude gathered on the evening of March 2, 1903 to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of the couple. They married in Holland on March 2, 1853 and had come to America in 1855. Denbroeder established a successful tailoring business and could be found at this store everyday, never missing a day on account of sickness. The couple have 8 living children, with two having passed several years before, and 13 grandchildren.

The Boston Globe, March 3, 1903 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

What are the longest marriages in your family tree? Have you found articles about them in old newspapers? Share their stories below!

The post Celebrating Long Marriages in Old Newspapers first appeared on About Geni.

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at 2022. We introduced some great, long-awaited features and we finally had the chance to see people in person once again!

This year our team worked hard on some big projects. We were thrilled to announce the return of Family Tree Charts to Geni! The previous version had been unavailable for some time as we worked on moving the charts off of Flash. Now all users can once again create a custom, high-quality version of the tree for downloading and printing.

We spent much of last year improving and enhancing sources on Geni, which has lead the way for the next phase of sources, the exciting release of the Source Assistant. The Source Assistant is a quick and easy way to extract information from your confirmed Record Matches and Smart Matches from MyHeritage to the family tree on Geni.

When we first Introduced MyHeritage’s Record Matches and Smart Matches to Geni, we had hoped to eventually provide you with the tools to help you quickly add and update information from matching records and trees into your tree on Geni in just a few clicks. We were delighted to finally deliver on that promise in 2022. This year nearly 9 million citations were created by Geni users, strengthening the reliability and usefulness of the World Family Tree.

We also released a commonly requested feature for Geni Pro users – Inbox Search. Now you no longer need to waste time scrolling through old messages to find what you are looking for. With inbox search, users can quickly locate messages in their Geni inboxes and maintain their productivity while working in the World Family Tree.

2022 also saw the World Family Tree hit a new milestone with over 170 million profiles connected! This feat could not be achieved without the collaboration of the entire Geni community and our team of Geni curators, who devote much of their spare time helping others from technical Geni questions to untangling branches in the tree.

We also enjoyed interacting with genealogists from around the world, both virtually and in person. Geni was a proud bronze sponsor of RootsTech, which was once again 100% virtual and 100% free. Attendees were able to catch Geni Curator Randy Schoenberg’s on demand presentation about Geni during the conference. Also, for the first time in two years, we were able to participate in person at the National Genealogical Society Family History Conference in Sacramento, California. At the Geni booth, we were joined by Geni Curator Judith Berlowitz and had a blast talking with attendees. The conference was also available virtually. A few months later, Geni had the opportunity to attend the IAJGS virtual conference and enjoyed getting to know attendees via video chat.

In September, we had the chance to participate in Webtember, Legacy Family Tree Webinar’s third annual free, month-long online genealogy conference. Curator Randy Schoenberg gave the well-received presentation, “The Pros and Cons of Collaboration on Geni.com,” which is still available to watch for free!

We also had some fun with the Geni community with a few giveaways. A couple of lucky winners received a free year of Geni Pro for sharing their special memories with their mothers and fathers. Debra Richards sent in a lovely family photo and shared the three best words to describe her mom: love, heart, and glue. While Paula Wertheim shared a lovely story about her husband’s late stepfather.

What a blast 2022 turned out to be! We’re looking forward to the full return of in person conferences next year and we have many more exciting things planned for Geni in 2023.

Have a happy new year!

The post 2022: Year in Review first appeared on About Geni.

We’re excited to announce a new feature for Geni Pro users – Inbox Search. 

Over the years, we have often been asked to add the ability to search your Geni inbox to quickly locate specific messages. Today we’re delighted to deliver this long awaited feature! 

As your tree grows and you begin communicating with other members on Geni, you’ll soon find yourself with a full inbox. Now you no longer need to waste time scrolling through your messages, which can hinder your productivity as you work in the World Family Tree. Inbox Search can help you quickly find the messages you are looking for, whether it’s all the messages from a specific person or messages related to specific keywords. 

Simply enter your query into the search box labeled “Filter Messages” at the top right of your inbox. Hit enter or click/tap on the filter button to begin your search.

Geni will filter your inbox to show you a list of relevant messages and highlight the portion of the message that corresponds to the filter text you entered.

To clear your search, click on the “x” on the right of the filter button.

A Geni Pro subscription is required to unlock the new Inbox Search feature. If you have a free basic membership, you can upgrade to a Geni Pro subscription today to get access to more exclusive features, including Tree Matches, Advanced Search, unlimited media storage, and priority support! 

Sign up for Geni Pro.

Try out Inbox Search now and let us know what you think!

The post Introducing Inbox Search for Pro first appeared on About Geni.

Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving? If you’re still looking for some interesting dish ideas, old newspapers are filled with recipe suggestions, with many submitted by their readers. We had some fun finding recipes that may give your Thanksgiving table a nice taste of the past. Several articles also offered a variety of menu suggestions for your Thanksgiving dinner. It’s interesting to see what was included in the holiday meal throughout time.

In addition to turkey, this 1890 menu from The Boston Globe suggests including servings of oysters, fish, boiled tongue, and roast duck.

The Boston Globe, November 23, 1890 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

In 1912, Delia C. Torrey provided her dinner menu plans to The Toledo News-Bee. Torrey was planning to host her family’s Thanksgiving dinner in her Massachusetts home. Guests would include her nephew, President William Taft. In addition to a “fat roast turkey,” Torrey includes a beef soup and New England brand of chicken pie.

The Toledo News-Bee, November 27, 1912 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

During World War II, food was scarce and the public was issued ration books. This 1943 Evening Star article shared five Thanksgiving menus that could be created without too much trouble or cost. It also offers alternatives for a main dish in case you couldn’t find turkey.

Evening Star, November 23, 1943 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

As a nice starter, you can give this iced orange soup recipe from 1935 a try. It is “both an appetizer and an aid to digestion.” The dish is a variant of a fruit cocktail.

The Boston Post, November 17, 1935 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

A 1913 issue of the Mexico Weekly Ledger included several favorite Thanksgiving recipes from the paper’s readers. Recipes range from cherry pudding to turkey dressing to mince meat.

Mexico Weekly Ledger, 1913 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

If you’re looking for a festive drink to serve, you can try out a hot spiced cranberry punch recipe from 1952.

The Boston Post, November 23, 1952 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

This 1927 The Midland Journal feature offered a variety of recipes featuring chestnuts including pudding, salad, and soup!

The Midland Journal, November 4, 1927 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Lastly, if you’re looking for desserts, you can go with a classic pumpkin pie…

The Boston Post, November 20, 1927 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Or a Thanksgiving fruit cake!

The Boston Post, November 20, 1927 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

What are your favorite Thanksgiving recipes?

The post Thanksgiving Recipes in Old Newspapers first appeared on About Geni.

With the holidays just around the corner, chances are you will be getting together with your relatives to celebrate. It may also present a great opportunity to catch a few relatives for an interview about your family history!

Before seeing your relatives this holiday season, here are some tips to help prepare for an interview with your relatives.

1. Plan ahead

First, take a look at what information you have and what you may still be missing or unsure about. You’ll want to be prepared and know what information you hope to get from the interview.

2. Set objectives

With that in mind, be sure to set an objective for the interview. Is there specific information you are looking for? A family story? Perhaps clarification about a sudden relative in a census record? The interview will go a lot smoother if you have a clear objective in mind and know what information you hope to gather.

3. Have a call beforehand

Don’t ambush your visiting relatives during the holiday. Call your relative ahead of time to ask if you can interview them. Remember that they are doing you a favor, so you will want to try to set up a time that is convenient for them too. This is also a good opportunity to ask them if they can bring any old family photos, documents or heirlooms to share. Don’t forget to ask if they can provide you with copies of any old photos or records.

4. Get the right equipment

Once you have your interview set up, you’ll want to be sure you have all the necessary equipment ready. Have a recording device on hand and make sure you know how to use it before the interview. You may also want to keep a pen and notebook handy so you can jot down any notes during the interview. If you decide to use your phone, tablet or computer, make sure you will have your charging cables nearby just in case. Don’t forget to let your relative know that they will be recorded during the interview.

If you have a portable scanner, bring it along with you so you can scan photos yourself.

5. Prepare your questions

You should have a list of questions prepared in advance. This will help guide the interview along and ensure that you will meet your interview objectives. Create open-ended questions to encourage your relative to share stories and more details that may not come to mind with ‘yes’ and ‘no’ questions. See our list of family history questions you may not think to ask.

Don’t keep your questioning too rigid either. Often a story about one thing may lead to a revelation about another. Try to throw in some follow-up questions during the conversation too.

6. Bring family history items

If you have questions about an old photograph, document or heirloom, bring it with you to the interview. Your relative may be able to help identify a mystery photo or share a story about an old family heirloom. Props are always a great way to spark some memories. If they brought an item, give them the opportunity to share their story with you.

7. Don’t be pushy

If you find that a question has made your relative uncomfortable, don’t be too pushy to get answers. Find a way to move on to the next topic. Your relative may have their own reasons for not wanting to share something. Also, be mindful not to interrupt answers. Listen attentively and engage in dialog, but let them answer the questions fully. Nothing will cut an interview short faster than frequent interruptions and attempts at correcting a relative.

8. Share the family tree

The interview also presents an opportunity for you to briefly share the progress you have made on the family tree. You can pull up the tree on Geni to share what you have discovered so far and perhaps even invite them to join so they can contribute their knowledge of your family’s history themselves.

9. Transcribe it

After the interview, transcribe your recording so that you can have it as a reference later. While it’s great to have their stories preserved in a recording, a transcription will give you easy access to the information later. This will also help you organize what new information was shared and make note of what areas that will need further research.

10. Say thank you

Be sure to thank your relative for letting you interview them. After you have gathered and reviewed your notes, it would be nice to send a note back to your relative along with a transcript or short summary of the interview. It’s a nice little gift to let them know how they have helped contribute to the preservation of your family history.

The post 10 Tips for Family History Interviews first appeared on About Geni.

Today we are excited to announce the release of the Source Assistant – a quick and easy way to extract information from your confirmed Record Matches and Smart Matches from MyHeritage to the family tree on Geni. 

Now when you confirm a Record Match or a Smart Match, you can quickly add new or updated information from the MyHeritage match to your relatives’ Geni profiles with just a few clicks.

The new Source Assistant

We first introduced MyHeritage’s powerful Record Matching and Smart Matching technologies to Geni several years ago and since then, they have significantly helped our users improve the accuracy and quality of the World Family Tree with over 20 million matches already confirmed to Geni. Thanks to the automatic matching of Geni profiles against MyHeritage’s collection of billions of historical records and family tree profiles, users can easily research, document, and expand the World Family Tree, which today connects over 170 million profiles. Previously, confirmed Record Matches and Smart Matches were automatically included as a source on Geni profiles, but any new information provided had to be entered manually on Geni for each confirmed match. This meant that although finding relevant new records was quick and easy, improving the Geni family tree with the information contained in them was not. Not only did it take extra time and effort to update the profile, it also left open the possibility of entering mistakes when manually copying over the data. Some users confirmed matches but forgot to add the new information to Geni. Now the Source Assistant solves this obstacle by allowing you to effortlessly extract the information you want from these confirmed matches to your Geni profiles.

Source Assistant Notifications

After confirming a Record Match or a Smart Match, a Source Assistant notification will alert you if the match contains any new or updated information for the Geni profile. Only the user who confirmed the match will see the Source Assistant notification. You can find these notifications in several different places: 

A pop-up will appear on the page when you first return to Geni after confirming a match. You can click on the “Review and Extract” icon to review what new information has been detected.

If you have multiple items to review, the notification will display your four most recently confirmed matches. You may click “Review” to view the newly suggested data for a confirmed match or click the button “Review all Items” to view a list of all of your pending Source Assistant notifications.

On a profile page in the confirmed matches banner, a notification will also appear over the confirmed match to notify you of new details that can be added. You can mouseover the thumbnail to view a hovercard with more details about the match and a link to review the Source Assistant’s suggestions. 

Source Assistant notifications will also appear on your homepage below your other Notifications, to the right of your newsfeed. If you have several of them, only the first two will be shown. You may click “Next” to view more notifications in the carousel. Or click “View All Suggestions” to view all Source Assistant notifications on one page. 

You can also find Source Assistant notifications under your notifications count on the main menu bar. At the top right of the page, click on the notifications icon in the header and select “Source Assistant” to view a list of all of your Source Assistant notifications.

Viewing the Full List of Source Assistant Notifications

When you view your list of Source Assistant notifications, you will see a preview of the Geni profile on the left, and on the right, the confirmed Record Match or Smart Match with a list of new information it may contain. Click the “Review” button to view all of the suggested data in more detail.

You can delete the notification at any time by clicking the X at the top right, which will prevent it from showing again. Your list of Source Assistant notifications has been automatically filled with matches you’ve confirmed in the last six months. You can review and process these new Source Assistant notifications now in your Source Assistant page.

Reviewing and Extracting Source Assistant Suggestions

Each Source Assistant notification contains suggested data that may be extracted from a confirmed match to the Geni profile. When you review Source Assistant suggestions, the Geni profile data and the MyHeritage Record Match or Smart Match data are conveniently compared side-by-side. You can click on the arrows to select which values you would like to extract to the Geni profile. Then, once you click the Save Changes button, the Geni profile will be updated with the new or updated data and any new family members will be added.

As shown below, a green check mark will indicate a value that will be copied over from the MyHeritage Record Match or Smart Match. If you make a mistake, you can easily undo the change by clicking again on the green checkmark. In this case, the information on the Geni profile will be preserved with its original values.

If an item on the Geni profile already has sources cited, a red exclamation mark will appear at the left. Hover your mouse over the icon to view a list of sources that have already been cited for that fact. If needed, you can click on the name of the document to open the source in full. This way you can better evaluate and compare each source to determine whether you should copy over the new data to the Geni profile. 

New relatives referenced in the match can also be easily added right from the Source Assistant interface, in the section labeled “New Family.” Click on the green arrow to begin adding a new relative. You will first be asked if there is already a match for the person in the tree. If the profile already exists, you can select it. If the profile does not exist, then you can use the Source Assistant interface to create a new profile in the tree.

When you create a new profile, you can further edit the new relative’s name, select their living status, and their gender. Once the fields are completed, click “Create New Profile From Source.”

To quickly copy all the suggested updates and new family members, click the “Extract all Information” at the bottom right. Please exercise caution before doing so as this will not let you be selective about the information that will be copied to Geni. Or, if the match’s data does not add anything new or worthwhile, click “Ignore All.” 

You can also quickly undo all changes you made by clicking “Undo Changes” at the bottom right of the page.

If you are not ready to resolve a Source Assistant suggestion, check the box “Skip this for now, I’ll look at it later” and return to it at a later time. 

Once you have extracted all the information you’d like to add to the profile, click “Save Changes to Your Tree” at the bottom of the page. The Geni family tree will be automatically updated with the new and improved information from the MyHeritage record.

MyHeritage Subscription

A MyHeritage Data or Complete subscription is required to view Record Matches and Smart Matches in full and to confirm them to your Geni profiles (except for those collections provided for free, such as the 1950 U.S. Federal census, or BillionGraves). With a MyHeritage Data subscription you will have access to over 18 billion historical records from all around the world, with billions more added each year. If you don’t already have one, sign up for a MyHeritage subscription today.

Summary

When we first Introduced MyHeritage’s Record Matches and Smart Matches to Geni, we had hoped to eventually provide you with the tools to help you quickly add and update information from matching records and trees into your tree on Geni in just a few clicks. Today we are excited to finally deliver on that promise! By providing a quick and easy way to extract new and updated information from any Record Match or Smart Match, you can save valuable time in your research and ensure that Geni’s World Family Tree is the most accurate family tree of the entire world.

Try out the Source Assistant now by confirming your Record Matches and Smart Matches and see what new discoveries await!

The post Introducing the Source Assistant first appeared on About Geni.

Geni Curator Jarrett Ross, also known as the GeneaVlogger, has released a great new video all about making a family tree for the entire world through collaboration. In this video, Jarrett looks back at the early days of Geni and the beginnings of the World Family Tree, which today connects over 172 million profiles.

Learn more about Geni’s World Family Tree.

This video also includes a great discussion with fellow curator Randy Schoenberg that is not to be missed. Randy shares the story of when he first got started on Geni and how he’s watched the family tree grow over the years thanks to the collaboration of millions.

Watch Jarrett’s latest video below and check out more fun genealogy videos on the GeneaVlogger YouTube channel.

The post Video: Making a Family Tree for the Entire World first appeared on About Geni.

September is just around the corner and that means it’s almost time for Webtember, Legacy Family Tree Webinars’ third annual free, month-long online genealogy conference!

Every Friday for the entire month of September, Legacy Family Tree Webinars will host live and pre-recorded webinars. Join live each Friday to learn how you can take your genealogy skills to the next level. If you can’t make the live sessions, you can enjoy all 31 recordings at your convenience for free through the end of month.

Be sure to catch Geni curator Randy Schoenberg live on Friday, September 16 at 12:45pm PDT for a free webinar, “The Pros and Cons of Collaboration on Geni.com.” Register now to learn more about the advantages of building your family tree collaboratively on Geni.

See the full schedule on the Legacy Family Tree blog and register here to attend the live classes.

The post Webtemeber 2022 at Legacy Family Tree Webinars first appeared on About Geni.

For this Father’s Day, we asked the community to share the best advice they had ever received from their dad or father-figure in their life. One lucky winner would be chosen at random to receive a free 1-year subscription of Geni Pro.

Today we are excited to announce the winner of our Father’s Day giveaway is Paula Wertheim!

Paula shared a lovely story about her husband’s late stepfather, John P. Walther.

My husband’s late stepfather John P. Walther was the coolest dad a kid could ever hope for. When John met Gilda Wertheim in 1962, he was a good 15 years her senior with two grown children of his own, while Gilda was a young widow with 3 children; the youngest was my husband Todd who was 8. Although John was raised as a Catholic in Chicago, he made it his business to respect his stepson’s Jewish heritage by pasting a white satin skullcap on his bald pate and shlepping his young charge to the local synagogue every Sabbath until Todd’s bar mitzvah. The photo is John Todd and Gilda at Todd’s bar mitzvah party, 1968.

Here’s John P. Walther’s best advice:

After we had been dating for some time in university, Todd decided it was time to take me for a weekend at his home in Catskill, NY to meet his parents. On Sunday morning John took Todd aside and said, “You had better marry this girl or don’t talk to me again. I can forgive mistakes but there is NO excuse for stupidity!”

Congratulations, Paula! We hope you enjoy your free year of Geni Pro!

The post A Dad’s Best Advice first appeared on About Geni.

With Father’s Day coming up soon, we want to hear from you the best advice you have received from your dad or a father-figure in your life. Share their words of wisdom with us, along with a picture of your father, and you can win a free year of Geni Pro!

Over the years, our dads have given us lots of advice. From small tips to bigger life lessons, a father’s wise words can leave a lasting impact on your life. For this Father’s Day, we want you to send us the best advice you’ve received from your dad or a father-figure in your life along with a photo for the chance to win a 1-year Geni Pro subscription.

With a Geni Pro subscription, you will have access to more advanced features to help grow your family tree. This includes:

• Tree Matches – access matching profiles to grow your family tree and connect with new relatives
• Enhanced search – get full access to Geni’s search engine
• Unlimited data – upload unlimited photos, videos, and documents
• Priority support – communicate directly with our expert support staff

How to Enter

To enter, share with us a photo of your dad or father-figure in your life and tell us about the best advice you have ever received from them. Submit your entry by emailing us at [email protected] or by leaving us a comment on Facebook or Twitter.

Only one entry per person. The winner will be chosen at random from valid entries. We’ll announce the winner and share a few of our favorites in a future blog post.

Submit your entry by Sunday, June 19 for your chance to win!

The post Share the Best Advice You Got From Dad for a Chance to Win! first appeared on About Geni.

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 next generation of researchers, it is important to understand how to properly handle and store them. This article reviews some dos, don’ts, and best practices for preserving your historical newspapers and clippings.

Newspaper preservation- DON’Ts

Don’t store your newspaper clippings with other family history items. Most newspapers, past and present, are printed on thin, low-quality paper that was not intended to be preserved. Newsprint is highly acidic and contains impurities that cause the paper to become yellowed and brittle over time. These impurities can leach out of the paper and stain surrounding materials- for example, a newspaper clipping preserved in a book can stain the pages. This staining is permanent and cannot be removed. Clippings should be stored separately in acid-free, protective packaging (see below for a list of best storage options).

Don’t display the original newspaper clippings. Light exposure, including some types of indoor lighting, can accelerate the aging process, causing newsprint to darken and become even more brittle. Preserved clippings should be stored in a dark area such as an archival storage bin or file cabinet. If you would like to display clippings in a frame or shadowbox, use a high-quality photocopy or a digitized, printed copy instead.

Don’t laminate your clippings or use glue or tape to repair them. Laminating your clippings may seem like a great way to preserve them, but laminating sheets contain chemicals that will eventually destroy the newsprint entirely. And once the process is done, lamination is difficult, if not impossible, to reverse. Using adhesives such as glue or tape will only cause further damage to the clippings. Instead, gently place the pieces together so they can be scanned or photographed, allowing you to safely digitize the full clipping.

Don’t store clippings in the attic or basement. You may have discovered your family treasures in grandma’s attic or basement, but don’t return them there! Newspaper clippings should be stored in a dark, cool, and dry location. Damp conditions (like those found in a basement) can attract insects and encourage mold growth. Hot conditions (like those found in an attic) can accelerate the aging process. 

Don’t try to make a “do it yourself” solution to preserve clippings. Museums and archives often use special “deacidification” solutions to neutralize acids in newsprint. These solutions are available to the public but can be expensive- and a large amount is needed to properly protect an entire newspaper collection. There are online “recipes” for homemade preservation solutions, but they are not recommended. It’s better to digitize the clippings and properly store the originals.

Newspaper preservation- Dos

Do handle old newspapers and clippings with care. Newsprint becomes weaker and more brittle as it ages. Chips of paper can easily break off when handled- so clippings must be handled with extreme care. If clippings or full-page articles are folded, try to unfold them very carefully- but stop if you seem to be causing damage. Make sure hands are clean and dry when handling, as oils or lotions can stain the old newsprint. Cotton or nitrile gloves can be used if preferred. 

Do digitize your newspaper collection. Even if you prefer to save the original clippings, creating a digitized backup of your collection is critical. With torn or chipped clippings, you can piece them together to get a full image, as using tape and glue is a no-no. A digitized collection can be easily shared with family, friends, and other family historians. Additionally, a digital backup provides peace of mind that your newspaper collection will live on if something should happen to the originals or if they deteriorate too far to be further preserved. 

Do create a searchable index for your collection. This will help you organize your collection and assist future researchers in finding items of interest. Create a spreadsheet using search criteria such as name, locality, event, date, publication title, and page/column number. For larger collections, it may be helpful to create a numerical filing system to track individual items. The completed index can be printed and kept with the collection, and should also be saved to your computer or “cloud” storage for backup. 

Do remember to save any citation and provenance information. Family historians need to know where their sources originated from. Many old clippings are missing this information. If you can locate or already have source information, but can’t add it to digitized photos or scans, be sure to add it to your index. You can also make photocopies of individual clippings and add the source citation information to the copy. Be sure to use archival photo paper to print your copies, as this will ensure the copies do not damage any other documents. 

Do use the proper archival supplies. It is critical to use acid-free materials specifically meant for archiving. This will ensure your newspaper collection is preserved for future historians. See below for a list of recommended storage and preservation materials.

Do store in a cool, dry place. If possible, ensure that the temperature and humidity remain constant in the storage area. The ideal temperature is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity around 35 percent. Keep the collection in a storage container and out of natural and artificial light.

Best Practices for digitizing newspaper collections

• Avoid handling the clippings as much as possible when digitizing to prevent further damage. A hand-held digital camera or scanner is ideal. There are also digital scanning apps that can be downloaded to your smartphone or tablet.
• Hand-held devices are also a great solution when a full-size newspaper does not fit on your home flatbed scanner- you do not want to bend, fold, or move the pages around to fit or scan multiple images.
• Be sure to create a backup of your digitized collection by saving it to a hard drive, cloud service, or asking a friend or family member to store a copy on their computer or device.

Best practices and materials for preserving newspaper clippings

• Store full-sized sheets flat in a storage bin or box. Clippings can be stored either upright or flat in folders or boxes.
• Place individual clippings in clear polyester sleeves. This will prevent them from contacting other materials and keep them safe from further damage. Archival sleeves come in many different sizes to fit your needs. These sheets can often be placed into file folders or 3-ring binders for storage.
• If you decide to preserve the original clippings instead of copies printed on archival paper, gently place the clippings on acid-free, “buffered” archival paper. This is a special paper that will prevent further deterioration of the newsprint. The paper can then be slid into an archival sleeve.
• Archival boxes and folders come in various shapes and sizes, including those for newspaper-sized sheets. Use buffered tissue paper to separate individual newspaper sheets.
• You can also purchase acid and lignin-free notebooks with tab dividers that can store smaller clippings, along with acid-free card stock to hold folders and poly sheets upright for file storage.
• Periodically review the collection to remove any damaged items and reprint archival copies if necessary.
• You can even purchase Newspaper Storage kits from sites like Archival Methods, which will give you all the materials you need to get started on preserving your newspaper collection!

Sources:
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2016/spring/preserve-clippings.html
https://www.archivalmethods.com/blog/storing-old-newspapers/
https://blog.myheritage.com/2019/09/5-easy-steps-to-preserving-newspaper-clippings/

This is a guest post by Marc McDermott, a genealogist and blogger who has a deep passion for genealogy. He blogs about genealogy at GenealogyExplained.com, where he shares tips and tricks for researching your family history. Marc lives in New Jersey with his wife Leigh and daughter Helen.

The post How to Preserve Newspaper Clippings first appeared on About Geni.

Geni will be performing scheduled site maintenance starting at 7:00 am PDT on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 and lasting for approximately 2 hours. During this time the Geni website will be unavailable.

We’ll do our best to complete the maintenance quickly and return to normal service as soon as possible.

Thanks for your patience.

The post Scheduled Site Maintenance first appeared on About Geni.

Today we are thrilled to announce that Family Tree Charts are back on Geni! The previous version was temporarily unavailable as we were working towards moving the chart feature off of Flash. With the Family Tree Chart, you can create your own custom, high-quality version of your family tree for downloading or printing. 

The Family Tree Chart includes five generations of relatives, your family’s names, dates, and photos. You can customize the look of the chart including the background, the photo frames, fonts, and more.

This five generation chart is the perfect keepsake for your house or a thoughtful gift for a loved one. And best of all, it’s free!

How to Create a Family Tree Chart

It’s easy to get started on creating your own Family Tree Chart. At the top of the page, click “Family” and select “Free Family Tree Chart.”

Or you can begin from the tree view. Simply click on the printer icon at the lower right corner of the tree.

You will then have two print tree options – Basic and Family Tree Chart. The basic print option will print the current view of the family tree. Click “Family Tree Chart” to create your custom five-generation family tree chart.

You can create a Family Tree Chart for yourself or someone else as the focus. 

If you need to change the focus of the chart and do not see their name on the list, select “Other Persons” in the left panel. As you enter a name, suggested relatives will appear. These will include people within your family group, profiles you follow, and profiles you have recently viewed.

Next you can begin customizing the Family Tree Chart to your liking. You can click on the chart title to edit the name shown at the top of the chart.

You can also customize how each name appears on the chart by clicking on a person’s name. Note the change will only affect how the name appears on the chart. It does not change the name in the family tree.

Photos can be adjusted by clicking on the image and dragging the photo within the frame to center it. Use the slider to zoom in and out as needed until you are satisfied with how it looks.

If there is no profile photo available, you can add one by clicking on the silhouette to upload a new photo or select an existing photo from your albums on Geni. The new image will be added as the profile photo for your relative.

In the left panel, select the “Customize” tab to begin customizing other aspects of your family tree chart. Choose from a selection of photo frames, backgrounds, title borders, and fonts. You can also decide if you want to display dates below a person’s name.

You can choose which of the children (if any) you would like to show on the chart. You can show all children, no children, or select one child to focus on.

The Family Tree Chart will automatically save as you are making changes, so you can return to the chart at a later time. Geni will save up to 5 charts. Once you reach the maximum number of charts, you will need to delete one or more existing charts before you can create a new one.

Once you are satisfied with your family tree chart, click on the download icon at the bottom right of the page to download a high-resolution file of your chart to your computer. You can take this file to have it professionally printed or send the file to a relative to brighten their day.

We’re very happy to bring back this feature for everyone to enjoy. The five-generation Family Tree Chart is a great way to share your family history with others for free. They are perfect for family reunions or as a gift for a special occasion.

Try it out now by creating your own Family Tree Chart and let us know what you think!

The post Family Tree Charts are Back! first appeared on About Geni.

Next week Geni will be at the 44th National Genealogical Society Family History Conference in Sacramento, California. This year, NGS 2022 will be both in-person and virtual, so if you can’t be there in Sacramento, you can still join the fun online from the comfort of your own home. We are extra excited because we’ve greatly missed seeing everyone in person.

The conference will take place on May 24-28 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and there will be a two-hour expo hall preview on Tuesday, May 23. Come visit us in the expo hall at booths 309, 310 and learn more about what’s new on Geni. We’ll be happy to answer your questions or have a quick chat. You can also pick up a free Geni notebook and take advantage of our conference special offer for Geni Pro.

If you are not planning to be at the conference in person, you can also find us in the virtual exhibit hall. Send us your questions there, chat with other attendees, and sign up for our special offer for Pro subscriptions.

Are you attending NGS 2022? Stop by the Geni booth in person or virtually to say hello!

The post See Geni at NGS 2022 first appeared on About Geni.

This Mother’s Day we asked you to tell us three words that best describe your mother or mother-figure in your life. Many of you sent in your answers and photos, but only one lucky winner would receive a free 1-year subscription of Geni Pro.

Today we are excited to announce the winner of our giveaway is Debra Richards!

Debra emailed the above family photo and shared the three words that best describe her mom:

Three words that best describe my mother are

Love, she loves everyone

Heart, she has a heart of gold nothing she wouldn’t do for her family

And Glue, she’s the glue that holds the family together

Congratulations, Debra! We hope you enjoy your free year of Geni Pro.

The post Winner: Mother’s Day 2022 Giveaway first appeared on About Geni.

We’re celebrating Mother’s Day with a chance to win a 1-year Geni Pro subscription! On this special day, we honor and celebrate the mothers and mother-figures in our lives for their hard work, dedication, and care.

This Mother’s Day, we want to learn more about your moms and mother-figures in your life. Send us a photo and answer the question, “What are three words that best describe your mom or mother-figure in your life?” and one lucky winner will receive a free 1-year subscription of Geni Pro.

With a Geni Pro subscription you will receive access to advanced tools on Geni to help your tree grow, including:

• Tree Matches – view matching profiles on Geni to grow your family tree and connect to new relatives
• Enhanced search – get full access to Geni’s search engine and advanced filters
• Unlimited data – upload unlimited photos, videos, and documents
• Priority support – communicate directly with our expert support staff

How to Enter

To enter, send us a photo and your answer to the question,

What are three words that best describe your mom or mother-figure in your life?

You can send us your entry on Facebook, Twitter, or email us at [email protected].

Only one entry per person. The winner will be chosen at random form valid entries. We’ll announce the winner in a future post.

Submit your entry by Sunday, May 8, 2022 for a chance to win!

Update: This giveaway is now closed. You can view the winner here.

The post Mother’s Day 2022 Giveaway: Win a Free Year of Geni Pro first appeared on About Geni.

The 1950 U.S. census is finally here! The images are available for FREE on MyHeritage now and in the coming days and weeks, MyHeritage will be indexes the images, state by state, so you can start searching the 1950 U.S. census by name. As the records are indexed, you will gradually start receiving Record Matches to the census on your Geni profiles. Until then, you may want to check out MyHeritage’s newly released Census Helper. This free tool will scan your MyHeritage family tree and compile a list of your relatives who are very likely to be found in the 1950 U.S. census.

You can use the the MyHeritage Census Helper to focus your research so you know exactly which family members to find in the 1950 census records. In the list of relatives, the Census Helper provides a convenient button to research the person in the census in just one click.

How to Access

If you also have your family tree on MyHeritage, you can log into your MyHeritage account and access the Census Helper under the “Research” tab in the navigation bar. If you do not have your family tree on MyHeritage and would like to take advantage of this powerful new tool, you can upload a GEDCOM of your tree for free through the Census Helper landing page. Once your tree is uploaded, you will be taken to the Census Helper page, where the tool will immediately start scanning your tree.

Once the scan is complete, you will receive a list of results that includes the following fields for each individual: their profile photo form the family tree, name, relationship to you, birthdate, death date, age at time of census (exact or estimated), and details that the Census Helper found that support their changes of being found in the census. You can also easily export your list for use outside of MyHeritage.

Before you dive into the 1950 U.S. census collection, take a moment to use the Census Helper to better focus your search and save you valuable time researching your family. Note the Census Helper can be used for more than just the 1950 census. From the dropdown at the top, you can focus the Census Helper to find individuals in other U.S. census collections too!

Read the MyHeritage blog. to learn more about the the MyHeritage Census Helper.

The post Use the MyHeritage Census Helper™ to Find Relatives in the 1950 U.S. Census first appeared on About Geni.

The wait is almost over! On April 1, 2022, the 1950 U.S. census will finally be released to the public. This new collection offers a treasure trove of information that sheds new light on the lives of our relatives who lived in the United States during the mid-20th century. In anticipation for the release of this new collection of records, we’re taking a look at what information you can find in the census and introduce the MyHeritage U.S. Census Hub so you can easily search for your ancestors in MyHeritage’s census collection.

1950 U.S. census / U.S. Census Bureau

What information can you find in the 1950 U.S. census?

The 1950 census provides information on more than 150 million people living in the United States and its territories. The census included 20 questions for everyone and 18 supplemental questions (13 questions for people listed on “sample” lines and an additional 5 questions for one “sample line”).

For everyone, the information gathered included:

• Address
• Is the house on a farm or ranch
• Name
• Relationship to head of household
• Race
• Gender
• Age on last birthday
• Marital status
• Place of birth
• Citizenship

For anyone 14 or older:

• Employment status
• Hours worked in a week
• Occupation
• Industry
• Class of worker

Some of the supplemental questions included:

• Where the person living a year ago
• Where their parents were born
• What was the highest grade of school the person attended and did they finish the grade
• If 14 years or older, they were asked to provide information about the year before: employment, income, and money received aside from income
• If the person was head of the household, they were asked to provide information about the year before: income from relatives in the household, their income, and any money received aside from income
• If male, did they serve in the U.S army during World War I, World War II, or any other time

Additional supplemental questions:

• If ever married, was the person married before
• If married, widowed, divorced, or separated, how many years since the event occurred
• If female and ever married, how many children has she ever born, not counting stillbirth

MyHeritage U.S. Census Hub

MyHeritage has created a dedicated census hub where visitors can search and learn about everything related to the 1950 U.S. census and the census collections for previous decades. You can also find a helpful video explaining how to search the U.S. census collections on MyHeritage. The MyHeritage U.S. census hub offers invaluable benefits to make your family history research easier, including:

Advanced search capabilities: Using MyHeritage’s search engine, you can search for your ancestors according to any criteria and not just name, home address, or enumeration district. You can also search according to multiple search criteria at once, allowing you to zero in on what you’re looking for faster. MyHeritage’s sophisticated search algorithms can even identify nicknames and name variations from other languages.

Free access to fully indexed records: MyHeritage will be investing a great deal of funds and efforts in fully indexing the 1950 census records as soon as the images are released. Once this project is complete, they will be offering free access to the indexed 1950 census records. 

Easily flip between records within the family: MyHeritage allows you to easily flip between census records of individuals in the same family group. Family members are listed on the record page, and you can click their names to go to their records.

Explore related records: When you are viewing records on MyHeritage, you’ll see additional historical records that mention the person you are researching. Our database includes more than 16 billion records and is constantly growing.

Visit the MyHeritage U.S. Census Hub

You will also automatically receive Record Matches to your Geni profiles, so keep an eye out for new MyHeritage Record Matches to the 1950 U.S. census. Be sure to confirm these new matches to your Geni profiles to automatically add them as sources in the tree.

Are you ready for the release of the 1950 U.S. census? Who are you hoping to find?

The post What to Know About the 1950 U.S. Census first appeared on About Geni.

RootsTech 2022 is coming up fast! In just one week, the world’s largest genealogy conference will be here once again. Last year, the conference was completely virtual for the first time and was more accessible than ever, with over 1 million attendees from around the world. This year RootsTech will once again be 100% virtual and 100% free!

The conference will take place March 3-5, 2022 and will feature live and pre-recorded events, inspiring keynote speakers, over 1,500 sessions, and a virtual expo hall. We are very excited for the opportunity to participate as a bronze sponsor this year.

We will have an on demand class session, “The Pros of Collaboration on Geni,” presented by curator Randy Schoenberg. Be sure to add it to your playlist to learn more about Geni’s best features for collaboration. We also welcome you to visit us at our virtual exhibitor booth and take advantage of our exclusive RootsTech Geni Pro discount. You may also chat directly with the Geni team, so stop by with your questions, feedback, or a simple “hello”! The Expo Hall will be open for a special preview party on March 3 at 8:00am – 10:00am MT.

You can also have some fun with the Geni Pathfinder to see how you’re related to other RootsTech attendees. Sign up now to be notified of new cousin discoveries during the conference. You can go back to the Geni Pathfinder page at any time to view a list of new relatives and send a message to your new connections.

If you haven’t done so already, register now for free!

We hope to “see” you there!

The post Join Us at RootsTech 2022 first appeared on About Geni.

Today we remember beloved actress Betty White on what would have been her birthday. White’s career spanned over eight decades and left a lasting mark on television history both in front and behind the camera. After making the transition from radio to television, she became a staple on American game shows. She also starred in several memorable sitcoms including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, and Hot in Cleveland. A cultural icon, White earned accolades not only for her work in television but also her work as an advocate for animals.

White died peacefully in her home on December 31, 2021, just weeks before her 100th birthday. In honor of her memory, here’s a look at some amazing facts about the beloved star.

Betty White / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

1. Her name was Betty, not Elizabeth.

She was born Betty Marion White on January 17, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois to Tess Cachikis, a homemaker, and Horace Logan White, a lighting company executive. Her parents chose to name her “Betty” specifically because they didn’t like many of the nicknames derived from “Elizabeth.”

2. She grew up in Los Angeles, California.

White in the 1930 U.S. Census / MyHeritage SuperSearh (click to enlarge)

When she was a little over a year old, the family moved from Illinois to Los Angeles, California. Her family often vacationed in the Sierra Nevada, which sparked her lifelong interest in wildlife. As a child, she wanted to become a park ranger, however at the time, women were not allowed to become park rangers. Instead, she chose to pursue her interest in writing and performing. In 2010, White got to fulfill her dream when she was named an honorary forest ranger by the U.S. Forest Service for her lifelong dedication to protecting wilderness and wildlife.

3. She attended Beverly Hills High School.

Betty White, 1937 Beverly Hills High School Yearbook, MyHeritage SuperSearch (colorized by MyHeritage)

White attended Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California and graduated in the class of 1939. The public high school has a number of notable alumni including Carrie Fisher, Nicolas Cage, and Lenny Kravitz.

4. White made her television debut with a role in the very early days of television.

Shortly after graduating high school, White and a classmate participated in an experimental television show in Los Angeles. At the time, television was a very new medium and still in development. Growing up, White had taken signing lessons to become an opera singer. The program was a light version of the operetta The Merry Widow.

5. During World War II, she volunteered for the American Women’s Voluntary Services.

In 1941, White volunteered for the American Women’s Voluntary Services where she drove a PX truck with military supplies to the bivouacs in the Hollywood Hills. At night, she would attend dances that were held for the troops before they were shipped overseas. It was at one of these dances that she met her first husband, Dick Barker, an army pilot. After the war, the couple married and moved to an Ohio chicken farm, but the marriage did not last long. They divorced that same year and White returned to Los Angeles to pursue her Hollywood career.

6. She was one of the first female produces in Hollywood.

In the early 1950s, White launched her first television series, Life with Elizabeth. Starring White as the lead character, the show ran for two seasons. A pioneer of television, White was one of the few women who had full creative control both in front and behind the camera. The television icon would later be inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995.

7. She met her third husband on the hit game show, Password.

June 9, 1963 Youngstown Vindicator / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Throughout the 1960s, White was a popular fixture on network game shows. She made multiple appearances as a celebrity guest on the gameshow Password, which was hosted by Allen Ludden. White and Ludden married on June 14, 1963 and remained together until Ludden’s death in 1981. On why she never remarried, White once said, “I had the love of my life…If you’ve had the best, who needs the rest?”

8. Throughout her career, she received 21 Emmy nominations.

Over her long career, White accumulated 21 Emmy nominations, winning five. She was one of the first women to ever earn an Emmy nomination, receiving her first nod in 1951. She also holds the record for longest span between Emmy nominations for performances. She earned her last nomination in 2014 at the age of 92.

9. At 88 years old, White became the oldest person to host Saturday Night Live.

In 2010, Betty White became the oldest person to host the the late-night sketch show Saturday Night Live after a successful fan-led Facebook campaign. Airing the day before Mother’s day, White was joined by a roster of famous SNL alums including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Maya Rudolph. She earned her fifth Emmy award for her performance. Fun fact: She had declined an invitation to host three times earlier in her career.

10. She devoted her life to animals.

A notable advocate for the welfare of animals, White served on the board of trusties of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association since 1974. She helped raise money for multiple animal-related charities throughout her life. And for more than 50 years, she worked closely with the Morris Animal Foundation, a nonprofit that supports studies to help improve the health and quality of life for animals around the world.

The post 10 Amazing Facts About Betty White first appeared on About Geni.

As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back at 2021 on Geni. We’re proud of the many new enhancements to Sources introduced to Geni and along the way, hit a new milestone in the World Family Tree. Although we are still in the midst of the pandemic, we are grateful that we were still able to connect with the genealogical community through virtual conferences throughout the year.

Here’s a look back at our highlights from this past year.

Virtual Photo Gifts

We started off 2021 with a fun addition to our virtual gifts – your own photos! Whether you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or sending a virtual gift “just because,” everyone can now add custom images to make these gifts even more personal.

Sources, Sources, Sources!

2021 was the year of sources on Geni. Sources are incredibly important to ensuring the quality and accuracy of the World Family Tree. Throughout the year, we made several improvements and enhancements to make sourcing profiles better than ever. The Geni community was also hard at work adding over 17 million source citations in 2021!

We began our year of improvements by making sources even more powerful, easier to understand, and more helpful to your tree building. We not only improved how to add basic profile fact citations, but we also introduced the ability to cite immediate family relationships. Along with these changes, we also added the ability to add new profiles straight from the sources interface if a document provides evidence for immediate family not yet on the tree.

We updated the look of the Sources tab to clearly show what profile facts are supported by each document. You may now also edit or delete each fact cited in the document individually. The “View Facts” sub-tab also got a new look, which clearly groups a profile’s sources by which fact they support.

Source citations for MyHeritage Record Matches and Smart Matches also received a big update. Geni now extracts the data from confirmed Record Matches and Smart Matches into the source cited values. If the match includes the names of immediate family members, those names are automatically matches against what’s already in the tree. Unmatched names can be resolved with the click of a button, helping you to better source your profiles or quickly add missing immediate family members to the tree.

New improvements to sources on mobile devices made it even easier to document your ancestry on the go. If you’re visiting your local archives, courthouse, or library, you can use your mobile device to take a photo of any historical documents you have found and upload the images to your relatives’ profiles directly in the tree view.

All of these changes led up to our next step on our road to improving sources on Geni – Source Conflicts! When a profile has information that differs from the source citation values provided, we will send an alert for you to review the discrepancy and if needed, update the profile. By flagging these discrepancies, we can quickly detect if there are any issues in the tree that should be addressed. Source Conflicts has been a great tool to help improve the accuracy of the World Family Tree.

160 Million Profiles and Counting…

At the end of September, Geni’s World Family Tree hit a new milestone with over 160 million profiles connected! This achievement couldn’t have been done without the collaboration of our dedicated community of over 14 million users and the hard work of over 200 volunteer curators from all around the world. Our amazing team of curators have dedicated hours of their time to not only maintaining the integrity of the World Family Tree, but also helping out countless members with genealogical and technical questions.

Virtual Genealogy Conferences

With the pandemic still ongoing, we participated in many virtual genealogy conferences throughout the year. This provided an opportunity to participate in conferences we normally would not be able to attend in person. RootsTech kicked off the year with a completely free virtual conference, giving people all around the world the opportunity to learn and enjoy the wonders of RootsTech from the comfort of their own homes. From there we also had virtual booths at the New England Regional Genealogy Conference, International German Genealogy Conference, IAJGS 2021, and the TxSGS Family History Conference. We are looking forward to 2022, which will bring a mix of virtual and in-person conferences.

The One Where They’re Related

In celebration of the much anticipated Friends reunion, we found out how the cast of the hit television show were related in the World Family Tree. Courtney Cox and Matthew Perry were revealed to be 11th cousins once removed! The news hit the press thanks to the work of the MyHeritage research team. We also found how they were related to their other Friends co-stars as well as other key supporting players.

We also celebrated Independence Day by taking a look at how the signers of the Declaration of Independence were related to each other and other notable historical figures of the era.

Giveaways

We had fun giving away a free 1-year subscription of Geni Pro to a couple of lucky winners. Coyal M. Gorman shared the story of how her grandmother, Coyal Maxey, instilled the importance of family. While Līga Saleme shared the story of her grandfather, who survived through World War II, was sent to Sibera, and finally returned to his country after several years.

It’s been a big year on Geni and we can’t wait to see what’s in store in 2022!

We wish you a very happy and healthy New Year!

The post Looking Back at 2021 on Geni first appeared on About Geni.

It was recently announced that MyHeritage and Expedia have partnered to help you plan the ultimate heritage tour. Together, MyHeritage and Expedia have launched the Heritage Travel Hub to make it easy for you to plan an incredible journey to the land of your ancestors.

The site is housed on Expedia and features rich content that bridges family history research with planning a memorable, heritage-oriented trip. The Heritage Travel Hub will help you map an itinerary based on your family history discoveries and offer suggestions for historical sites, cultural landmarks, and unforgettable culinary experiences.

The Heritage Travel Hub also features fascinating stories from MyHeritage users who have made heritage trips and enjoyed international family reunions. Get inspired by their experiences exploring the places where their ancestors once lived and start planning your own heritage journey now.

Visit the Heritage Travel Hub

Enter the MyHeritage-Expedia Heritage Tour Contest

Have you ever dreamed about taking a trip to see where your ancestors came from? You can enter the Heritage Tour Contest for a chance to win an all-expenses paid heritage trip!

The contest is open to all residents of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada over the age of 18. One winner will be randomly selected from among the entries.

Simply visit the Heritage Travel Hub for further details and enter for your chance to win.

The post MyHeritage and Expedia Partner to Inspire Heritage Travel first appeared on About Geni.

Today we are excited to introduce the next step on our road to improving sources on Geni – Source Conflicts! 

When a profile has information that differs from the source citation values provided, you will receive an alert to review the discrepancy and if needed, update the profile. This new enhancement provides a fast and easy way for you to ensure that the best information, backed by documentation, is included on your Geni profiles.

Where to Find Source Conflicts

Source conflicts can be found and resolved on the Sources tab of a profile page. When new source conflicts are detected, an alert will appear below the Matches module on the profile page. 

Click on “Source Conflicts” to open the new “Source Conflicts” subtab, where you can review and resolve the possible discrepancies. You can review all of the conflicts for each document in the source conflict resolution table. The name of the document you are reviewing will appear at the top of the table. You can compare the information on the profile to the value that has been entered in the source citation for each conflicting profile fact. To review conflicts for the next document, click on the left and right arrows at the top right of the table.

Source conflict alerts can also be found next to a profile fact under the “View Source” subtab, as identified by the orange inconsistency alert icon.

And under the “View Facts” subtab.

Source conflicts have also been added to the Consistency Checker. You can quickly jump to the Source Conflicts category to view a list of source conflicts in the tree by clicking on the small triangle and selecting “Source Conflicts.” 

You may click “Review the conflict” to view and resolve the source conflict on the profile page.

How to Resolve Source Conflicts

To resolve a source conflict, select the correct value in the table and click “Update Profile.” If the value of the source citation is selected, the profile will automatically update with the new values. This is especially handy if the values in the source citation have not yet been added to the profile.

If you are updating a location, such as place of birth, using the value in the source citation, you will be asked to resolve and improve the location citation information to ensure the correct location information is entered into the appropriate location fields in the profile. 

To get started, click on the magnifying glass to do a quick location search to automatically fill in the location fields or click “Edit Location Details” to manually enter the location data into the appropriate fields. Once you are done, click “Update.”

Keep in mind that updating this location information does not change the value of the source citation, but it will allow you to update the profile with the new data. 

A small bullseye will appear at the right of the new value to indicate an updated location.

Once all of the correct values are selected, click “Update Profile” to resolve the conflict and update the profile with the source citation value, if applicable. If you do not have permission to edit the profile, a request to update will be sent to the profile managers. If you have resolved the conflict by selecting an existing value on the profile, then the source conflict will be hidden for everyone.

If there are multiple source conflicts for a particular profile fact, a small table icon will appear to the right. Click on the icon to view all the source citation values that conflict for that profile fact.

In this table, you can review information from all sources for a profile fact in order to determine which is the most accurate. Choose only one of the values to resolve the conflicts for that profile fact. All other values will be marked as hidden for everyone. You can use the back arrow to return to viewing source conflicts by source.

If you do not know how to resolve a conflict or have insufficient information to resolve it, you can choose to hide an individual source conflict or all conflicts for a particular source. To hide an individual source conflict, select the conflict and click the “Hide” button. You can hide the conflict just for yourself or for everyone. If you know all the citation values for a particular source are less accurate than the existing profile values, you can hide all the conflicts for that source by clicking “Ignore Source” at the top right. Note ignoring a source will not delete any source citations. 

You can view and unhide hidden conflicts or ignored sources at any time. Simply click on the buttons or click “Click to show” to display it.

Source Conflicts are just the latest tool to better improve accuracy and maintain the quality of the World Family Tree. By flagging discrepancies between the information on a profile and source citation values, we can quickly detect if there are any issues in the tree that should be addressed. We hope you will find this new tool helpful to your genealogy research.

This release is one of several designed to improve your Geni experience by ensuring the best, most accurate information is represented in the World Family Tree. Stay tuned for more!

The post Introducing Source Conflicts to Geni Profiles first appeared on About Geni.

What did your ancestors do for a living? In the mid-19th century, occupational portraits were a common portrait style that illustrated an individual’s trade or profession. If you are lucky to have an occupational portrait of an ancestor, you may see that they often include tools or props to help illustrate their profession or skills. They may be dressed in their work attire and in some cases, they may even pretend to be working. These fascinating portraits offer a remarkable glimpse into the everyday lives of your ancestors.

For this Labor Day, we thought it would be fun to take a look at some occupational portraits of the past. See the images come to life after they have been enhanced and colorized with MyHeritage’s powerful photo tools!

Cooper

Library of Congress

Latch Maker

Library of Congress

Blacksmith

Library of Congress

Tile Worker

Library of Congress

Taxidermist

Library of Congress

Shoemaker

George Eastman Museum

Stone Cutter

Library of Congress

Town Crier

The National Library of Wales

Carpenter

Library of Congress

Do you have any occupation portraits of your ancestors?

The post Old Occupational Portraits In Color first appeared on About Geni.

After being postponed for a year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are now in full swing. Although this year’s games are different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still full of history making celebrations from some amazing female athletes. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz made history for winning the Philippines’s first Olympic gold medal. Japan’s Momiji Nishiya became the first gold medalist in the women’s street skateboarding event at just 13 years old. She is also Japan’s youngest gold medalist. Taking silver was Brazil’s 13-year-old skateboarding phenom Rayssa Leal, who is now Brazil’s youngest medalist in history. Winning gold in the gymnastics women’s individual all-around was USA’s Sunisa Lee. She is the first Hmong American to make the U.S. Olympic team and the fifth straight American woman to win gold in the women’s individual all-around.

In honor of these achievements, we take a look at some of the early women pioneers from the Paris 1900 Summer Olympic games, the first time women were allowed to compete in the Olympics. During these games, women were only allowed to compete in five sports: golf, lawn tennis, sailing, equestrianism, and croquet. Of the 997 athletes competing, 22 were women.

The games were stretched out over a six month period from May 14 to October 28, 1900. Taking place as part of the 1900 Paris Exposition, there was much confusion about schedules and events, with some athletes not even aware that they were competing in an Olympic event!

Hélène de Pourtalés

Image: Lérina / Wikimedia Commons

Amongst the first women to compete in the 1900 Summer Olympics was Hélène de Pourtalés, who represented Switzerland as a crew member of the Lérina. The Lérina won the gold medal in the first race of 1-2 ton class, making her the first female Olympic champion. Three days later, the Lérina placed second in a second race amongst that same class. For de Pourtalés, the Olympics was a family affair. Her husband, Hermann, served as helmsman and their nephew Bernard served as another crew member.

Charlotte Cooper

Image: Wikimedia Commons

English tennis player Charlotte Cooper became the first female Olympic tennis champion and the first individual female Olympic champion when she defeated Hélène Prévost in the final in straight sets. She also won gold for mixed doubles with Reginald Doherty as her partner after a straight-sets victory against Prévost and Harold Mahony. Interestingly, the pair had defeated Doherty’s brother, Laurence, and Marion Jones in the semifinals. The Olympics would not be the only titles under her belt. Considered to be one of the best tennis players in England, Cooper would also win five singles titles at the Wimbledon Championships during her career. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013.

Margaret Abbott

Image: The Milwaukee Journal, January 24, 1902 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Margaret Abbott was the first American woman to win an Olympic championship and she didn’t even know it. Abbott was born in Calcutta, India but raised in the United States. Her mother, Mary Abbott, was a writer and literary editor of The Chicago Harold. Both women were avid golfers and members of the Chicago Golf Club.

In Paris at the time, Abbott and her mother decided to sign up for a women’s golf tournament. Unbeknownst to them, the international tournament was actually the women’s Olympic golf tournament. The event was held at Compiègne, north of Paris and was limited to a nine-hole course. Abbott came in first with a score of 47 and was awarded with a “bowl of old Saxon porcelain mounted in chiseled gold.” Her mother came in seventh.

Image: New York Tribune, October 7, 1900 / MyHeritage SuperSearch

Abbott died in 1955 never knowing that she had won an Olympic event. It wasn’t until 80 years after the event that her role in Olympic history was uncovered.

The post Early Female Olympians first appeared on About Geni.

On July 4 the United States celebrates Independence Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. In July 1776, the Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject to British rule under King George III and were now free, independent states. In celebration of the holiday, we take a look at a few of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and how they are related to each other and other notable figures in Geni’s World Family Tree.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson

Before declaring independence, a Committee of Five was charged with drafting a Declaration of Independence. The Committee was comprised of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Jefferson is considered to be the primary author the Declaration of Independence. Adams and Jefferson would be the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence that would go on to serve as President of the United States. Adams served as the second, while Jefferson served as the third President of the United States. The two presidents were also 10th cousins once removed. By coincidence, they also both died on the same day on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Benjamin Franklin and Edward Rutledge

The oldest delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence was Benjamin Franklin, who was 70 years old. The youngest was Edward Rutledge of South Carolina. He was 26. Franklin and Rutledge were 13th cousin 7 times removed.

Thomas Lynch, Jr. and Edward Rutledge

Rutledge beat Thomas Lynch, Jr. for the title of youngest signatory by just 4 months. Another delegate from South Carolina, Lynch also Rutledge’s sister-in-law’s husband and 16th cousin! Fun fact: Lynch and his father, Thomas Lynch, were the only father and son duo to serve concurrently in the Continental Congress. However, his father did not sign the Declaration of Independence due to illness.

James Adams and Samuel Adams

The most notable pair of close relatives to sign the document was John Adams and Samuel Adams. Today are both remembered as Founding Fathers of the United States. Although Samuel Adams did not participate in the Boston Tea Party, he played a significant role in organizing it and his ability to galvanize public support has been considered pivotal to the success of the protest. They were also second cousins.

Robert L. Livingston and Philip Livingston

Robert L. Livingston was the only person in the Committee of Five to not sign the Declaration of Independence. However, his first cousin once removed, Philip Livingston, was present to sign the historic document.

John Hancock and King George III

John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress, was the first person to sign his name on the Declaration of Independence. According to legend, he signed his name largely and clearly so that King George III could read it without his spectacles. According to Geni’s World Family Tree, Hancock and the British monarch were 12th cousins once removed.

Check out the Signers of the Declaration of Independence project to find a list of all 56 signatories and try your hand at finding more fun relationship paths on Geni!

The post Look Who’s Related: The Signers of the Declaration of Independence first appeared on About Geni.

This Father’s Day we asked you to send a photo of your dad or a father-figure in your life and tell us what makes him special to you. One lucky person would be chosen at random and receive a free 1-year subscription of Geni Pro. We received some lovely stories from the community and today we’re excited to announce the winner of our Father’s Day giveaway – Līga Saleme!

Līga shared the following about her grandfather:

This is my granddad. He lived and survived through World War II, was sent to Siberia and came back to his country after some years. Raised my dad and helped my family a lot [until] he passed away.

Congratulations, Līga! We hope you enjoy your free year of Geni Pro!

The post Father’s Day Giveaway Winner first appeared on About Geni.

Each year Father’s Day is celebrated to honor fathers and father-figures in our lives. With the special day just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to hear about your dad and what makes him special to you. Share your stories with us and you can win a free 1-year subscription of Geni Pro!

From important life lessons to teaching us new skills such as riding a bike, our dads have made long lasting impacts on our lives. This Father’s Day, we’d like to hear from you! Send us a photo of your dad or a father-figure in your life and tell us what makes him special. One lucky winner will receive a 1-year Geni Pro subscription!

Geni Pro will give you access to advanced tools on Geni to help grow your family tree, including:

• Tree Matches – view matching profiles on Geni to grow your family tree and connect to new relatives
• Enhanced search – get full access to Geni’s search engine and advanced filters
• Unlimited data – upload unlimited photos, videos, and documents
• Priority support – communicate directly with our expert support staff

How to Enter

To enter, share with us your favorite photo of your dad or father-figure in your life and tell us about what makes him special to you. Email your entry to [email protected] or send it to us on Facebook or Twitter.

Only one entry per person. The winner will be chosen at random from valid entries. We’ll announce the winner and share a few of our favorites in a future blog post.

Submit your entry by June 21, 2021 for your chance to win!

Update: This giveaway is now closed. The winner can be found here.

The post Father’s Day Giveaway: Win a Free Year of Geni Pro first appeared on About Geni.

A few months ago, we released some major enhancements to sources on Geni. Today we are happy to announce new improvements to sources to make your citation experience on your mobile device even better. 

Sources can now be added from the family tree interface quickly on your phone, making it even easier to document your ancestry while you are on the go. While visiting your local archive, courthouse, or library, you can use your mobile device to take a photo of any historical documents you have found and upload the images to your relatives’ profiles directly in the tree! Not only will you be able to cite profile facts and add missing immediate family members, but you will also be able to preserve the document digitally on Geni.

Learn more about our latest improvements to sources below.

View Profile Sources in the Side Panel

While viewing the tree on your mobile device, you’ll notice that the information shown in a profile’s side panel now matches what you see on your desktop. Tap on a node in the tree to reveal the side panel. If a profile already has sources cited, a Sources section is displayed with the names of those sources and the facts they support.

Add Sources in the Tree

Sources can now be quickly added to the tree on your mobile device. To add a new source, tap on the node for the person in the document you are citing. In the side panel, tap “More” and select “Add sources.”

Here you can select the document you would like to cite from a list of documents the profile has been tagged in. To view a list of all documents you have uploaded, check the box “Show all documents.” Tap on an existing document to begin citing profile facts or tap on the plus tab at the bottom of the screen to upload a new document.

When adding a new document, you will next see the options to “Upload a New Document,” “Capture a Webpage,” or “Create a New Document.” 

If you are reviewing historical documents in a library or archive, you can quickly add your new research discoveries to a Geni profile by taking a picture of the document and uploading it right away in the tree. Simply tap “Choose File” and select the option to take a photo.

Once you have the document in focus, tap to take a picture with your device’s camera. You can tap the lighting bolt icon to turn the flash on or off. 

Once you take the photo, the image will be automatically uploaded to the profile and appear in your list of documents. Next, tap on the document to begin citing facts for the profile. You will then see two tabs, “Basic Information” and “Relationships.” In the “Basic Information” tab, tap the checkboxes for every profile fact the document supports. Just like in the desktop version, you will have the option to enter the data as it is provided in the document for each fact.

On the “Relationships” tab, you will be able to add supporting documentation for immediate family relationships and add missing immediate family members.

This latest update is perfect for citing your sources on the go, which helps to keep the World Family Tree as accurate as possible. And stay tuned for more! Our team is already hard at work on the next phase of enhancements to sources, which will include flagging discrepancies between profile data and its source citations and adding the ability to extract information from MyHeritage’s Record Matches and Smart Matches to existing Geni profiles.

Try out these new improvements to sources in the tree now and let us know what you think!

The post New Improvements to Sources on Mobile Devices first appeared on About Geni.

Could we BE anymore excited!? After 17 years off the air, the entire cast of the hit television show Friends came together in a highly anticipated reunion special. Friends: The Reunion, also dubbed “The One Where They Get Back Together,” was released on May 27 after being delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All six of the main cast, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer, reunited to reminisce about their experience filming the iconic show. In celebration of the reunion, we took a look at the family relationships between the cast, and some special guests, in Geni’s World Family Tree.

It was recently shared in the press that Courtney Cox and Matthew Perry are cousins! This discovery was made thanks to the MyHeritage research team and Geni’s World Family Tree. On the show, their characters, Monica and Chandler, fall in love and eventually marry. Through Geni’s World Family Tree, we found that Cox and Perry are actually distant cousins. They share common ancestors, William Osbern Haskell III and Ellen Foule. Cox is a direct descendant of their son, Roger Haskell, and Perry is a direct descendant of their son William Roger Haskell, IV.

And that’s not all we found!

All six cast members shared a close bond during their time on the show, especially Cox, Aniston, and Kudrow who had lunch together every single day for the entire 10-season run of the series. The three women have continued to maintain a close friendship over the years. In fact, Aniston and Cox had recently watched old episodes and bloopers together in preparation for the reunion. They may be delighted to learn that they are also 12th cousins!

This discovery also meant we could find a family connection between Aniston and Perry. They are 10th cousins once removed.

Just like how the show had a wide range of A-list guest stars throughout its 10 seasons, the reunion was no different with a long list of special guests and celebrity super fans, including Reese Witherspoon, Tom Selleck, David Beckham, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and more. Many will remember that Witherspoon played Rachel’s younger sister, Jill, on the show. Today Aniston and Witherspoon are co-stars on the Apple TV+ drama The Morning Show. They are also 13th cousins once removed!

Tom Selleck played Monica’s love interest, Richard, for a multi-episode story arc, ultimately appearing in a total of nine episodes. He earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his final appearance in the season 6 episode “The One with the Proposal.” In the episode, his character interrupts Chandler’s plans to propose to Monica. In real life, it turns out Selleck and Perry are 10th cousins once removed.

Friends (and Their Friends) Genealogy Project

Are you excited to watch the reunion? You can explore more interesting relationship paths between the main cast and guest stars of the hit show in the Friends (and Their Friends) genealogy project. Simply use the green pushpin to find paths between other profiles.

Share any fun and interesting paths you find below or tell us how you’re related to the cast of Friends!

The post Friends: The One Where They’re Related first appeared on About Geni.