June 2017

On this day 155 years ago, Victor Hugo published the final chapter of his epic novel Les Misérables. Victor Marie Hugo was born on February 26, 1802 in Besançon, France. His father, Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo, was a French general and served during the Napoleonic wars. Considered one of the greatest French writers in history, Hugo is best remembered for his novels The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables. A well regarded writer during his lifetime, Hugo was a key… Read the full story

Do you know where your ancestors are buried? As many genealogists would know, you can find a lot of genealogical information on a gravestone. That is if you know where to look. If you have yet to find where your ancestor is buried, check out these tips to help you locate your ancestor’s final resting place. 1. Obituaries Obituaries hold a wealth of genealogical information. Often you may find vital information such as birth or death dates, the names… Read the full story

Today we remember Judy Garland, who passed away on this day in 1969. The legendary actress was born Francis Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. She was the youngest child of Ethel Marion and Francis Avent Gumm, who had settled in Grand Rapids to run a theater featuring vaudeville acts. As the daughter of former vaudeville actors, Garland got her start on stage at an early age. She made her first public performance at… Read the full story

Geni’s World Family Tree aims to connect people from all parts of the world. With an international user base, we love to hear the diverse stories from our users as they research their family histories. Sharmalan (right) with his mother Elaveni, his grandmother Visalatchy, his wife Vasuge and his daughter Vaishnavi Sharmalan Thevar was born in 1984 in Malaysia. A colorful nation made up of many different cultures and ethnicities, it’s not surprising for Malaysians… Read the full story

Happy 35th birthday to Prince William! On June 21, 1982, Prince William Arthur Phillip Louis was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. Three decades later, his children, George and Charlotte, would be born in the same hospital. As a child, he had the opportunity to have wider experiences than what is typical for most royal children. His mother, Princess Diana, took the future king and his brother Harry to places such as Walt Disney… Read the full story

On this day in 1840, inventor Samuel Morse received the patent for the telegraph. Samuel Finley Breese Morse revolutionized communication when he invented the single-wire telegraph system. The telegraph transmitted electric pulses over wires, enabling people to send messages over vast distances. Morse developed a code known as Morse code, which used pulses and pauses to communicate along his telegraph system. Morse was inspired to develop a faster means of communication after the death of his… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Three Stooges? On this day in 1897, Moe Howard was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was born Moses Harry Horwitz to Solomon Horwitz and Jennie Gorovitz and was of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry. The fourth of five brothers, Moe developed an interest in performing early in his life. He got his start as part of the vaudeville act with Ted Healy and His Stooges. Eventually, Moe, along with his brother Curly, and… Read the full story

On this day in 1215, King John of England put his royal seal on the Magna Carta, which established that everyone, including the king and the government, were not above the law. Not only is the Great Charter one of the most famous documents in the world, it is also one of the most important documents in the history of democracy. At the time, King John was facing a political crisis. Rebel barons were opposed to the King’s… Read the full story

We had a great time at the 48th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree! It’s always a delight to see old friends and meet new users right here in Burbank, California. The Geni computers were often occupied throughout the conference Our booth was packed much of the time with many people eager to ask questions about how they can be a part of Geni’s World Family Tree of 114 million people. Jamboree attendees got to take advantage… Read the full story

Today marks the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. The D-Day landings was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Image: Naval History and Heritage Command In the early morning of June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France with over 160,000 troops and 13,000 paratroopers along a 50-mile stretch of France’s coastline. Over 5,000 ships and 11,000 planes had crossed the English Channel during the night in preparation to drive Nazi forces back to Berlin…. Read the full story

We’re excited for the 48th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree next week in Burbank, California. The conference will take place June 8-11 at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel. The theme of this year’s Jamboree is “Hunting Your Heritage.” Jamboree will hold DNA Day on June 8, which will provide attendees with an excellent opportunity to learn more about DNA and genealogy from experts in the field. The exhibit hall will be open June 9-11 and it… Read the full story