December 2020

This year has been unlike any other year we have ever experienced. Although it has brought new challenges and times of uncertainty, we are happy that we were able to make it through together. As we say goodbye to 2020, let’s take some time to reflect on this past year on Geni. With everyone staying home during the pandemic, genealogy has become more popular than ever. In a bright spot to this tumultuous year, Geni… Read the full story

On this day in 1912, Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady of the United States, was born in Karnack, Texas. Image: Lady Bird Johnson / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration She was born Claudia Alta Taylor on December 22, 1912 at “The Brick House,” an antebellum planation mansion on the outskirts of town. As a child, her family nurse commented that she was as “pretty as a ladybird,” and the nickname stuck. As First Lady,… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jane Fonda! Today the actress turns 83. Image: Georges Biard / (CC BY-SA 3.0) Born into a Hollywood family, Jayne Seymour Fonda was the daughter of actor Henry Fonda and Canadian-born socialite Frances Ford Brokaw. When Fonda was 12, her mother committed suicide while under the care of a psychiatric hospital. Fonda followed in her father’s footsteps and pursued a career in acting. During the 1960s, she scored several hits and landed her… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Brad Pitt! Today the actor turns 57. Image: Brad Pitt / Department of Defense photo by Marvin Lynchard The actor and producer was born William Bradley Pitt on December 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He grew up in Springfield, Missouri and enrolled in the University of Missouri after high school. Just before earning his degree in journalism, Pitt decided to leave school and move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting…. Read the full story

On this day in 1903, the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, made history by making the world’s first sustained, man-powered, heavier-than-air flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Image: First flight of the Wright Flyer / Library of Congress The Wright brothers grew up in a close household that fostered their creativity. Fascinated with flying from an early age, the brothers sought to make human flight a reality. On December 17, 1903, the brothers took their… Read the full story

On December 16, 1775, English novelist Jane Austen was born in Steventon, England. Image: Jane Austen / Wikimedia Commons The seventh of eight children, Austen grew up in a large, close knit family. Jane’s parents, George and Cassandra Austen, were members of substantial gentry families. Growing up, Austen would write poems, stories, and plays for her family’s amusement. It wasn’t until Austen was in her thirties that she publish her first novels. From 1811-1816, Austen… Read the full story

Your account security is very important to us, which is why today we are introducing a new feature for you to review your recent Geni login history. Now you can easily see a list of your login activity in the last nine months to detect any unauthorized access to your Geni account.  To view your login history, go to your Account Settings by clicking on your name at the top right of the page and… Read the full story

On this day in 1799, George Washington died at his estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He was 67 years old. Image: George Washington / Wikimedia Commons Washington is remembered as one of the most important figures in American history. Born in 1732 on his family’s estate in Westmoreland County, Virginia, Washington led the Continental Army to victory during the American Revolution and served as the nation’s first President. In 1797, Washington retired from the presidency, establishing… Read the full story

Over the last few months, we have been hard at work on the latest enhancements to the HTML version of the family tree. Today we are happy to announce new customization options to help you work more comfortably in the family tree. Now you can change the font size and the color theme in the tree to better suit your needs. You may choose from a set of available themes or pick your own color… Read the full story

Pioneering astronomer Annie Jump Cannon was born on December 11, 1863 in Dover, Delaware. Nicknamed the “Census Taker of the Sky,” Cannon was instrumental in the development of the current system of stellar classification. Image: Annie Jump Cannon / Library of Congress Cannon was the eldest of three daughters born to Wilson Lee Cannon, a ship builder and Delaware state senator, and his second wife, Mary Elizabeth Jump. From a young age, Cannon had a… Read the full story

“That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.” – Emily Dickinson On this day in 1830, poet Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. Image: Emily Dickinson / Yale University Manuscripts & Archives Digital Images Database With deep ancestral roots in New England, Dickinson lived much of her life in her family’s homestead in Amherst. She was born to a prominent family with strong ties to the community. Her paternal grandfather,… Read the full story

Actress Olivia Colman has won rave reviews for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the award-winning drama, The Crown. It was also recently revealed that Colman is a distant relative to the royal family as well. MyHeritage researchers shared that Colman is the Queen’s 13th cousin once removed. We can see this path clearly in Geni’s World Family Tree, which connects over 150 million people to a single family tree. Image: Ibsan73, Wikimedia Commons… Read the full story

Happy birthday to The Dude! Today actor Jeff Bridges celebrates his 71st birthday. Image: Jeff Bridges / Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 3.0) Bridges was born on December 4, 1949 in Los Angeles, California to actors Lloyd and Dorothy Bridges. Born into a Hollywood family, the Academy Award winning actor made his big screen debut as a baby in the 1951 film, The Company She Keeps. Growing up, he and his older brother, Beau, made occasional appearances on their… Read the full story

On this day in 1857, author Joseph Conrad was born in Berdychiv, in what is now Ukraine. Conrad is often regarded as one of the greatest novelists in the English language, but did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties. Image: Joseph Conrad / New York Public Library Born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, Conrad was the only child of Apollo Korzeniowski and Ewelina Bobrawska. His father was a poet, playwright and clandestine political activist. At the… Read the full story