My name is Emias Williams, and I’ve been passionate about family history for as long as I can remember. There’s something deeply meaningful about uncovering the past and discovering how the stories of our ancestors have shaped who we are today.

I started tracing my own family tree at the age of fourteen, spending countless hours talking with my grandmother about where we came from and what those journeys meant. That early curiosity soon became a lifelong pursuit — and even after all these years, my own tree is still growing.

What began as a hobby quickly turned into something more. I started helping friends and relatives explore their own roots, and in 2023, I began GeneRevive in my hometown of Auckland, New Zealand. Following a successful first year, I relocated to Europe to continue developing GeneRevive and to connect with a wider community of people eager to bring their family stories back to life.

Core Idea

GeneRevive goes beyond merely tracing family trees. I believe that heritage is more than genetics—it’s about stories, values, and the challenges our ancestors faced. By piecing together records such as birth and death dates, marriages, and migration patterns, I create detailed and compelling narratives about the lives of my clients’ ancestors.

For example:

Consider an ancestor born in 1720. If records show that his mother died in 1726, he was just six years old when she passed. A marriage record might reveal that his father remarried the following year, and birth records could show that a half-sister was born shortly thereafter. From these details, I can construct a narrative of a young boy who grew up in a blended family, possibly facing new dynamics and challenges. Further, an immigration record from 1742 might show that at the age of 22, he left for the New World, likely seeking new opportunities or escaping hardships. By cross-referencing these events with historical context, such as local economies or political changes, I bring these stories to life, offering a vivid picture of the ancestors’ experiences. The company motto is “we are the result of our ancestors’ dreams”.

My goal is to leave no stone unturned, ensuring every piece of information is meticulously verified and accurate.