about

Ourchives

A research nerd that uses my powers for good by connecting you to your ancestors and their stories.

explore

Me and my siblings

core values

Respect - Curiosity - Integrity - Empathy

Respect

Every name, every date, and every "Wait? I have an uncle Danny?" holds significance. I dig through archives with the grace of a history-loving detective, ensuring your family's story is told with authenticity and truth.

Curiosity

With a curiosity as relentless as a kid with a 'Why?' phase, I unearth hidden stories and tales juicier than Aunt Karen's secret meatloaf recipe. I'll introduce you to ancestors who might've invented the wheel, or just rolled with the punches.

Integrity

Upholding the truth is my pledge. I deliver your family's rich history, one eyebrow-raising fact at a time. (Guess what? Great-great-grandma was quite the rebel.)

Empathy

Navigating the emotional rollercoaster of your family's past? Been there, felt that. With empathy as deep as Grandpa Joe's love for his lucky fishing hat, I guide you through the tales, tears, and occasional "Wait, we're related to WHO?" moments of your ancestry journey.

Movsha Tiger, my great grandfather

Is TIGER REALLY YOUR LAST NAME?

Roll call at the beginning of class was always my favorite. Hearing my last name out loud and knowing that my fellow students would ask me about my family name was thrilling for a 9-year-old. Now that I am a storyteller + performer, people often ask me if “Tiger” is a stage name.

”It’s Tiger,” I answer. However, for most of my life, I didn’t know where it came from or its history. It was the curiosity behind the origin of my name that sparked my use of research skills to learn more.

My fifth great-grandfather's name was Wulf, son of Benjamin. At the time, the Jewish people of the Russian Empire were referred to as “sons of” or “daughters of.” They typically did not use last names.

This all changed in the late 1700s when they were forced to take last names. The bad news? It was so they could be taxed and drafted into the Russian military. The good news? They were able to select their last name. Many names were selected based on nature, profession, place of residence, or physical appearance. For example, the last name Schneider means “tailor”. The last name Blum means “flower”. The last name Berliner refers to someone from Berlin, and the last name Rothman means “redhead.”

In 1798, my 5th great-grandfather, Wulf, son of Benjamin, chose the last name Tiger, becoming Wulf Tiger. Which I can’t help but think was entirely on purpose and pretty damg bad ass.

When I discovered this 226-year-old incredible story in my tree, I never wanted it to be lost again. I became obsessed with finding more stories in my roots and in yours, too.

hey, i’m Joanna Tiger

Researcher + Storyteller

I can’t wait to introduce you to your ancestors and their unbelievable stories with your family tree.

Read my Diary

  • NERD

    I hated math and science growing up. It took me five times longer than the rest of the class to do my homework in these subjects. It wasn’t until college that I found a love for science when I first started doing lab research. If you told 9-year-old me that I’d have degrees in Biology and chemistry, she’d think you hit your head…hard.

  • Business owner

    I founded and ran a photography business for 14 years with my best friend. We had studios in over 26 cities in the US. I have always loved weaving together stories, be it in writing, on stage, through a camera lens, or with ancestry.

  • Storyteller

    I have trained at several theatre’s including Second City in Chicago and UCB and the Magnet Theatre in NYC. I am an improviser and storyteller. You’ll find me performing across various stage in the city.

  • Lifting

    I love lifting weights! (This is not to be confused with working out.) I like to lift heavy! But if you put me in a cardio class, I will curse the entire time. Weight lifting = yes. Cardio = no. If you have a cardio class you love, please share it with me. I am always looking for “the one”.

  • Housewives

    I am a Real Housewives junky. I watch every season of all franchises and want to talk about the recent episodes. I also love 90 Day Fiancé, but I can’t ever figure out what version I am watching. TLC, you gotta stop with all of the spin-offs! If you watch ‘em too, lemme know your favorite!

  • Improviser

    I absolutely love creating on stage with others entirely from scratch. Deeply curious, I love the idea that if you bring one idea, similar to a brick, together, you can build a house. It may be an upside-down dog house big enough to house Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory, but it’s created together and built one brick at a time.

Let’s connect

Your ancestors called, they have some stories to share, and they're not all about life before the telephone.

explore services

Step into the time machine of your family's past. From meeting your long-lost ancestors to decoding those 'mystery genes' in your medical history, I’ve got the scoop, and maybe a few family secrets to spill.

Let's make your family tree the talk of the reunion.