Julia Roberts Isn’t ACTUALLY Julia “Roberts”?? | Finding Your Roots | Sponsored by Ancestry®

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Published 2023-01-03
Julia Roberts discovers her ACTUAL great-great-grandfather and gets a new last name, on Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
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00:00 Introduction
0:25 Julia Roberts’s story begins with her great-grandfather
1:23 Julia Roberts searches for biological 2nd great-grandfather
2:52 Julia Roberts’s real last name revealed
3:31 Julia Roberts’s family mystery is solved

All Comments (21)
  • @AncestryUS
    Julia Roberts had her mind blown with this DNA discovery. What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your family tree?
  • @chelee8804
    People take secrets to the grave and Ancestry digs those secrets back up. I’m glad, because it gives us the gift of knowing.
  • Found my family through ancestry mother still alive 101. In puerto rico. Went to pr to her. She was happy. Then she died
  • @kindking8009
    I feel for Julia here, finding out this kind of information while you're being filmed. I worked on my family genealogy for 10 years, couldn't get any further back in my father's line because both of his grandfathers were illegitimate, so I got a DNA test done. Found out he wasn't really MY father and I'd grown up with the wrong name just like Julia. It's fascinating to find out, but devastating at the same time. But it does make you realize "family" has nothing to do with your DNA.
  • @TsterMr63
    Dr. Gates is awesome. He is the perfect host for this show and leads the guests down the path of their heritage with aplomb. Wish we could all have that experience!
  • Wow. From this airing, I was able to find direct ancestors for Henry McDonald Mitchell who were already in my family tree. Julia Fiona Roberts is my 10th cousin, once removed.
  • @sugar2th173
    I’m adopted and found my biological family two years ago. I found out my bio mom was 16 and went on to have a semi successful modeling career in the 70s. So much so, I’d seen her growing up. My dad’s side was more interesting, my great uncle survived the titanic. Both sets of parents are gone now…. But I do have extended biological families that have been nice to meet. Don’t ever think genetics doesn’t contribute to who you are as a person. I’ve learned so much.
  • @kunaak
    I can't imagine that was much of a secret at the time. "The lady who lives alone keeps having kids, even though her husband died 10 years ago".
  • I had the same thing happened to me, I was raised to believe we were Busby‘s, but when DNA became available I found out that we were not related to any of the Busby side, found out that my great grandmother had affair with a married man who lived next-door and we match all his descendants and his family to DNA, crazy the gift that God has given to change our family history with DNA and especially solving cold cases.
  • Can you imagine the screams of the Mitchells who just realized they are related to Julia Robert’s? Lol
  • @greghanson407
    My paternal grandfather was adopted in 1894 and my maternal grandmother was adopted in 1889. I have since tracked down both sets of biological parents, and uncovered some interesting family stories relative to both adoptions.
  • Finding out about one's own family line, can be a very big roller-coaster ride! So many different emotions and secrets are revealed too! Thanks so much for your time and efforts for researching!
  • @rachelm2041
    This is why I love doing genealogy research on family. I learned so much. I was able to find out some interesting information on my paternal grandmother. It helped me to understand some painful issues that she had to deal with. I was also able to discover how my Uncle, her first born son, received his name. Every family has had to deal with something painful, shameful, embarrassing, etc. But, everyone deserves to know the truth about who they are and where they came from.
  • This was such a great episode to kick off the new season!! My mind has been astounded over the years of watching this show but Ed Norton's ancestry is MIND BLOWING!!!
  • @peachygal4153
    I think many people have a similar story. One guy discovered by his Y chromosome for his last name did not match but the name was in his family tree that his chromosome matched. He did research and figured out his great grandparents were actually his second great grandparents. their daughter apparently had a child before she got married and they claimed the baby as theirs. another person found out his ancestors died, and their child was raised by the wife's brother, and he took his uncle's surname.
  • @Aurelius480
    My dad took one of these test before passing away and a couple of months later my cousin took one as well. It turned out that my dad and his sister were only half-siblings (same mom, different dad's) we were sure confused at first, because my grandparents divorced way later in life and there was always talks of infidelity on both sides but nothing could have been confirmed. Turns out grandma was very cheeky all along.
  • @3girliez617
    Wow, Dr. Gates is amazing at being the host. He is knowledgeable and personable. He really brings you into the story.
  • @jw66wid62
    I've recently found out (2 tests) my father is not my bio father. I'd been researching trying to find my maternal grandmother's people as she was adopted and always wanted to know. I succeeded in that search but also found out the interesting fact on my paternal side. Still processing the information and figuring out how to share with my family.
  • I suspect that this type of new family historical information will be quite prevalent as new DNA science keeps improving and the sharing of records and DNA results from other Ancestry members comes available. I am just finding out all kinds of cool stuff about my own family after researching for the last 10+ years. Amazing stuff keeps turning up! Thank you for sharing! ❤️
  • @Skeptique
    This exact thing happened to my mother. I discovered her 2x great grandmother's husband died 3 years before her great grandfather was born. I only noticed it when the DNA wasn't adding up. It turned out to be a man she was living with when the great grandfather was 7 years old. She was listed as his maid and he was 20 years younger than her. Never would have suspected, but DNA doesn't lie! My mother gets a kick out of telling her brothers they have the wrong last name.