The BEST episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? (US)

Every episode of Who Do You Think You Are? (US) ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? (US)!

Celebrities trace their family trees with the help of historians and experts.

Last Updated: 11/19/2024Network: NBCStatus: Continuing
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star
8.94
117 votes

#1 - Rashida Jones

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/4/2012

Rashida Jones strongly identifies with both her African American and Jewish heritage, but knows very little about her mother's roots. She was close to her grandmother, who was originally from Ireland, but had little details on her life before marrying her grandfather. In New York, Rashida uncovers the answers to her grandmother's missing years and interesting life in Manhattan. As her journey continues, a trip to Ireland reveals new information that lead to her family's origins in Eastern Europe.

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star
8.60
177 votes

#2 - Marisa Tomei

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/10/2012

Marisa Tomei grew up hearing that her great-grandfather was murdered for being a womanizer and gambler. In order to uncover the truth, she travels to Italy to sort through the facts and discover what really lead to his death.

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star
8.50
86 votes

#3 - Zooey Deschanel

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/13/2013

Actress Zooey Deschanel searches for rumored abolitionists in her father’s Ouaker family background. Her journey takes her around Pennsylvania where she uncovers, and follows, the story of a remarkable ancestor who sacrificed everything for her beliefs.

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8.50
2 votes

#4 - Nick Offerman

Season 11 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/17/2022

Nick Offerman traces his family to the Revolutionary War.

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star
8.50
2 votes

#5 - Bradley Whitford

Season 11 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/7/2022

Actor and political activist Bradley Whitford learns about his grandmother's heritage, discovering why his ancestors immigrated to the United States in 1846.

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star
8.49
35 votes

#6 - Christina Applegate

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/30/2013

Actress Christina Applegate investigates her paternal grandmother - a stranger to her and her father. Uncovering dramatic details along the way, Christina gains insight into the life and hardships of the woman she and her father loved, but never knew.

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star
8.41
128 votes

#7 - Martin Sheen

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/3/2012

Martin Sheen tries to find out if his ancestors shared his activist passion. In Ireland, he investigates his uncle's ties to the Irish Civil War. In Spain, he uncovers another relative who also fought for social justice and was wrongfully imprisoned during Franco's fascist regime. As he continues to trace his Spanish roots back to the 1700s, he unearths an unexpected family secret.

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star
8.30
86 votes

#8 - Rachel McAdams

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/6/2014

Rachel and Kayleen McAdams discover an English ancestor surrounded by a privileged world, but forced to separate from those he loved; they connect with relatives uprooted by war, and uncover the harrowing circumstances behind their Canadian roots.

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star
8.21
28 votes

#9 - Kelsey Grammer

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/20/2014

Kelsey Grammer takes a trip into the past to explore his beloved grandmother’s family. He uncovers the story of a woman haunted by demons, and finds a connection to family who risked everything in one of the greatest migrations in American history.

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star
8.16
89 votes

#10 - Jon Cryer

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 5/21/2018

Jon Cryer's journey takes him from America to Scotland as he uncovers the dramatic tale of an ancestor who survived a catastrophic battle, endured horrific conditions as a prisoner of war, and was forced to come to America as an indentured servant.

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star
8.11
27 votes

#11 - J.K. Rowling

Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/2/2015

JK Rowling sets off on a journey to uncover her maternal French roots. She stumbles upon a family mystery, and uncovers a harrowing tale of wartime heroism, then discovers the actions of a brave ancestor.

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star
8.07
27 votes

#12 - Valerie Bertinelli

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/13/2014

Valerie Bertinelli goes on the hunt to unlock her family’s mysteries. She tracks down courageous ancestors who suffered through hardship and tragedy, and discovers a royal lineage dating back centuries that she never dreamed possible.

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star
8.07
43 votes

#13 - Jim Parsons

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/10/2013

In tribute to his late father, actor Jim Parsons explores the ancestors on his paternal side of the family. The journey takes Jim to Louisiana and eventually France, where he discovers generations of his forefathers who made an indelible mark in history.

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star
8.05
58 votes

#14 - Vanessa Williams

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/4/2011

Vanessa Williams sets out on a journey to find out if her ancestors were also trailblazers.

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star
8.03
68 votes

#15 - Julie Bowen

Season 8 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/12/2017

Julie Bowen makes a shocking discovery that a beloved relative lead a nefarious organization that triggered a dark chapter of U.S. history; and uncovers another ancestor who risked everything to fight for the lives and freedom of African Americans.

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star
8.02
44 votes

#16 - Katey Sagal

Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/17/2016

Katey Sagal has an emotional and insightful meeting with her mother's friend and fellow USO performer. Katey also finds a surprising link to the Amish and uncovers the harrowing story of her relative's daring escape from attackers.

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star
8.02
58 votes

#17 - Smokey Robinson

Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/9/2017

Motown legend and icon, Smokey Robinson tracks down a grandfather tangled in a swirl of controversy and connects to a relative's familiar struggle with oppression while coming face to face with the gruesome history he knew was inevitable.

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star
8.00
1 votes

#18 - John Stamos

Season 8 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/16/2017

Actor John Stamos explores his Greek heritage for the first time and discovers an explosive feud that shattered his grandfather's childhood. He also meets a relative he never knew and hears firsthand about his family's enduring strength.

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star
8.00
3 votes

#19 - Zachary Quinto

Season 11 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/14/2022

Actor Zachary Quinto travels to Italy and the Midwest and discovers the story of his great-grandfather, who held a political career in Pittsburgh.

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star
7.96
83 votes

#20 - Gwyneth Paltrow

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/1/2011

Gwyneth Paltrow's exploration of both sides of her family shows her the importance of teaching her kids that where they come from is important.

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star
7.95
62 votes

#21 - Helen Hunt

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/23/2012

Helen Hunt fills in the missing branches of her family tree and discovers ancestors instrumental in the growth of America.

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star
7.94
86 votes

#22 - Lionel Richie

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/4/2011

Lionel Richie sets out to unlock the mystery of the man his beloved grandmother never spoke about - her father, John Louis Brown.

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star
7.92
52 votes

#23 - Jerome Bettis

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/9/2012

Nicknamed "The Bus," star running back Jerome Bettis spent 13 years in the NFL. In 2006, he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a decisive Super Bowl victory before retiring a champion. A committed humanitarian, Jerome founded the Bus Stops Here Foundation to serve underprivileged children. He's gone on to work as a football analyst on television and radio. Jerome currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and their two children. "My family is everything to me," Jerome says. He grew up in a tight-knit family where his mother and father attended every NFL game he played in. His father passed away a few years ago, but Jerome was fortunate to learn about the Bettis side of the family before he passed. He knows very little about his mother's side, the Bougards, and would like to go back as far as he can on that side of the tree.

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star
7.91
57 votes

#24 - Reba McEntire

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/2/2012

Singer and actress Reba McEntire follows her ancestry to the first member of her family to set foot on American soil, finding a young boy who came from England as an indentured servant.

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star
7.88
25 votes

#25 - Tom Bergeron

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/30/2015

Television personality Tom Bergeron researches his paternal roots in France and discovers his nine-times great grandmother, Marguerite, who endured upheaval and faced going against her Protestant upbringing in order to survive.

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