Neil Patrick Harris Reacts to Family History in Finding Your Roots | Ancestry

[@lavenuecc2114]

You guys, remember...people react and process things differently. Not everyone is going to process and react immediately and the way you would. That doesn't mean the information doesn't move them or they won't feel strongly about it. I've lost loved ones and had no reaction until weeks later breaking down, so I try not to judge someones initial response to something as their only emotion for it.

[@elizabethhoover4672]

You have a point and I very much agree with what you say. But Neil does exhibit a remarkable lack of empathy. I wouldn't google the image because it's disturbing but he made a mockery of Amy Winehouse's death by making a meat sculpture of her corpse 3 months after she passed and served it at a Halloween party. That's sociopathic level of lack of empathy. Way too soon of a tragic death for dark humor.

[@sarkahalastova9667]

I think I would be moved to tears if I found out that my ancestor was a victim of witch trials. What a horrible end this woman - and many other women at that time - endured.

[@kachi2782]

If i found out my ancestors were torturing animals so cruelly i would change my name and cut all link with that family.

[@sergicalcantara]

Not just women. Some men died too. Let’s not forget about them. May they all RIP 🙏🏼

[@sarkahalastova9667]

@@kachi2782 A. He doesn't share the name and B. what are you even talking about

[@kachi2782]

@@sarkahalastova9667 I think my comment is clear enough, unless you are struggling with the english language. Sarka Halastova 46 minutes ago @Ka Chi A. He doesn't share the name and B. what are you even talking about

[@mrbear1302]

Actor Scott Foley's ancestor was the one person stoned/crushed to death during the witch trials.

[@sophiamichael2788]

She was probably a strong and intelligent woman who had knowledge of natural medicine, so basically a threat at that time. She had the wisdom to know to burn the animals to attempt to stop the spread, as she also probably cared about the well-being of the animals. Hmm, past life of Patrick?

[@lindabb7064]

Like many witches. They were often independent successful intelligent women.

[@M00N.L1GHT]

@@lindabb7064 yes, and Neil’s response was pretty crass. I’d be offended, except for the fact that he is clearly ignorant of the history of the persecution of women at that time, and what witches really were.

[@FuuHolliday]

xD Uh okay. Or most women were normal and lead normal lives with their families. Come on...

[@FoxInThought]

Oh god. Be quiet. You werent there. No one cares for your fantasy modern pop culture NOT REAL screwed up "im a witch" crystals and cats club.

[@FoxInThought]

@@M00N.L1GHT Persecution of witches and persecution of women are two different things. (you funnily specify women as if the entire body indigenous first nations and mexican werent being eradicated for that exact reason) You're on my continent cuz your ancestors christianity priv.. Not just about 'women' like you selectively and narrowly mention. What about my ppl who didnt ask for any of this whom you get everything about your modern witchcraft appropriation from? Get it together.

[@eternalsunshine2485]

My 10th great grandmother was Susannah Martin. She was hung for being a witch during the Salem Witch Trials.

[@sanebooks]

How horribly sad. :(((

[@NancyLouHoo]

Wow....

[@ronaldmartin2304]

Funny. She was mine too!

[@jamesdooling4139]

Hey! We must be related... somehow

[@ssshadowwolf6762]

Omg ! My husband bore the same last name as the man who married her daughter and it looks like one of my ancestors at some point married into the family of the people who accused Goody Martin ! This explains a dream I had as a newly wed where my husband has my family hung out of revenge ( didn’t happen -at least not recorded) but it freaked me out . Fast forward to 35 years of marriage and doing genealogy and my husband totally gave me the side eye with. “ your dreams scare me !” And I’m like 👁 👄 👁 -then behave ! It’s my understanding the people who accused her also were the people who called for an end to this practice. ( think the letter “ H” in the name of the accusers and the last name of the man who married her daughter -same letter ). Now I see you here . Now I need to do more research.🤯

[@bellaann4942]

Gertrude is my 11th great grandmother on my fathers mothers side. The Martins/ Mertens. Wow I guess Neil and I are distant cousins. She died in prison because of two years of torture. She never confessed. I admire her. She was already dead when they burned her. They couldn't legally kill her unless she confessed. So they probably starved her and beat her until she died. Her descendants supposedly moved to the Netherlands and then one descendant married a man by the name of Johanns Merten (John Martin) who ended up in Virginia to help build a mine. All of this murdering was done under the rule of King James ( yep that King James) when he sent his witch hunters to Germany because of his "fears". Now we know there was no curse on any livestock. She died because of many men in power and their ignorance and perhaps a few jealous women. I heard the story all my life.

[@ael14]

Hey i can track my family to roughly the same time to the same region in germany. Can you tell me which resources you used for your research? I would love to find more about this branch of my family

[@LisaSicora]

We are cousins also! She was my 11th g-grandma and I have also heard it a lot. It didnt help that she was a widow either. Poor dear.

[@kathyastrom1315]

One of my tenth great grandfathers was Hugh Rowe, who lived in Gloucester, MA. In 1692, at the same time that the stuff was happening in Salem, several of his daughters and daughters in law were accused of witchcraft, more than likely as a way to get at him. A few spent some time in jail, but none of them ever went to trial but were ultimately set free.

[@ms.donaldson2533]

What an awesome gift to give someone - their family history!

[@thegreatreverendx]

Whereas most people respond to Gates’ research with tears of sadness or joy, Harris seems oddly entertained at the idea of one of his ancestors being burned alive at the stake.

[@arianemontemuro7901]

I know....so strange!

[@Logan-hw7mn]

Because he’s obsessed with magic, so it’s a cool connection to his distant ancestors. Do you not realize how many Jewish comedians have jokes about the holocaust?

[@aaronholloway6060]

Yes, it was very unsettling.

[@elizabethhoover4672]

In full seriousness, I think he's a sociopath. His Amy Winehouse meat platter. That was way too soon and way too tragic if a loss to be dismissed as dark humor. A non-sociopathic person with a basic level of empathy would have never done that.

[@georganna7200]

A little unsettling he took one of his relatives being burned alive so lightly.

[@chrisgrace81]

It seemed like Neil Patrick’s eyes were sad but the professor was trying to make it lighthearted

[@ccmjj9770]

I had the same reaction. There’s nothing funny about it but they seemed to think so.

[@xbshsjdhd8609]

I think he just felt awkward that’s all and didn’t know how to react and he’s quite an uplifting person so he’s not just gonna sit their and cry about it when he didn’t even know them I guess

[@xbshsjdhd8609]

plus a lot of people including me laugh everything off lmao

[@Savestime]

He felt she was a martyr so he was proud

[@jimwallington437]

People should be reminded that one has over 8,000 12th great grandparents. Patrick is almost certainly also related to the people who persecuted Gertrude.

[@nicholasfogelson7095]

huh? You get more Descendents exponentially as you go forward. You don't get exponentially more ancestors as you go back.

[@jimwallington437]

@@nicholasfogelson7095 huh? You get Antecedents/Ancestors as you go back and Descendants as you go forward????

[@charlesmendeley9823]

@@nicholasfogelson7095 You have two parents, who each have two parents, leading to four grandparents, and so on.

[@OksanaBelle]

Grateful for ancestry and records so that these names are not forgotten, rock on Trude

[@writeatease3689]

If I had an ancestor who was falsely accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake, I wouldn’t be glib. I hope his great grandmother found peace in the afterlife. Ignorance and indifference is what’s truly evil.

[@r.o.1330]

....i caught that as well. the stupidity of prior generations is nothing to laugh at.

[@broomcheese6444]

Glib is how comedians cope. Larry David pretty much reacts the same min his episode

[@suekennedy1595]

It was 4 century’s ago.

[@debbielb2325]

I was thinking the same thing, he's kind of joking about it.

[@TH-dt2wb]

Why do people always think you have to cry about everything? Why, so you can feel something through their story? Some of the biggest, cruelest sociopaths I've ever known cry at the drop of the hat but lack genuine empathy and heart. It's none of your business how people truly feel, not to mention people respond differently to situations. This is his story, not yours. Take your projections elsewhere.

[@karlalphelps9909]

yes i cried when i found out that my 10th great grandfather john hale was the judge who hung bridget bishop in 1692 i was like at the time i went wow.that my 10th great grandfathers john and robert hale had hand in hanging all those innocent people it was heartbreaking

[@AncestryAimee]

What a fun story! Learning about your ancestors is a transformative experience! I’ve never handed a book to a client and not had them cry as they learn about their family heritage.

[@virg0_lem0nade]

WHOA oh my god!!!! that is an utterly terrifying profile photo 😰

[@dtchouros]

I’m not sure I would have reacted the same. Can you imagine trying to save your livelihood by culling out the sick animals and then being burned as a witch? It makes me sad for what she went through. When I found out one of my great grandmothers was committed for postpartum after losing a child, I was incredibly sad for her. When I looked into the facility/asylum and what they did there, I was enraged. It was horrible. She died there after ten years of their so-called treatments.

[@AncestryAimee]

@@dtchouros you’re right. It is hard to learn about those tragic things in your ancestors lives.

[@downtime86stars17]

I find it disturbing that he was so delighted to find out his ancestress was accused of being a witch. She probably suffered terror and horrendous torture before being executed in one of the most painful ways possible.

[@kirn3afek]

Hollyweird people for you !!! Giving us psychopath vibes here .

[@Stonecold831]

It so many generations ago though. 1500s idk if id really be affected. They're barely even related.

[@downtime86stars17]

@@Stonecold831 It isn't about how closely they are related. It's about him having zero sympathy for an innocent woman who was cruelly tortured and murdered.

[@doit5084]

That’s Barney Stinson for ya

[@Lindalindali]

I mean, he was in the news for having a meat platter mimicking Amy Winehouse's corpse at his Halloween party shortly after her death ...

[@juliewilson3237]

Not sure why he seems so delighted that his poor descendent was burned alive ?! I get the amazement at having a ‘witch’ in the family but not the reaction !

[@Logan-hw7mn]

It’s because he himself is a high level magician so it a macabre coincidence that’s a weird connection to his ancestors.

[@TheRavendearest]

As a Wiccan I am acquainted with the burning times, hundreds were burned as witches along with their pets, often cats, who were thought to be their familiars... christianity, one of the worst things that ever happened to this planet to this very day.

[@downtime86stars17]

Not every Christian participated in persecuting 'witches,' and Christians also put a stop to the persecution. There are still cultures today which punish and even execute people for witchcraft. Your comment is hateful and bigoted.

[@mrbear1302]

The Crusades are saying, "Hold my beer!"

[@HabitualLover]

Got that right. Christianity, if it’s good itself, has for sure been a main tool for the worst this planet has seen. one specific category of human beings brutalizing everyone else with it. Our European male brothers used it against women and anyone non-European, taking violence way, way, way too far falsely in the name of this religion. So truly sad.

[@ominiewah6803]

Well…he took the news like a champ. I would have petitioned for a public apology LOL

[@RADRICK19]

He should. Lol Back in 1984, my teacher confiscated my Gobot watch i had and i never got it back! I stil think about that. Isnt that like theft if you dont return someone's property? I should write them about it and demand they buy me one of ebay to replace it now, 28 yrs later. Lol

[@bachopinbee5991]

Makes me feel lucky and grateful fro living in this time, with this freedom, and this amount of information!

[@deborahdobbie]

I love these videos so much

[@MistyCunard]

I do too.

[@leechambers2264]

My 7th great grandmother, Mary Barnes, was hanged as a witch in Hartford, Connecticut in 1652. Her story has come down through the family for all these generations and was verified through genealogical research.

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for sharing.

[@yomommadidit2032]

She confessed right?

[@SpaceAce1974]

I wish there were a bit longer. Love seeing the reactions and history.

[@AncestryUS]

We're glad you enjoyed it!

[@ambrogreen]

Can you guys please do a series for regular people’s genealogy? We have interesting family history too tha t we need help discovering! 😄

[@AncestryUS]

Hey Amber! Thanks so much for checking out this video and learning a little bit about Neil Patrick's story. We understand and would be pleased to help out in anyway we can. Genealogy is such an endlessly fascinating subject and what makes it extra special is how unique each family's story is. We love to hear from all our members and would encourage you to leave a short video submission here to be taken into consideration for future shows ancestrysubmissions.com/stories . Thanks again and we wish you every success in your own family history project! 🌳

[@essieessie5399]

Please don't waste viewers time with an insensitive Ahole like NPH!

[@daughterofabadman]

I have an ancestor who was stoned to death for witchcraft. She had healed someone from a common disease and was accused of being a witch for her efforts.

[@mrbear1302]

Actor Scott Foley's ancestor was the one person stoned/crushed to death during the witch trials.

[@northernprovisions5679]

LOVE these videos!! Had to take a break from my ancestry work to watch these 😁😂

[@ryanfitzalan8634]

reminds me of my colonial roots, my ancestor is responsible for the official court ruling that determined that Ghosts can longer be called as witness to trial. needless to say, that determination came to late for one super great uncle, who was blamed for burning his parents house down (by said ghost) and executed.

[@AncestryUS]

We hope you enjoy the results!

[@victoriahouse9969]

One of my male ancestors is said to have been known as a White Witch. But I think he was just a farmer who knew how to cure ailments that the animals were suffering with.

[@AncestryUS]

Great to hear!

[@virg0_lem0nade]

hey @ whoever's running this channel -- you aren't posting these as replies, so there's just a bunch of random comments from you saying "great to hear!" and "thanks!" on your own video, not as a reply to anyone 🤣

[@skippymagrue]

My 8th great grandmother was Mary Easty who was hung as a witch and her sister was Rebecca Nurse.

[@diannewi]

I dunno, laughing about an ancestor being burned alive doesn't seem right.

[@flibbettyjibbetts6766]

It’s a macabre coincidence, therefore it’s mildly funny to some

[@elizabethhoover4672]

I agree. Honestly, his Amy Winehouse meat platter was quite disturbing. Sociopaths are known for surface charm. This guy exhibits a freakish lack of empathy.

[@texanasimmons1761]

My step-mother had a witch in her maternal line. She was arrested and jailed, awaiting 'trial' and 'conviction' during the Salem Witch Trials. When the end of the witch executions stopped, she was released and returned to her family. She missed being tried, convicted and executed by a mere few days.

[@AncestryUS]

Hey Texana. What an extraordinary story to have within your extended family tree! It's wonderful to learn that this lady was released despite the trauma she must have endured. Thank you for sharing your own insights into this period of history and for calling by to see us. 🌳

[@bellaann4942]

I'm so glad she was released.

[@texanasimmons1761]

@@AncestryUS The name of my step-mothers ancestor was Esther/Hester Dutch Elwell. (Hester was reputed to be her 'witch name' but Hester is also another name for Esther. From research and records Ive seen and studied, it seems the year 1692 was when the Salem witch problems happened. Esther was accused with 2 other women by a 17 yr old girl of witchcraft and the supposed death of a woman who died under strange circumstances. They were arrested on Oct 30, 1892 and held in jail until they could be "tried and convicted" of witchcraft. As it happened, on Sep 22, 1692 there was a mass hanging, burning and pressing to death of numerous women, girls and men who had already been convicted. Those were the last people to be executed for witchcraft in Salem. An order was issued on Nov 5-7, 1692 for Esther specifically and all other people being held, to be released. There were no more executions for witchcraft in Salem. You can read about Esther and also the Salem Witch Trials on Wikipedia

[@AncestryUS]

That's really fascinating, Texana! This must have been interesting to uncover all of these details. You can also add stories like this to your family tree on Ancestry. if you choose to, this guide can help: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Adding-Stories-to-a-Tree. Thank you for sharing!

[@April-lp7pp]

When you start reading into the stories of The Witch Trials it's truly disturbing, and infuriating. People were extremely ignorant, and it's obvious looking back on it now. I wonder how future generations will look back on our time's ignorance and beliefs.

[@esmeraldapooner751]

Sounds sad to me. It's most likely that you'll come across a sad story, the further back in time you look at family records.

[@Bananadiva1]

He seems pretty shallow since he's kind of laughing about an obviously innocent ancestor being burned for witchcraft.

[@essieessie5399]

He is VERY shallow. I hope he reads these comments

[@shainal.joseph5374]

Yeah that's so weird that he was laughing when reading it.

[@elizabethhoover4672]

In complete seriousness, I think he's a sociopath. No mentally healthy person with a standard level of empathy would make a meat platter of Amy Winehouse's corpse as a Halloween party dish 3 months after she died. Sociopaths are known for lack of empathy and external charm.

[@deborahdobbie]

I could only go back to the civil war for my family. How you get to the 1500’s I don’t even know lol great job

[@MikeM4729]

Depends on the record keeping of your ancestors. On my German side I made it back to the 1400s. My Irish, 1826.

[@glorysun84]

On my dad's side of the family I've gotten back as far as the 1400's in England. In other area's I've hit road blocks.

[@BUHNANUHBREAD]

Look for Baptisms. Churches have them, if you know where they were born.

[@causticchameleon7861]

I’ve gotten back to the 1600’s with ancestors here in America then I had to go to records in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and France to go further back into the 1400’s. Not all lines are traceable and the last names give out at some point so it can be difficult if there are not any that are of a noble family or royalty but everyone has some of those in their trees. Looking at christenings, marriages and deaths is a good place to start. Those are usually church records, of which, some are online.

[@mirandagoldstine8548]

@Dovyeon Really? You’re related to a Pilgrim? My mom’s family can trace their ancestry back to the 17th century (or is it the 16th century) in what is now Germany. On my dad’s side we managed to get back to the 1830s in Poznan, Poland (then Posen, Prussia) so you could eventually stumble upon more information about your Jewish side of the family. There’s also an organization that specializes in Jewish genealogy that my dad looks through (He’s Jewish). I’ll ask him the name of it so you can investigate if you want.

[@NDiaz-et6hc]

How horrific, she was burned alive at the stake. Am not sure NPH gets how horrific a death this innocent woman, his ancestor, suffered.💔

[@elizabethhoover4672]

I honestly believe he's a sociopath. Don't google the image but find out what he did after Amy Winehouse died.

[@gstrdms]

1:15 just unashamedly airheaded

[@stevenoliver3747]

Imagine finding out your innocent ancestor was tied up and burnt alive in front of people who did nothing to help them because they stupidly believed hearsay was a single good enough reason to condemn someone to their death, and all the person across from you can do is call them a witch and take delight that they've never had a witch on their show before. I would've replied, "Well you may not have had a witch but there's definitely a b?>%& hosting it and how about that, he just got burnt too."

[@melodywhite7876]

Laughing and joking about a relative dying such a horrific death, even in the distant past, seems an incredible lack of empathy to me. More than a little disappointed in NPH.

[@xbshsjdhd8609]

well he’s not gonna sit and cry about it I guess

[@elizabethhoover4672]

He honestly exhibits sociopathic behaviors. His Amy Winehouse corpse meat platter 3 months after she passed served at his Halloween party. He doesn't have empathy. Sociopaths are known for superficial charm.

[@diannameade495]

That is the most unexpected one yet.

[@RussellMills1877]

It's crazy how they can find your ancestors history and what had happened in their lives and the things that they have done. And on a side note I have a you tube channel type in Russell Mills May 22, 2017.

[@mrbear1302]

You know we can just click on your name right?

[@suzzanahbessette6989]

I'm a descendant of Gertrud as well. Just found this infor out a few months ago.

[@bellaann4942]

So am I. Hey Cousin.

[@dfollin1]

I think it’s true, many people died for reasons that were invalid!

[@FeatherstoneApothecary]

one of my relatives was burned for being a werewolf. I started a trend in my family by getting a wolf tattoo on my left arm 😁 maybe that's where my love of wolves came from.

[@justineharper3346]

That’s a new one! Of course everyone’s heard of being burned for being a witch, but a WEREWOLF? That awesome!

[@vickielewallen3799]

Where can we watch these whole episodes?

[@KayHarperOfficial]

So amazing. I've traced my family and friends families on ancestry. Solved some family mysteries. If anyone wants me to try theirs let me know!

[@ariannadavici]

Hey! I would love to know more about my family. Any tips?

[@rochellewyndham2993]

@@ariannadavici Start with your grandparents birth and death certificates...it will have their names obviously, their parents names, cause of death, the provinces or coty from which they came and or lived and the name of the informant who notified the the authories of the death....and for births it will show what hospital or midwife's name, city or provinces from which they were born in...then you can work backwards up the tree...this should get you started....shockingly, I traced my roots on my mother's 2xgg to the mid 1800s on my paternal grandfather's side, her mom to Trinidad/Tobega on her mother's side..on my father's side, his mom to the mid to late 1800s and his father's side, back to the Civil War and WWI...so if I can do it, you can go further back than I, and I am still working on it...Good luck on your project and enjoy.

[@paganodesignworks]

Can’t wait for the new season!

[@AncestryUS]

We're thrilled that you're looking forward to new episodes, Jenni! Thanks for sharing! 😄

[@alycry89]

Are there any longer videos of this series??

[@mrbear1302]

PBS

[@KnightsAndDarths]

His witch ancestor be like I'mma haunt this brat and see if he jokes then.

[@jessgunn6639]

this makes me think of the saying "we are the grand daughters of the witches you failed to catch!"

[@victorbriceno3218]

I don't think this guy was the right person to do such investigation. His body language shows his detachment and lack of appreciation. Next person please....

[@invadertifxiii]

i was always curious if any of my ancestors were victims of witch trials or came over on the titanic

[@MikeM4729]

Anyone else bothered by how indifferent and giggly they both are about a woman being burned alive?

[@virg0_lem0nade]

Yeah majorly agreed. The presenter sort of just uncomfortably went along with it, he even tried to guide Neil back to the appropriate tone. But nope, Harris was determined to make a joke out of this horrific murder...

[@mikeross641]

@@virg0_lem0nade OH God. It was 500 years ago. Relax. You're what's wrong with today's society.

[@virg0_lem0nade]

@@mikeross641 People are allowed to make comments you don't agree with. Relax 🙂

[@jlkaad19]

Sorry this is just Neil’s personality. He takes things in stride 🤷‍♀️

[@virg0_lem0nade]

@@jlkaad19 To "take something in stride" means, to handle it in a composed manner when something happens to you. It doesn't mean "attempting to be silly about someone else being burned alive".

[@aretnap3653]

1:15... I Wish I Had The *Bank-Account,* that *Allowed* Me to Think of Two Calves Being Slaughtered in a Hole as... "A Delicious Hawaian Meal."

[@RandomPickles]

" I feel like she wasn't really a witch" lol

[@gozdea5548]

I am not even shocked that his ancestors were witch. I really like him, his work, his roles....he has "şeytan tüyü" (devil's feather: an idiom in Turkish to describe a person who has a very attractive personality, whether it would be physically, linguistically etc etc.)

[@christinemiller1967]

My boss is a genealogy junkie who investigated his family tree years before computers. His ancestor was burned at the stake in Salem during the trials.

[@coleeckerman1390]

Not everyone feels connected to their ancestors, to Neil it's just a tragic historical story like any other. It's hard to look at a few pictures and paragraphs and feel the same emotion as though you just lost a family member. And everybody's childhood is different, some people only have bonds with immediate family and no other, so an ancestor is pretty much fiction to them.

[@skaf008]

I wish they also show dna results

[@petuniafuzz9083]

Poor lady! 😕

[@dieseldown]

This episode should have been called….How I met your great, great , great Grand mother.

[@debbieflaherty1975]

Gertrude enjoyed burning animals….so I love hearing how the script flipped!

[@ObamAmerican48]

I love Finding Your Roots & Dr. Gates.

[@silkehartung]

Ah, I wonder if that's Klafeld near Siegen.

[@ninamo3523]

He displayed no sorrow or empathy.

[@lukaz3336]

people react in different ways jeez.

[@elizabethhoover4672]

He doesn't have any. His Amy Winehouse stint says it all. I legitimately believe he's a sociopath.

[@HeisenStark13]

Wow family history to 1588?! That's amazing

[@robertahubert9155]

I would be horrified knowing one of my relatives was burnt at the stake. 😩😩😩

[@dalex60]

I love this program, it highlights the importance of celebrity’s lives… Celebrity Lives Matter!!!

[@claytontucker8179]

I often wonder the cost of having this done, going back as far as they do for the celebrity?

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for getting in touch, Clayton. We're grateful for your interest in learning more about your family history. Ancestry actually hosts over 30 billion records from 80 countries around the world, that can be an amazing resource for researching your family history and building your family tree in self service. We offer a number of different membership options, starting from $24.99 for a monthly US Discovery membership, which will offer access to records from the USA. You can learn more about our website and how it can help you in conducting your research here: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Why-Use-Ancestry Ancestry also offers a Progenealogist service, where you can hire an expert to research on your behalf. To get a quote on what your own research goal would come to, you can get a free estimate by visiting their site: www.progenealogists.com/ In addition to this, you might be interested to know that we're actually casting for a show at the moment, so if you’ve ever heard rumors about a story in your family tree, or wanted to do a deep dive on one of your ancestors, you can apply by uploading a video in the link attached below. This is an awesome opportunity for people who are interested in family history but are at the beginning of their journey, so we hope this can help a little! Link: ancestrysubmissions.com/stories Thanks so much for stopping by so we could provide this insight. We hope this helps, and we wish you a fantastic rest of your weekend too.

[@msb4838]

I got their subscription and went back to the 1700s. For mine. And found out my great uncle was a murder suicide! Crazy

[@claytontucker8179]

@@msb4838 hello I finally made a decision, I have paid for pro genealogists to check my work. Dating back to the seventeen hundreds. Starting from my grandparents. They have done a wonderful job finding information, that I didn’t. The work includes newspaper articles, court documents, illegitimate children etc. lots I did not notice or find myself. It is helping me match DNA as compared to just following surnames, dates, addresses etc. truly Clayton

[@aaronjennings8385]

This is quite a bit more common than one might think, I suspect...

[@theoracle56]

I don’t think he was surprised. I will leave it at that…

[@crystalarmstrong853]

Why can't non celebrities get the opportunity 🙄 to do this and you reveal theirs? How much does it cost? How do we register

[@charlesdarwin3893]

they didn't mention neil's great-grandfather was flipping fur burgers all over united states

[@lionelbarrera1654]

I am a descendant of the witch Titabua...see taught the witches of Salem...

[@lashropa]

Oh man. I can't wait to see what planet you came from. 🥰

[@mmedefarge]

Most people, when learning of the suffering of their ancestors, become emotional. I too feel bad for these people, even if it was long ago. His mirth upon hearing of his ancestor's suffering is disconcerting, to say the least.

[@janellison4362]

Well he seemed upset 🤷‍♀️

[@stardrasmith6654]

Fear is no joke, it can wipe out a people

[@katieparsons8751]

Like Mr. Harris, I too have a witch in my Family Tree. However, unlike Mr. Harris’s ancestor, my 9th Great Grandmother was tried twice for being a witch , but never convicted..

[@AncestryUS]

We appreciate you sharing this with us, Katie! That's fascinating.

[@phoebesmith9089]

Dang he was really nonchalant about how that woman got burned at the stake!. I realize it was far far back but still damn that’s cold.

[@ernestoybarra7333]

Wonder how Harris feels about Uranus as a whole? 👥

[@lalewi79]

Oh wow

[@susangutrugianios2241]

A Witch in a family tree is very cool. Too be set a fire because the society is in dark ages is sick

[@virg0_lem0nade]

she wasn't actually a "witch", that was the excuse used by the people who murdered her.

[@April-lp7pp]

To those of you professional KZbin Doctors here complaining about his supposed lack of empathy.. Would it better suit you if he turned on the waterworks and used his abilities to make us all believe he was devastated over the tragic loss of someone he never knew..? Because that would be more accurate to sociopathic behavior in my opinion.

[@Windds]

It’s sad that people are so ignorant and couldn’t just ask how do you know this and write down what they know and tried to understand the world more.

[@Stig69]

We all deal with bad news in different ways. Vets or police officers will also chuckle over bad news as a way to cope. I don't think Neil was being disrespectful.

[@gaylecheung3087]

To short, just ordered my kit

[@melissagerber7231]

Waiting for mine.

[@LisaSicora]

He, OBVIOUSLY, does not think it's funny or trivial. Gertrud Latsch Stuell was my grandmother also. When I found out, I had the same reaction. Watch the thing again, guys.

[@disabledvetnralifer932]

Great story... NPH is the great grand son of a witch. Sounds like a movie

[@christopherbrownmaaga4668]

Neil Patrick Harris NPH

[@christopherbrownmaaga4668]

Yes

[@MorrisJoshua26]

Don't project, people. We all handle things differently. Yours isn't the standard.

[@GirmaKassa-ip7ht]

NPH reacts to things just like he acts in movies. So now i know he is authentic in the movies

[@karengilliland2439]

I am related to Reverend George Burroughs who was executed ( hanged)for witchcraft in Salem in 1692, but was later exonerated.

[@willybellido4342]

Hello I just read this Neil Patrick Harris is an amazing actor.

[@misskiddoyubari1923]

Why are all shock about Neil's reaction to the death of a woman who died hundred years ago? I have an ancestor who died impaled, should I cry for him too? Am I a terrible person for not cry a river for people I never met? Come on! People are so sensitive about everything!

[@jasonluong3862]

They are all laughing by the tragic and horrific ending of this woman's life because you know, comedy is just tragedy plus time. Basically, they all can enjoy this good yarn because neither of them know this woman personally. To them she was just a historical figure, a statistic in the how humanity pays for submitting to superstitions and all irrational fears.

[@essieessie5399]

I found this celeb to be very out of touch, almost creepy

[@j.s.9964]

Before i even watched the video i knew he had german blood in him. Idk why. Just somehow recognized it.

[@pastelfantasy_rika]

I don’t even have clue who my ancestors are….

[@diana7676]

He doesn’t believe him and that is why he takes so lightly and incongruent with the news.

[@camara1194]

Loved hearing this about Neil!