Top 10 Genealogy Shows to Watch if You Can't Get Enough of Finding Your Roots

“Strange Inheritance,” which premiered on the Fox Business Network in January 2015, followed host Jamie Colby as she met with people with interesting family heirlooms. The old items were often acquired from relatives, though sometimes regular avenues for antiquing like auctions. The series covered everything from baseball cards to antique weapons. Unlike “Finding Your Roots,” celebrities aren’t featured on the show. However, many of the inherited collections are connected to world-famous figures such as John F. Kennedy as well as infamous criminals Bonnie and Clyde. While some subjects share details about their genealogical journeys, others talk more about the auction process.

BYUtv’s long-running series “Relative Race” is a mix between the genealogical discovery aspect of “Finding Your Roots” and the speedy competition of “The Amazing Race.” Using their results from AncestryDNA, couples, siblings, extended family members and friends get into teams to complete challenges and race to the finish, while also finding their relatives along the way. The winning prize is $50,000, but the participants gain a lot more than money. They get the closure they’ve longed for and have lifelong questions answered. The race element can be exciting, but it’s the emotional meetings that are the highlight of the series.

In NBC’s Saturday morning show, “A New Leaf,” everyday people look to their pasts to guide their futures. As they prepare to hit milestones like birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries, participants are curious about their family history. Before they go on their exciting genealogical journey, they make a list of the key questions they want answered, many of which are based on family rumors and stories. With the help of Ancestry and host Daisy Fuentes, they learn more about their ancestors, and the findings have a profound effect on their current lives.

This next one is for those who love travel shows just as much as they love history and genealogy. Most series about ancestry center on one person digging into their past, but “Roots Less Traveled” involves bringing together two family members separated by miles or years. Together, the duo then embarks on a journey into their family history with host Faruq Tauheed. He takes them on a trip to significant locations around North America where they learn new things about their ancestors. The discoveries are just as surprising and emotional as the ones on “Finding Your Roots,” while providing some cool scenery.

People interested in their family history are often trying to solve old mysteries. That’s exactly the focus of the UK-based series “My Family Secrets Revealed,” another show sponsored by AncestryDNA. Historians and genetic research experts get to the bottom of familial drama dating back centuries. And while people don’t always get the news they hoped for, they still find out the truth of longtime uncertainties. Harrowing stories of war, scandal, injustice, and strength in the face of adversity will keep even casual history buffs engaged. You won’t find celebrity guests on this show, but the discoveries sometimes involve notable connections.

Self-taught genetic genealogy researcher CeCe Moore works as one of the experts for “Finding Your Roots.” However, she’s also made appearances on programs such as “The Today Show,” “Dateline NBC,” and her own show on ABC called “The Genetic Detective.” The majority of the 6 episodes detail cold cases eventually solved through Moore’s genetic research. While it’s mostly in true crime territory, her unique work in DNA profiling will appeal to fans of genealogy. Season one premiered in 2020, but as of 2024, there hasn’t been an update about a second season.

Several shows on our list involve traveling to historical places connected to someone’s family tree. But on “Genealogy Roadshow,” the history comes to them. Similar to “Antiques Roadshow,” the PBS series would set up shop in culturally diverse American cities such as Detroit, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. This gave people the chance to explore their family trees with the help of a trio of genealogists. Each episode covers multiple stories with some going more in-depth, depending on the history. Some participants bring along family photos and heirlooms to aid in the research.

TLC’s “Long Lost Family” is all about reuniting relatives, whether they’re estranged or completely unknown to each other. Many stories follow adoptees tracking down their birth parents and vice versa, or people searching for their siblings. The research process itself is emotional, especially since they’re often separated under tragic circumstances. Hosts Chris Jacobs and Lisa Joyner, both adoptees themselves, meet with family members separately before they initiate the face-to-face meetings, which always get the tears flowing. Both the UK and Australia had their own versions of the series, with the US series following the former’s formula quite closely. No matter which one you watch, grab the tissues because it’s a real tearjerker.

Due to decades of slavery and segregation, there’s an extra level of difficulty when tracing Black ancestors. And avid watchers of ancestry shows know that there’s a point in researching African American family trees when you hit a roadblock. From actors to athletes, historian and host of “Finding Your Roots” Henry Louis Gates Jr. uses DNA research to explore their Black lineage in both America and Africa. He gives them a better understanding of their personal histories and reveals shocking discoveries. Notable guests include Morgan Freeman, Tina Turner, and Maya Angelou. In 2007, Oprah Winfrey had her own special episode, “Oprah’s Roots.”

Next to “Finding Your Roots,” “Who Do You Think You Are?” is arguably the most well-known show about genealogy. The series originated in the UK and inspired “Friends” alum Lisa Kudrow to executive produce an American adaptation. It has a similar setup to other Ancestry-sponsored shows, but focuses on the history of celebrities, some of whom also appeared on “Finding Your Roots” like Marisa Tomei and Regina King. Kudrow herself starred in the first season, where she traveled to Ilya, Belarus and learned more about the devastating history of her Jewish ancestors. Whether the celebs are just curious about family history or on the hunt to solve a mystery, the stories on “Who Do You Think You Are?” are fascinating.

Have you seen any of these shows? How do they stack up against “Finding Your Roots”? Let us know in the comments below.