Finding Your Roots with Latitude

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The Latitude View of Finding Your Roots

Finding Your Roots is everything you want in a TV show. It’s become a “cultural phenomenon” by marrying the academic gravitas of revered host Henry Louis Gates Jr. with the appeal of star power. Who doesn’t want to see celebrities discovering or learning more about their origin stories?

Like Gates Jr., we’re experts at finding your roots. But unlike him, we can actually turn your ancestry into Citizenship by Descent, planting a new passport in your hands. In this article, we’ll relive some of the classic episodes which might inspire you to root around your own family tree.

Maybe You’re Austrian Like Brendan Fraser?

Brendan Fraser is an American-Canadian actor who won an Oscar in 2023 for his leading performance in The Whale. On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, he starred in Episode 2 of the 10th series of Finding Your Roots. In this clip, you’ll see his response to discovering he has Austrian heritage rather than the German legacy he believed he held. 

Fraser had always understood his great grandparents were German. Although they married in Essen, Germany, they hailed from over the border, in Austria. Gates Jr. presents his great grandfather’s military records, which saw him retire from service in 1911 only to be recalled 3 years later to fight in the First World War.

While Brandon himself may not qualify for Austrian Citizenship by Descent, it’s possible you do. If your ancestors lived in Austria and were persecuted by the Nazis, we may be able to put an Austrian passport in your hands. The Austrian passport ranks 3rd in the world’s most powerful passports.

Are You Irish Like Ed O’Neill?

Ed O’Neill is an American actor and comedian. He’s most famous as the patriarch Jay Pritchett on ABC sitcom, Modern Family. Pritchett is actually a British/Irish surname and Jay makes reference to his Scottish/Irish descent.

What a coincidence then when O’Neill learns that Irish ancestors had traveled to his hometown of Youngtown, Ohio to escape The Great Potato Famine. O’Neill appears on Season 10, Episode 4 of Finding Your Roots. Here’s a clip of the ep that went live on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

O’Neill might not be eligible for Irish Citizenship by Descent but you could be one of 31+ million Americans to potentially qualify. Including the likes of American Prof John Portmann who discovered his Irish Citizenship by DNA. Could this be your, well, passport to an Irish passport, the world’s third strongest travel document?

Could You Be Italian Like John Turturro?

On Tuesday, February 18, 2020, American actor and filmmaker John Turturro appeared alongside fellow Italian Americans Jimmy Kimmel and Marisa Tomei. Gates Jr. presents Turturro with his grandfather Raphael’s 1930 American citizenship certificate. The actor/director’s emotional reaction includes finding the Americanized use of Ralph instead of Raphael funny.

Turturro also notes the use of “dark” to describe his grandfather’s complexion. He tells Gates Jr. how his father was made to sit in front of the class because of his lack of English. Turturro also reveals how thrilled his father was to visit a movie theater for the first time.

We’re not sure if Turturro qualifies for Italian Citizenship by Descent, but it’s worth exploring if you do. An Italian passport is the second most powerful travel document in the world. Even if you do not make a permanent relocation to Italy, what a beautiful base to enjoy for an extended vacation.

Perhaps You’re Polish Like Lena Dunham?

Tuesday, April 4, 2024 brought the release of the 9th episode of Season 10 of Finding Your Roots. In this clip, Gates Jr. brings to light the Polish past of the multi-talented Lena Dunham’s ancestors. Dunham is an actor, producer, writer, and director who won Golden Globes for her HBO series, Girls.

Gates Jr. shares the school records of her great-great grandmother Regina Seltenwirth. Aged 14, she was put on a boat to New York City. 5 years later, Seltenwirth was married and escaped the fate of much of her family who would later tragically lose their lives during the Holocaust.

It’s possible that Dunham is eligible for Polish Citizenship by Descent, another European Citizenship by Descent Program that you can also see if you qualify for. This could be your gateway to the Polish passport. Our Passport Index rates this the world’s 4th strongest travel document.

Does Portugal Feature in Your Family’s History Like it Does in Nina Totenberg’s?

Octogenarian Nina Totenberg continues to cover legal affairs for NPR into her 9th decade. In this clip previewing Totenberg’s appearance on the Tuesday, January 26, 2021 Finding Your Roots ep, Gates Jr. narrates the escape of the journalist’s grandmother in June 1940. The day after France surrendered to Hitler, Totenberg’s grandmother passed into Portugal.

Although not Portuguese herself, a “sympathetic official” stamped her grandparent’s passport. This meant she could board one of the last ships leaving Europe. She sailed to freedom, and the United States. 

While Portuguese Citizenship by Descent is not open to Totenberg, it might be an avenue for you. Being a descendant of Portuguese Jews expelled during the Inquisition is one of the routes in. This can see you land the world’s 3rd most powerful travel document, the Portuguese passport.

How We Can Help You Find Your Roots

We can’t promise to make a TV show about your family ancestry. But we can pledge that we’ll dig deep to hopefully reveal a treasure trove that could dramatically transform your life. So, don’t delay and contact us today.