Ancestry® Offers Opportunity to Explore Family Stories for Free This Thanksgiving Weekend to Bring Families Together During an Unprecedented Holiday Season

Actor Rob Lowe Makes New Discoveries About His Family Using Ancestry Records

LEHI, Utah & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To help Americans feel more connected, even when they may be apart this holiday season, Ancestry^®, the global leader in family history, is offering everyone free access to personalized stories from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. Actor Rob Lowe, a passionate family man and history buff, partnered with Ancestry to uncover more about his own ancestry and made new, unexpected family connections.

“With this holiday poised to be like no other, finding a new way to connect with family is important, now more than ever,” said Rob Lowe. “I love that Ancestry is helping families come together by finding meaningful connections in what they have in common–their shared past. Our oral histories have been shared around the campfire for centuries and they are not only a huge part of our personal lives but of our culture and civilization. Ancestry is the new campfire–the place where we gather and we share and we talk and we remember and we discover. When my sons and I set out to explore our family history on Ancestry, we weren’t sure what we would uncover, and the experience was truly inspiring.”

This Thanksgiving weekend, with just one click, anyone can use Ancestry’s StoryScout™ tool that quickly sifts through millions of records and can curate stories about your ancestors to help you make meaningful discoveries with no research needed. Simply enter a grandparent’s name and where they might have lived and you could be given rich, visual stories about who your ancestors were, where and how they lived, the challenges they overcame, and ultimately how their story led to you.

Ancestry understands the importance of family connection. Recent survey data* shows that nearly 80% of Americans polled found a greater sense of resiliency, connection and belonging after learning stories about their ancestors’ struggles and triumphs, and over 90% believe there are lessons from the past that can help change how they live today.

“In this year of many unforeseeable challenges, we are reminded of what is truly important–our families,” said Margo Georgiadis, President and CEO, Ancestry. “Family grounds us and makes us feel less alone, and learning more about who you are and where you come from creates a stronger foundation for navigating the world around you. We know people are looking for more meaningful ways to celebrate the holidays this year while many are apart, and we want to help families discover their history, inspire rich conversations and create a stronger sense of belonging when people need it most.”

To watch Rob Lowe’s personal family history journey, visit Ancestry’s YouTube, and to explore your own free family stories beginning Thanksgiving Day, visit Ancestry.com.

About Ancestry^®

Ancestry^®, the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, empowers journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives. With our unparalleled collection of 27 billion records and over 18 million people in our growing DNA network, customers can discover their family story and gain actionable insights about their health and wellness. For over 30 years, we’ve built trusted relationships with millions of people who have chosen us as the platform for discovering, preserving and sharing the most important information about themselves and their families.

*The Harris Poll on behalf of Ancestry, May 2020 (Conducted online within the United States among 2000 U.S. Adults 18+)