Danny Trejo’s Profound Family History is the American Dream | Finding Your Roots | Ancestry®
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2024
- Danny Trejo discovers that his family’s American dream began with his great-grandfather immigrating to the U.S. on foot and from there started a legacy of triumph. Join Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. as Trejo shares his gratitude for his family history.
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00:00 Introduction
0:30 Meet Danny Trejo’s great-grandfather immigrates from Mexico
1:15 Danny Trejo speechless over his family’s hard journey
2:31 Danny Trejo’s ancestor overcomes tragedy
3:12 Danny Trejo’s prideful reaction - Věda a technologie
What discovery in your family history moment made you feel proud? Share it with us below!
Why doesn't Ancestry also research before people got to this country.. life started long before America
Finding deep roots in my hometown and adopted hometown - that would have helped me out to know that as a kid but great to have it now. Thank you Ancestry!
I'm Irish and come from a town called Templemore in County Tipperary, I discovered that in the early 1800s the local landlord built a row of houses called New Row beside a weaving building and brought down weavers from Belfast, they left shortly after that and the local towns people tool them over. My great grandfather was born there in 1860, my grandfather was born there in 1895, houses were demolished in 1937. The old weavers building is still there and a graveyard is where the houses used to be. Our family grave is where my ancestors were born and lived. I can my family back to 1797 in the town.
@@yvonnefarrell1029 We're thrilled you can have this information!
@@72mossy It's amazing to be able to trace them back so far, and in such a centralized area. Thank you for sharing!
Really beautiful to see Mexican-American stories represented on this show! My own family has a story very similar to Danny’s and I’m sure many others do as well.
We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Vanessa! Thanks for sharing with us! Have you found success in researching your own roots?
@@AncestryUS personally I got stuck finding my roots through Mexico and Ancestry
Thank God for this nation 🇺🇸 but what about the ones that never left and have been here for over 7 generations. I would love to see those stories American of Mexican decent.
@@RSR8485 This nation is a disease. It destabilized Mexico, killed Indigenous native Latinos, lynched them, genocide, and tried to bury the entire race.
@@gaymer-j I am a blonde blue eyed British/ Celt, and I’ve discovered sometching absolutely awesome about my genetic history. I have a small percentage Indigenous People of Central America/Peru 😱😱😱. I have tracked it through Spain back up through Portugal and France to join with the very insular United Kingdom genetics , REALLY interesting 🧐. As a child I had a fascination with the Incan/Mayan civilizations
Makes me feel like we all take things for granted. Life can be hard, but it certainly could be harder. What a journey his ancestors made
So right. It’s a tragedy that we don’t keep better records of our history and yes we overly take things for granted
Put in the work and life is easy
You have to work to survive
Tomorrow is not promised
@@Coolcat3 There's so much we have yet to uncover!
Danny Trejo is a real life tough guy. Yes he had a rocky past but he didn't let it chain him. Same with his great grandfather. It's a special thing to feel when you hear about the struggles of your ancestors and what they did to overcome them.
Yeah. I love this guy. He’s so grateful.
Reality is: we're never alone in the fight. Many before us, nowadays and many tomorrow... will face struggles.
Therefore, be empathic. My grandpa (a wise man, never went to school) told me: "never judge, always listen".
I'm a big fan of Danny. He's living proof there is such a thing as a second act in life. A man who made a lot of bad choices but never let those choices define him. A tough man who's tough enough to know that's not the most important thing in life.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Rasheed! Are you interested in learning more about your family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
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Danny Trejo's admixture is 54% Indigenous/Native American, 38% European, and 5% SubSaharan African. It very briefly appeared onscreen as the credits were rolling. I would've loved to hear and see his response to that!
He looks more native tbh
A lot of Mexicans have Sub Saharan roots since there was intense migration between Morocco, Spain and Portugal and the West Indies.
@@lauralarrabee7870 I don't believe traversing the Iberian Peninsula accounts for Sub Saharan ancestry in Mexico and South American countries. Rather it was the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
@@courtneydavis4366 It all played a part. My grandfather escaped Morocco with a Black woman from the West Indies. They settled in Mexico and he was persecuted because he had Sephardic Jewish ancestry during the Inquisition. He ran away and knew he had to hide in plain sight so he and his wife built the local Catholic church as a means of protection against the ruthless Spanish crown. Because of Queen Isabella II decree that anyone with any Jewish ancestry had to leave Spain or be tortured into submission, and eventually those same orders were established in Portugal when Queen Isabella’s sister married King Manuel II.
@@lauralarrabee7870 That's fascinating family history. Even so, it doesn't speak to the point made about admixture. Neither Morocco nor the West Indies are Sub Saharan. And the vast majority of Mexicans who do have African ancestry have Sub Saharan roots. If their ancestors were from Morocco, then admixtures would include Northern Africa. If from the West Indies, their admixture would include Indigenous/Native American. Sub Saharan Africans were enslaved and shipped to island countries as well as countries in both North and South America.
Wow most people cross oceans to come to America yet his ancestors only had to move a little over 100 miles. It’s beautiful knowing people like Danny Trejo have ancestors who have been on this continent for centuries, if not millennia. Native Americans from modern day Latin America, and those in the present continental U.S., were always in contact with one another when there were no borders in the past, through trade and marriages. Very cool!
yep, 50% of mexicans are actually hispanicized native americans
Yes, very cool to know the perseverance of his ancestors.
It’s very cool. The Lakota who live up in South Dakota have the same creation story as the Aztecs
Oh, they were definitely in contact, alright
It’s a land his ancestors owned and taken away by force that his great grandfather had to sneak back in.
I'm African American but I really like Danny Trejo as an Actor....he's an amazing Talent.
This is one celebrity that I actually was interested in his ancestry.
My mother grew up with 8 siblings and no Mother. She had died when the oldest child was 16 and the youngest child was 16 months. They had tents to live in, dirt floors, no out house (just the bushes) and a river to fetch water for cooking, cleaning and bathing. They worked in the fields picking cotton, chopping cotton, hoed fields of corn, orchards picking fruit, etc. When the job would end, they packed up the tents and moved on to the next town or state for work. My Mom used to say when the movie Grapes of Wrath came out, it reminded her of how they lived up to a point. She believed they had it worse than the characters in the movie. All I know is this: God is good and I'm extremely blessed. We all are blessed and should be thankful for our blessings.
I really appreciate learning about Mexican American history
in particular in the United States. This is an awesome story.
Thank you for sharing it.
better than gringo american history
I'm proud and thankful for my granddad who moved to Germany from Turkiye in the early 1960s. I can't compare the struggles with Danny's ancestors but my granddad couldn't speak any German and had to live in house without a toilet in it. It was in the backyard. My siblings and I were born in Germany we are able to speak 3 languages, work under human circumstances/workplace safety etc and didn't have to go through his struggles so thank you very much and God bless all our ancestors who fight for us to live a better life 🙏
💗
Amen to that!! 🙏
👍
Turkiye is allah's jannah on earth
Oh my. He had to use a outhouse. What how tragic
What I absolutely love about Ancestry is how every discovery is unique and rewarding. Every time I find an ancestor I feel like I hit the jackpot on a treasure trove of solid gold! Thank you Ancestry!
I agree. I found out family has records going back to early 1500s. Which only wealthy and nobility had records.
@@danielledaniel1900 I agree and love the show so much!🙂
We're thrilled you've had much to learn, Monique! We'd love to hear what you've learned and treasure so far.
This reminds me of my great-grandfather, he came from Sonora up “el camino del diablo” to seek his fortune in the California 1849 gold rush AT AGE 15!! By 1860’s he owned a rancho with livestock and was married and finding his naturalization papers was a real honor and humbling treat for me. During the 1800’s Sonora was abundant with vaqueros y mineros (cowboys and miners) and he was both.
Everyone should watch the amazing documentary INMATE #1: The rise of Danny Trejo. Incredible story, incredible person!
Isn't it amazing how all of us react when we find out about the accomplishments of our ancestors? We feel love, pride and grateful. I just find that connection between the living and the deceased to be almost magical.
There's so much to learn about our own ancestors and lineage. What have you learned about yours? 😁
Yes this is exactly how I feel as well. It gives me strength to know who I come from and what they did to get us here!!
@@AncestryUS For her to be alive today, someone way back in her past and all the generations that followed, must have been strong people , they stood the time horrors and they survived it, world wars, famine etc.
I love this show so much! It makes me cry to think how hard these people had to work to reach these incredible achievements BACK THEN!!! Danny being honest with himself about how he doesn’t think he could’ve done the same, you can tell this beautiful story inspired him deeply!
We're so glad to hear that you enjoy it so much, Katy! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us! Have you considered researching your own family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
support.ancestry.com/s/article/Why-Use-Ancestry
My grandfather came here from Spain, on a ship at age 14. He was orphaned and decided to work on a ship to gain passage to USA. He lived a good ,hard-working, simple life here as a cigar maker and died in his 100s. Can you imagine a 14 year old doing that today ? No ,me either.
So you consider yourself Hispanic?
I met the guy one time in L.A. It was just happenstance in a restaurant. He said hello and we chatted for a couple minutes. He was friendly and humble. I’m not a star struck person at all. Danny was a gentleman and classy man. The moments of just two unknown people enjoying a couple minutes of time.
His ancestors gave him his genes to look majestic and that was a nice gift
Danny Trejo is one of my favorite actors and by all accounts he’s one of the sweetest, kindest person you’ll ever meet. So happy for him to find out this story of his family history.
He’s such a great actor.
This is one of the most impactful and best of the celebrity Ancestry stories I've watched.
We're so glad you think so, Jenn! Are you interested in learning more about your own family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
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I love Mexican-American stories, another one of my favorites is Eva Longoria’s episode. Please include more. ❤
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! We'll gladly pass this along! Have a lovely day!
He makes the Hispanic community proud for sure 🤍
So, he makes people from Spain proud? We aren’t “Hispanic”, or “Latinos”, since we aren’t Greek. Stop using terms, that were used to colonize us.
I got to see the episode on pbs and I was so sad to see Danny's dad really didn't want him bonding or associating with mama or anyone on her family's side. I was happy he got answers and knowledge about her and her people, his people. I'm a big fan of Mr. Trejo .
I Love Danny Trejo so much! He seems like such a down to earth person.
Thanks for your comment, Missy! We hope you enjoyed this episode! Have you done any research into your own family tree?
My grandfather had a similar journey to danny trejos. Its amazing to know what people can achieve even with obstacles in their way.
Absolutely amazing! What a great story with a rich history … not only to treasure but pass on to the future generations to come. ❤
I adore Danny Trejo and his strength to stay away from drugs they push and were the norm in the era he was inhumanely locked up.
Idk if you've ever listened to Danny's story but he has said that in his youth he did A LOT of drugs. Nowadays he's a sober man
That's an incredible accomplishment for a family.
This is so beautiful! I have always admired Danny Trejo since my teens of watching Blood in Blood out. His ancestors are truly the successful immigrant story. Sadly Danny had to go through a lot of difficulty growing up. Now he can be everything to his own family. Unlike his Dad.
We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed this episode, Ivonne! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us!
One of my favorite stories about Danny Trejo is when he helped pull a baby out of a flipped over car in 2019, and kept him calm while first responders rescued the grandma!
Wow just wow,I also thank my grandparents for coming over and sacrifice what they did and for giving us a chance..history is truly amazing.
Back in 2016, we met an estranged uncle of ours who lives in Madrid and revealed to us that our great-great grandfather was based in Cuba and had fought in the Spanish-American War (1898) against the United States. His country lost the war and returned to Spain a defeated man sometime in the early 20th century. Then around 1913-14 he migrated from Andalucía (Spain) to Mexico and settled in Guanajuato before moving to Mexico City sometime in the 1920s.
His other brothers also migrated from Spain to several Latin American countries like Cuba and Venezuela, which then made me think we might have more estranged relatives in those countries.
It’s amazing how one’s DNA starts in one part of the world and continues to live on in another part to this very day.
Man, this is as real as it gets, Danny is so visibly touched. Thanks for sharing!
My grandparents emigrated in 1920 from Santa Rosalia Baja by boat to San Filipe, then by foot to Brawley Ca. My grandmother destroyed her dishes on the beach because they could not carry them 120 miles on foot to the border. She was expecting with my father who was born in a barn in Brawley. In 1925, they moved the family to Watsonville Ca where I was born. We were farm workers. 🙏💪🌍🌏🌎❤️🇺🇸🖖
Thank you so much for sharing this piece of your family's story with us, Karl! Your grandparents sound like incredible people!
I was a substitute teacher for a year around Watsonville, in 2014-2015, after moving to Santa Cruz for the woman that I eventually married. What a great little piece of heaven, what a hardworking population in that town!
God bless all of those people there that worked their fingers to the bone without counting the cost.
He's an Apache like majority of us that are indigenous to Texas and California.
My great great grandparents on my father's side were lipan Apache healers,both grandfather and grand mother, and their daughter,my great grandmother and my grandmother. We are generations from San Antonio Tx. My great grandmother was the first baby to be baptized in the San Juan Mission. She's on a plack. She was the healer of Burgs mill in south San Antonio and is buried alongside of Emilio Navaira in the same cemetery as they were all locals from that area.
Proud is a feeling I agree with you about with respect to your history here. This clip is pulling on me because there's just so much held within the highlighted moments.
Very happy for you and yours to have this insight revealed to you. May it create much more success on your journey forward.
all these years of following his career, and now to find out that his roots are from my home town !! REAL HOMIES CARR-NALL !!!
I crossed the border I know what it is like ,when I heard my dad and mom talk about what they went through the first time alone. No family to help them out. I almost cried, my father saved my grand father from dying,when they got a job they all asked for a shelter. A roof,and that's how they were paid on Texas. When I came to NY I remember living with 7 people in 1 room. Out all of them I am now a graduate from college. My work experience even my resume is impeccable. No criminal record. My dad and mom also manage to open their own shop.
Life hits you , specially for us. But we managed it. We duck down and keep going. Never put your head down.
Hi there, thank you for sharing part of your story with us!
Dr. Gates, you point out that Trejo's family came to the U.S. during World War I. What you failed to point out was that his family was, likely, fleeing the Mexican Revolution and it's unstable aftermath.
Thank you for that. As an Australian, I didn't have that knowledge.
@@carokat1111 You're welcome! Apparently, neither did Professor Gates. He also didn't mention the Spanish Flu Epidemic that wiped out whole populations and destabilized countries that were at war, like Mexico, further.
I'm a big fan of Danny Trejo so it is really cool to see him learn more about his family.
Wow! What a proud moment to learn of everything your grandparents had accomplished and sacrificed for your freedom as our ancestors come from all walks of life from all over looking to live a better life for future generations too come 👏🏽
That's my people man, coming from nothing but never give up, work harder and reaching the goal...MI RAZA!!!!!
So nice to know the history of people we admire/look up to.
Loved Danny's episode.
One thing I love about this show too is how excited Dr Gates is for the guests
Thanks for your comment! We're so glad you've enjoyed it!
This guy is truly one of my most favorite actors. What a story.
1918, that is crazy to think how long ago that was. Even crazier that some people know their history back to colonial times and know when their ancestors moved here.
Trejo seems so wise and kind.
Danny Trejo is one of my favorite actors hands down. Such a humble man!
This OG, this Cholo is one of my favorite actors ever! Amazing heritage story & TY, YT & PBS & Ancestry!
Hi, we are big fans of Danny Trejo too! It's great to see that you enjoyed this episode.
Danny is about that life. Never forget it.
This makes me want to go hug my parents and tell them thank you as well.
Wow!!!! About time they did an ancestry on American Mexicans! Or, at least it's one of a "VERY FEW" about these Native Indigenous Peoples of North America! Very beautiful & strong story on Danny Trejos ROOTS & CULTURAL background. Need more like this💯. 💪🏼🇲🇽❤️🇺🇸💯🥊💥😎👍👍🏽👍🏽👍
Excellent! and moving to see his pride and appreciation. I love this series.
We're so glad you enjoy it, Carol! Thanks for sharing with us! Do you have a favorite guest?
Goodness this is amazing to see! His family was most likely escaping/fleeing from the revolution at the time. I hope to find out about my Mexican history too.
Thanks for your comment! Are you interested in learning more about your own family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
support.ancestry.com/s/article/Why-Use-Ancestry
Great episode
God Bless you my friend..thank you for this
This man is one of my favourite actors great actor kind hearted man love this story of his family
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Wendy! We hope you enjoyed this episode! Are you interested in learning more about your own family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
support.ancestry.com/s/article/Why-Use-Ancestry
He’s also a Big Pit Bull and Dog activist
We're so glad to hear you enjoyed this video, Wendy! Thanks for sharing with us!
What a compelling story of human resilience and I've read onlone that Danny is a really good man.
would love to visit his taco restaurant in LA but I don't feel at ease in big metros.
Wonderful! My grandfather employed Mexican workers in his furniture factory in Scottsbluff, Nebraska in 1919 and they lived in his house...according to the 1920 census!
Amazing! A sense of accomplishment at that age is most certainly he earned and work very hard for. I live in San Antonio and driven by the Majestic theater.
I bet most Americans don't know that conditions of Hispanic farm workers hadn't improved into the 90s when my family was running picking crews. It's why I learned a trade I was never gonna be out there working in those conditions.
I have always loved Danny Trejo's story and his acting. I would love to meet him someday.
The only person in the world I click so fast in these celebrities ancestry!! Love him!!!’
Such an amazing story.
Need to rewatch this one because I have ancestors on his grandmother's hometown with the same last names.
Hi stereomois, and thanks for stopping by!
Oh wow, that is exciting to hear! We hope you enjoyed this episode. Thanks for sharing!
Love your show. I try to watch it all the time. Keep up the good work. Been watching for two years . Like to see from the beginning but work hours got in the way.
We're thrilled to hear you enjoy it so much, Edward! Thanks for letting us know! Have you tried researching your own family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
support.ancestry.com/s/article/Why-Use-Ancestry
He’s an awesome gentleman…would love to see the full episode
We're thrilled to hear that you're wanting to watch more, Cat! Thanks for sharing! We hope you get the chance to see it!
Wonderful story. Great comments below too.
Lets remember that we come into contact with people everyday, from different walks of life. How we treat each other may determine the thoughts, feelings, life, and outcomes of future generations. Let's all try to be the best "ambassadors" that we can be. We could hold influence over someone who in thier future could become really special. And they may owe it all, to you.
That's amazing!. A year would come to my eyes. Wow!. God bless you and your family Danny for their strength of spirit.
A year dang it! Hate phone corrections ! Sorry
It did it again ! Tear.
We're glad you enjoyed this episode, Alex! Are you interested in learning more about your family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
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I admire Danny Trejo, and Gruene TX holds a place in my heart. Traveling from Corpus Christi to central south TX to visit eventually attending college then my parents moved to the beautiful hill country. Still have besties there including 5th generation Tejano familia in Blanco, TX.
👏🏽🥰 sounds like my Grandparents story, and I can hear the same pride in his voice that we have when we speak of ours..❤ xx
I remember my grandpa telling me about making $2/ week back in the day. Remember, back then a carton of milk was less than a quarter! Cost of living was much less than today. Inflation is a beast.
The person I've known as a dad is connected to Danny Trejo and for some reason I feel connected to Danny Trejo...... Glad to see he's a Christian.
I recently found out that one of my ancestors was the first governor of Massachusetts. History is amazing.
1:25 They're incredible!
Trejo always keeping it real. 💯
Amazing story of courage and perseverance. By the way, everyone used an outhouse in 1918.
Your grandfather was an amazing man. You should be very proud.
Awesome!!
Everyone that has met Danny loves him. One of Hollywood's good guys.
Love this for DT
My wife and I just found out that she descends from the Hispanic founders of Texas. It's so cool to discover how long your ancestors have been living in this land.
What a fascinating connection! Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us!
Love his success story. Respect😊
I LOVE THIS MAN! It's in his blood to be a fighter ! Him like his grandfather came up from nothing @
Danny Trejo always had a sense of humor 😌👌💯
I love this man. I've been a fan for a long time!
my family is from Mexico City and Vera Cruz and eventually, they fled the 1918 revolution from Mexico and came up to Texas and ended up living and working in Los Angeles. so proud of my roots 🥰
Hi Kylie, thanks for watching and for sharing part of your family's story with us.
Thank you for doing this.
We hope you enjoyed this clip, Phillip! Are you interested in learning more about your own family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help!
support.ancestry.com/s/article/Why-Use-Ancestry
Mr Trejo is awesome!
Love Danny, hope one day i can return to LA and eat at one of his restaurant establishments.
Thank you, Skip!
I can't wait for my results to come in. I'm on the DNA analysis part! I'm fairly certain my story was similar to Danny's
We're delighted to hear that you are excited for your results to come in Sebastian, we have popped a link below with a few tips on how you can get the most out of them:
support.ancestry.com/s/article/Making-the-Most-of-AncestryDNA-Matches?language=en_US
We wish you all the best as you continue on your Ancestry journey!
He has San Antonio roots! Danny's the man. I wonder which building the grocery store was in. Imagine going in there today for him.
Mr Trejo
ThNk you for all your hard work. I'm an ex gang member. And turning my life around...I'm not from the USA....but very happy to see a true beautiful American true american
That is pretty wild! Danny's family's story is similar to my own! My great grandparents could have been trying their best right along the Garay family the whole time! Or maybe just went to the store! And there are still plenty of Garays in the area! This is soooo cool!
That is awesome! Garay isn't a hungarian name? There is a chance that you guys have hungarian roots? 🙂
@@lukacsnora2681 In Texas?! Anything is possible! It's the friendly state! 😉
Danny Trejo is the best!