Are Paul Rudd's parents cousins? They are second cousins. In a 2017 episode of Finding Your Roots, Rudd learned about his family's heritage. Both of his parents descended from Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants who moved to England. His grandfather had changed their family's last name from Rudnitsky to Rudd to help their employability.

Turns out, this is true of Rudd's parents. While Rudd appeared (sporting a particularly old-fashioned-looking mustache) on a 2019 episode of "Finding Your Roots," the celebrity genealogy show on PBS, host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed to Rudd that his parents are actually second cousins.

Paul Rudd’s parents are second cousins. In a 2017 episode of Finding Your Roots, Rudd learned that his parents were actually second cousins.

Both of his parents hail from London and are the descendants of Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Belarus, Poland and Russia. They are actually second cousins!

Rudd was born in New Jersey to English-born Jewish parents. The PBS genealogy show, Finding Your Roots surprised the funny man with the information that his parents are second cousins.