Birth Name: Brian Michael McCann
Place of Birth: Athens, Georgia
Date of Birth: February 20, 1984
Ethnicity: Irish, possibly other
Brian McCann is an American professional baseball player. He is a catcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). “McCann” is usually an Irish surname.
Source: http://www.ancestry.com
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Birth Name: Michael Nelson Trout
Place of Birth: Vineland, NJ
Date of Birth: August 7, 1991
Ethnicity: English, possibly other
Family Background: Mike Trout, nicknamed The Millville Meteor, is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball (MLB). “Trout” is usually an English surname but could be an altered spelling of German Traut.
Source: http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=trout
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Birth Name: Bryce Aron Max Harper
Place of Birth: Las Vegas, Nevada
Date of Birth: October 16, 1992
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, some Swedish, possibly other
Bryce Harper is an American professional baseball player. He is a right fielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Bryce’s maternal grandparents are James Wesley Brooks, Jr. (the son of James Wesley Brooks) and Joan L. Duncan (the daughter of James Stanley Duncan and Louie Barkdull). Bryce’s great-grandfather James Duncan was the son of Elmer James Duncan and Ethel Edna Stott. Louie was the daughter of Howard Nicholas Barkull and Minerva Snow Stringham.
Sources: Genealogy of Bryce’s maternal great-grandmother, Louie Barkdull (focusing on her own mother’s side) – http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Obituary of Bryce’s maternal great-grandmother, Louie (Barkdull) Duncan – http://www.findagrave.com
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Birth Name: Kerris Lilla Dorsey
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California
Date of Birth: January 9, 1998
Ethnicity: English, possibly other
Kerris Dorsey is an American actress and singer. “Dorsey” is an English surname. Her father, John Dorsey, created the hair accessory company “Lilla Rose”.
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Place of Birth: Kladno, Czech Republic
Date of Birth: August 15, 1989
Ethnicity: Czech
Jakub Voráček is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger. He plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Source: http://www.hockeydb.com
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Birth Name: Joseph James Pavelski
Place of Birth: Plover, Wisconsin
Date of Birth: July 11, 1984
Ethnicity: Polish
Joe Pavelski is an American professional ice hockey player. He is the captain for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Joe’s family is of Polish descent and his surnamed was originally spelled “Pawelski”.
Source: http://sharks.nhl.com
Place of Birth: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Date of Birth: November 29, 1993
Ethnicity:
*Irish, English, German (father)
*Puerto Rican (mother)
David Lambert is an American actor. He plays Brandon Foster on the ABC Family original series The Fosters. His mother is Puerto Rican.
A picture of David and his mother can be seen here.
David’s paternal grandparents were John Thomas Lambert (the son of James T. Lambert and Georgia/Georgie Mabry) and Norma Mae Briody (the daughter of Laird C. Briody and Helen M. Goodwin). Georgia was the daughter of John Thomas Mabry and Maggie Emma Coffman.
David’s maternal grandparents are William G. Gonzalez and Gloria C.
Source: http://latino.foxnews.com
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Birth Name: Thomas Luther Bryan
Place of Birth: Leesburg, Georgia
Date of Birth: July 17, 1976
Ethnicity: English, some Irish
Luke Bryan is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the son of LeClaire (Watkins) and Tommy Bryan.
Luke’s paternal grandparents were Hugh Thomas Bryan, Sr. (the son of William Cullen Bryan and Tommie Roberts) and Vivian Estelle Kelly/Kelley (the daughter of Jessie D. Kelly and Hattie Taylor).
Luke’s maternal grandparents were Luther Daniel Watkins (the son of Tilden Winder Watkins and Clemmie Clayton Wiggins) and Hallie Lee Putnam (the daughter of Thomas Franklin Putnam and Belle Smith).
Sources: Obituary of Luke’s sister, Kelly – http://www.findagrave.com
Obituary of Luke’s paternal grandfather, Hugh Thomas Bryan, Sr. – http://www.findagrave.com
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Birth Name: Jason Aldine Williams
Place of Birth: Macon, Georgia
Date of Birth: February 28, 1977
Ethnicity: English/Welsh, possibly other
Jason Aldean is an American country music singer. Jason is the son of Debbie Wood and Barry Williams.
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Birth Name: Troyal Garth Brooks
Place of Birth: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Date of Birth: February 7, 1962
Ethnicity: English, some Irish, German, and French
Garth Brooks is an American country pop singer, songwriter, and actor. He is the son of Colleen Carroll (McElroy) and Troyal Raymond Brooks, Jr.
Garth’s paternal grandparents were Troyal Raymond Brooks (the son of Louis Elmer Brooks and Lela Blanche Morris) and Velma Glee Dickens (the daughter of William Lillard Dickens and Della Adaline/Adelaide Capps).
Garth’s maternal grandparents were William Andrew McElroy (the son of Green Hudson McElroy and Rachel/Rachael Canssanda Rambo) and Nell Elizabeth Hedges (the daughter of Reuben Franklin Hedges and Emma C. Nuss). Rachel was the daughter of John Alexander Rambo and Mary Ellen Jones.
Sources: Garth’s paternal ancestry – http://www.ancestry.com
Garth’s mother’s obituary – http://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Garth’s maternal grandfather, William Andrew McElroy – http://www.ancestry.com
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Birth Name: Keith Russell Ablow
Place of Birth: Marblehead, Massachusetts
Date of Birth: November 23, 1961
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Keith Ablow is an American psychiatrist, author, and television personality. He is a contributor on psychiatry at the Fox News Channel.
Keith is the son of Jeanette Norma (Mezonsky) and Allan Murray Ablow. His parents are both Jewish.
Birth Name: William Bret Baier
Place of Birth: Rumson, New Jersey
Date of Birth: August 4, 1970
Ethnicity: German, Irish, possibly other
Bret Baier is the host of Special Report with Bret Baier on the Fox News Channel. He is the chief political anchor for Fox. The surname “Baier” is German. He stated on his Twitter account that he is “German and Irish”.
Place of Birth: Canada
Date of Birth: June 8, 1994
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Josette Halpert is a Canadian actress. She has appeared in An American Girl on the Home Front, Antisocial 2, and Flash of Genius.
Josette is Jewish.
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Birth Name: Neil Patrick Cavuto
Place of Birth: Westbury, NY
Date of Birth: September 22, 1958
Ethnicity: Italian father, Irish mother
Family Background: Neil Cavuto is an American television anchor on the Fox Business Network and the host of three television programs. He was born to Kathleen T. Feeley and Patrick “Pat” Cavuto.
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/09/22/remember-folks-meet-on-way-up.html
Place of Birth: Portsmouth, Virginia
Date of Birth: March 7, 1964
Ethnicity: African-American (including Cameroonian), smaller amount of English
Wanda Sykes is an American comedian, writer, actress, and voice artist.
An episode of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012) stated that Wanda’s matrilineal ninth great-grandmother, named Elizabeth Banks, who was a white indentured servant. Elizabeth had a daughter named, Mary Banks, whose father was a black slave. It was also mentioned that some of Wanda’s DNA traces to present-day Cameroon.
Wanda’s paternal grandparents were Luther Luke Sykes (the son of Joseph Sykes and Maggie) and Magnolia Wilson (the daughter of Junius Wilson and Fannie Elliott).
Wanda’s maternal grandparents were Allie Peoples (the son of Emma) and Sarah Jane Jones (the daughter of Annie).
Sources: http://boricuagenes.blogspot.com
Genealogy of Wanda Sykes – https://www.geni.com
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Place of Birth: Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Date of Birth: August 26, 1960
Ethnicity: African-American
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He is the son of Dolores (Ferdinand), a jazz singer, and Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., a pianist and music professor. His siblings are jazz musicians Jason Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis III, and Delfeayo Marsalis.
A DNA test taken by the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012) stated that Branford’s genetic ancestry is:
*62% African
*31% European
*7% Native American
Branford’s paternal grandparents were Ellis Louis Marsalis (the son of Simmie Marsalis and Rosa Gayden) and Florence Robertson.
Branford’s maternal grandparents were Delfeayo F. Ferdinand (the son of Louis Ferdinand and Helen) and Leona Learson (the daughter of Richard Learson and Clotilde Eugene).
Sources: https://www.youtube.com
Genealogy of Branford Marsalis (through his brother, Wynton Marsalis) – http://www.wargs.com
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Birth Name: Angela Lee Warnick
Place of Birth: Seoul, South Korea
Date of Birth: July 8, 1972
Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*Korean (mother)
Angela Warnick Buchdahl is an American rabbi. Angela was born in Seoul, South Korea, the daughter of Sulja Yi Warnick, a Japanese-born Korean Buddhist, and Frederick David Warnick, an American Ashkenazi Reform Jew. Angela was raised Jewish.
Angela’s paternal grandparents were Robert Warnick (the son of Harris Warnick and Fanny) and Phreda May Soss (the daughter of Saul/Srul Hirsch Soss and Clara/Crentza Silverstein/Zilberstein). Robert was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Harris was born in Zvenyhorodka, Ukraine. Saul was born in Moinești, Bacău County, Romania.
Angela’s maternal grandfather was Lee Sam-dal (the son of Yi Seong-su).
Sources: http://www.pbs.org
Genealogy of Angela Buchdahl – https://www.geni.com
Place of Birth: Houston, Texas
Date of Birth: 1975
Ethnicity: Pakistani
Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi is an American Muslim scholar and writer. He is of Pakistani descent, and the Dean of Academic Affairs at the Al-Maghrib Institute.
Yasir’s paternal grandparents were Qazi Ishaq Ali (the son of Qazi Muhibb Ali and Bubu) and Razia Naimat Qazi (the daughter of Syed Nazeer Hussain and Masooman Bee Syed).
Yasir’s maternal grandparents were Hayat Khan (the son of Mastan Khan and Amina Bi) and Akhtari Begum (the daughter of Ashraf Ali and Imtiaz Begum).
A DNA test taken by the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012) stated that Yasir’s genetic ancestry is:
*90% Asian
*10% European
Sources: https://www.youtube.com
Genealogy of Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi – https://www.geni.com
Birth Name: Ruth Jean Stubblefield
Place of Birth: Grapeland, Texas
Date of Birth: July 3, 1945
Ethnicity: African-American (including Gabonese), Native American (most likely Taino or Carib tribes)
Ruth Simmons was the 18th president of Brown University, and the first black president of an Ivy League Institution.
A DNA test taken on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012) traced a lot of Ruth’s ancestry to the Americas, most likely from the Taino or Carib tribes. Her brother’s DNA test showed African ancestry from Gabon.
Birth Name: Courtney Bernard Vance
Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan
Date of Birth: March 12, 1960
Ethnicity: African-American (including ancestry from Nigeria, Ivory Coast/Ghana, Cameroon/Congo, and Senegal)
Courtney B. Vance is an American actor. He is married to actress and director Angela Bassett.
Courtney’s paternal grandmother was Ardella Victoria Vance (the daughter of Todd Vance and Katie Holman).
A DNA test taken by the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2014) stated that Courtney’s genetic ancestry is:
*85.5% African
*11.8% European
*<1% Native American
In his 2016 book about the show, Finding Your Roots, Season 2: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wrote that Courtney’s African DNA includes ancestry from Nigeria, Ivory Coast/Ghana, Cameroon/Congo, and Senegal.
Source: Genealogy of Courtney B. Vance (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
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