Celebrity Roots

Stephen Colbert
Irish America Magazine
“Stephen Colbert: One Last Report (It’s Genealogical)”[Pages 38 – 41] by Megan Smolenyak

Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Revolutionary Ancestors” by Megan Smolenyak
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ancestry is as multifaceted as Hamilton by David Smith

Joe Biden
Irish America Magazine [Pages 56-59] “Joey From Scranton”
BBC News
“Joe Biden: Returns to his Irish roots”
The Irish Times
“Joe Biden: Links to Louth and Mayo”

Hannah Waddingham
“6 Things You Didn’t Know about Hannah Waddingham’s Roots” by Megan Smolenyak
and
“Manx, Music, Military, Moxie, and a Bit Irish” by Megan Smolenyak

Pharrell Williams
“The Family Tree of Pharrell Williams and Why He Almost Didn’t Exist” by Megan Smolenyak
and
“The ‘Happy’ genealogy of Pharrell Williams” by Cindy Clayton

Taylor Swift
Medium
“Taylor Swift’s Formidable Female Forebears”
by Megan Smolenyak

Jimmy Fallon
Irish America Magazine
“Megan Smolenyak Takes a Look at Jimmy Fallon’s Irish Roots”[Pages 46 – 50] by Megan Smolenyak

Michelle Obama
Huffington Post
“Melvina’s Descendants, Michelle Obama’s Cousins”
by Megan Smolenyak
More Here >>

Prince

Huffington Post
“Hey, Prince, Your Roots Are Showing”
by Megan Smolenyak

Katy Perry
Irish America Magazine
“Gold Fever: The Shiny, Shady Past of Katy Perry’s Irish Great-Great-Grandmother”[Pages 84 – 86] by Megan Smolenyak

Hillary Clinton
Irish America Magazine
“Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Celtic Roots”[Pages 50 – 52] by Megan Smolenyak

African-American Genealogy

Deseret News
“African-American Genealogy”
by Trent Toone

Barack Obama

Huffington Post
“Photo of Barack Obama’s Irish 3rd Great-Grandfather Discovered”
by Megan Smolenyak

Bruce Springsteen
Irish America Magazine [Pages 90-91] “On the Prowl for Springsteen’s Irish Roots” by Megan Smolenyak
Independent.ie
“He’s born in the USA-but Bruce’s people are Lilywhites” by Claire McCormack

Judy Collins

Irish America Magazine
“Songs for the Ancestors”[Pages 94-95] by Mary Pat Kelly

LeBron James

Huffington Post
“LeBron James Is Making His Cleveland Ancestors Proud”
by Megan Smolenyak

Annie Moore

Honoring Our Ancestors
“Annie Moore’s Story”
by Megan Smolenyak

Melissa McCarthy
Irish America Magazine
“5 Things You Didn’t Know About Melissa McCarthy’s Family Tree”[Pages 72 – 73] by Megan Smolenyak

Anne Meara

Huffington Post
“The Irish Heritage of the Remarkable Anne Meara”
by Megan Smolenyak

Sgt. Henry Johnson
“WWI Hero Sgt. Henry Johnson Receives Long Overdue Medal of Honor” by Megan Smolenyak
and
“Medal of Honor recipient’s story finally comes to light” by Cindy Clayton

Annie Moore
Irish America Magazine
“Annie Moore’s Long Lost Irish Cousins”[Pages 76-78] by Megan Smolenyak

Cory Booker & Susan Sarandon
New York Times
“When Washington Met Hollywood: At Lunch With Cory Booker & Susan Sarandon” by Philip Galanes
Coincidentally, Megan did the research for both of their missing ancestors.

Amanda Gorman

Medium
“5 Things You Didn’t Know about Amanda Gorman’s Roots”
by Megan Smolenyak

Tom Colicchio
Huffington Post
“The Most Ellis Island-y Celebrity Ever: Tom Colicchio”
by Megan Smolenyak

Anthony Bourdain

Huffington Post
“5 Things You Didn’t Know about Anthony Bourdain’s Roots”
by Megan Smolenyak

Leah Chase

Huffington Post
“The Louisiana Roots of Leah Chase, Queen of Creole Cuisine”
by Megan Smolenyak

Rachel Maddow

Medium
“10 Things You Didn’t Know about Rachel Maddow’s Roots”
by Megan Smolenyak

Meghan Markle

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Meghan Markle, Michelle Obama, trace families to Jonesboro”
by Bo Emerson

Tim Kaine
The Sunday Times
“Hopeful Kaine’s Irish Roots Cover the Map”
Megan Smolenyak
“What the Family Tree of Tim Kaine Has in Common with Downton Abbey”
The Irish Times
“Genealogist finds Tim Kaine also has Irish roots in Cork”

Hakeem Jeffries
“7 Things You Didn’t Know about Hakeem Jeffries’ Roots”
by Megan Smolenyak
also on Medium

Barry Manilow
Irish America
Barry Manilow is a Limerick Man by Megan Smolenyak
also on Medium
Medium
Finding Barry Manilow’s Mysterious Grandfather by Megan Smolenyak

Meg Ryan
Medium
Meg Ryan’s Rusyn Roots by Megan Smolenyak
Irish America
Meg Ryan’s Irish Heritage by Megan Smolenyak
also on Medium