Megan’s Fascinating Celebrity Roots Research

Some of her past celebrity roots research has included Martha Stewart, Stephen Colbert, the Obamas, Brooke Shields, Cory Booker, Susan Sarandon, Tom Colicchio, Emmitt Smith, Richard Blais, Betty White, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Josh Groban, Pink, Ken Burns, Prince, Jon Stewart and Bruno Mars.

stephen-colbert-9685847Stephen Colbert
Irish America Magazine
Stephen Colbert: One Last Report (It’s Genealogical)”[Pages 38 – 41] by Megan Smolenyak

joe-biden-7971447Joe 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”

jimmy-fallon-2232971Jimmy Fallon
Irish America Magazine
“Megan Smolenyak Takes a Look at Jimmy Fallon’s Irish Roots”[Pages 46 – 50] by Megan Smolenyak

michelle-obama-4179775Michelle Obama
Huffington Post
Melvina’s Descendants, Michelle Obama’s Cousins”
by Megan Smolenyak
More Here >>

prince-4137954Prince

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

katy-perry-6009405Katy 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-megan-smolenyak-irish-america-hall-of-fame-2015-cu-9654929Hillary Clinton
Irish America Magazine
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Celtic Roots”[Pages 50 – 52] by Megan Smolenyak

emmitt-smith-8426567African-American Genealogy

Deseret News
“African-American Genealogy”
by Trent Toone

barack-and-3rd-gr-grandfather-7331472Barack Obama

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

bruce-springsteeen-2-1424920Bruce 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-celeb-4068123Judy Collins

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

lebron-james3-4242627LeBron James

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

annie-moore-4380620Annie Moore

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

melissa-mccarthy-celeb-3974240Melissa McCarthy
Irish America Magazine
“5 Things You Didn’t Know About Melissa McCarthy’s Family Tree”[Pages 72 – 73] by Megan Smolenyak

anne-meara-6038101Anne Meara

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

annie-moore-celeb-2268699Annie Moore
Irish America Magazine
Annie Moore’s Long Lost Irish Cousins”[Pages 76-78] by Megan Smolenyak

booker-sarandon-9348826Cory 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-1643725Amanda Gorman

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

tom-colicchio-9363328Tom Colicchio
Huffington Post
“The Most Ellis Island-y Celebrity Ever: Tom Colicchio
by Megan Smolenyak

anthony-bourdain-8233870Anthony Bourdain

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

leah-chase-and-megan-7493157Leah Chase

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

rachelmaddow-8994721Rachel Maddow

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

meghan_markle_in_january_2013_cropped-150x150-4286869Meghan Markle

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

tim-kaine-celeb-7636014Tim 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”

Photo Credits
Cory Booker & Susan Sarandon by Malin Fezehai · Prince by Nicolas Genin · Anne Meara Wikimedia
Michelle Obama by Joe Beine · Anthony Bourdain by lwpkommunikacio
Tom Colicchio by DC Central Kitchen · LeBron James by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Rachel Maddow via Flickr CC · Meghan Markle via Flickr CC · Taylor Swift via iHeartRadioCA, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons