Famous Irish Americans

Historical records show Famous Irish Americans include many American Presidents that have Irish roots. From Andrew Jackson to President Obama here is a list of Irish Americans that have made it to the White House.

Note : If you are interested in tracing Irish ancestry a good website to start is genesreunited which has an international and local search and was ranked number 1, family website in 2010.


10 Famous Irish-Americans:
Presidents

Famous Irish-Americans political leaders have played a major role in local and national politics since before the American Revolutionary War: eight Irish Americans signed the United States Declaration of Independence, and twenty-two American Presidents, from Andrew Jackson to Barack Obama, have been at least partly of Irish ancestry.

Here are famous Irish-Americans Presidents:

Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States.

This is the President with the strongest Northern Irish American ties. His parents — Andrew Jackson and Elizabeth Hutchinson — were from Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Ireland, as was his paternal grandfather, Hugh Jackson, who died there 1782. His great-grandfather, Thomas Jackson, was of Ballyregan in Dundonald, County Down, Ireland.

James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States.

His great-grandfather, William Polk is believed to have been from County Donegal, Ireland, as  his great-great-grandfather was Robert Pollock (shortened to Polk) and he was from County Donegal. The latter  immigrated to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and died there 1699-1704.

James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States.

His father, James Buchanan, was born in Ramelton (Rathmelton) County Donegal, Ireland, 1761.

Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States.

His mother, Hannah Simpson, was the granddaughter of a John Simpson who was born in Northern Ireland, 1738.

Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States.

His grandfather, James Wilson, was born in Strabane, County Down, in 1787.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President of the United States.

One of the more famous Irish Americans his paternal great-grandparents were Patrick Kennedy, who was born in Dunganstown, County Wexford, Ireland 1823, and Bridget Murphy, who was born probably Owenduff, County Wexford, Ireland 1827.

His maternal great-grandparents were Thomas Fitzgerald, who was born in Bruff, County Limerick, Ireland in 1823, and Rose Anna Cox, who was born in County Cavan, Ireland 1835.

Richard Milhous Nixon, 37th President of the United States.

His ancestor, Isaac Brown, was born in Ireland in 1771, as were both his ancestors named James Moore, (born in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland in 1777 and 1759). Another of his ancestors, Thomas Milhous, was born in Carrickfergus, County Antrim Ireland in 1699.

Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th President of the United States.

His great-grandfather, Michael Reagan, is believed to be from County Tipperary, Ireland.

William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd President of the United States.

Two of his great-great-grandparents supposedly were born in Ireland, although there is conflicting information.

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States

Some of his maternal ancestors came to America from a small village called Moneygall, in County Offaly. His ancestors lived in New England and the South and, by the 1800s, most were in the Midwest.