Elizabeth Warren

by follers on April 12, 2018

Birth Name: Elizabeth Ann Herring

Place of Birth: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.

Date of Birth: June 22, 1949

Ethnicity: English, Cornish, Swiss-German, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Swedish, likely between 1/128th and 1/256 Native American

Elizabeth Warren is an American politician. She has served as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, since January 3, 2013, and Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, since January 3, 2017. She was previously Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, from November 25, 2008 to November 15, 2010, and Special Advisor for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, from September 17, 2010 to August 1, 2011.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Pauline Louise (Reed) and Donald Jones Herring. She is married to legal scholar and professor Bruce Mann. She has two children with her former husband, Jim Warren.

Elizabeth has documented English, with smaller amounts (to varying degrees) of Cornish, Swiss-German, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and Swedish, ancestry.

Elizabeth has stated that she was told by her family that one of her maternal great-great-great-grandmothers, Neoma Sarah Smith (popularly known as O.C. Sarah Smith), was of Cherokee Native American background. Elizabeth has also stated that she has some degree of Delaware Native American ancestry. These statements, and their accuracy, have often the subject of media coverage since her 2012 Senate campaign in Massachusetts. Many of O.C. Sarah Smith’s ancestral lines have been traced to foreign-born (non-Native American) origins. To date, it appears that no genealogical evidence has been produced that Elizabeth Warren has Native American ancestry.

However, Elizabeth undertook a DNA test in 2018. The test was reviewed by genetics professor Carlos Bustamante. An overview of the test stated:

The great majority of (Warren’s) identifiable ancestry is European… The analysis also identified 5 genetic segments as Native American in origin at high confidence… Bustamante’s analysis places Warren’s [unadmixed] Native American ancestor between six and 10 generations ago, with the report estimating eight generations.

This means that Elizabeth likely has between 1/128th and 1/256 Native American genetic ancestry.

The report added:

…it is not possible to reliably associate smaller segments having Native American ancestry with any specific tribe or group.

Therefore, it is not clear if Elizabeth’s ancestry is Cherokee, Delaware, or another or a combination of other tribes.

Elizabeth’s paternal grandfather was Grant Leslie Herring (the son of John Hayne Herring and Mary Annie/Anna Scharan). Grant was born in Missouri. John was born in Cornwall, England, the son of John Herring and Ann Hayne. Mary was born in Switzerland.

Elizabeth’s paternal grandmother was Ethel Virginia Jones (the daughter of Summerfield Jones and Sarah Frances/Francis Kerr). Ethel was born in Missouri. Sarah was the daughter of Matthew H. Kerr and Sarah Ann Elizabeth Ellis.

Elizabeth’s maternal grandfather was Harry Gunn Reed (the son of Joseph H. Reed and Charity Louise Gorman). Harry was born in Illinois. Joseph was the son of The Rev. Joseph H. Reed and Eliza Bell. Charity was the daughter of Ezekiel/Ezekial Tom Gorman and Matilda Elizabeth Matthews.

Elizabeth’s maternal grandmother was Bethania Elvina “Hannie” Crawford (the daughter of John Houston/Huston Crawford and Plina/Paulina/Paulliney Ann Bowen). Bethania was born in Missouri. John was the son of Preston H. Crawford and Edith May Marsh/March. Plina was the daughter of George Washington Bowen and Bethania/Bethany/Bethaney Clark.

Sources: Genealogies of Elizabeth Warren – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com

Article about the issue of whether Elizabeth Warren has Cherokee Native American ancestry – http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Detailed genealogical blog about Elizabeth’s claimed Cherokee ancestry – http://www.pollysgranddaughter.com
http://www.pollysgranddaughter.com
http://www.pollysgranddaughter.com

Tagged as: Cornish, English, German, Irish, Native American, Northern Irish, Scots-Irish, Scottish, Swedish, Swiss, Swiss-German, Welsh

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Meghan Markle

by brookie on February 2, 2018

Photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Rachel Meghan Markle

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: August 4, 1981

Ethnicity:
*father – German, English, Irish, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and remote French
*mother – African-American

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is an American actress, model, and humanitarian.

Duchess Meghan is the daughter of Doria Loyce (Ragland) and Thomas Wayne Markle, a lighting director who worked on Married… with Children. She is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

Her father is white and her mother is black. A picture of Duchess Meghan with her father can be seen here. Pictures of Duchess Meghan with her mother can be seen here and here. More pictures of her family, specifically her mother’s side, can be seen here.

An essay Duchess Meghan composed about her biracial identity can be read here. She writes, among other things:

‘What are you?’ A question I get asked every week of my life, often every day… ‘Where are your parents from?’… While I could say Pennsylvania and Ohio… I instead give them what they’re after: ‘My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American. I’m half black and half white.’…

While my mixed heritage may have created a grey area surrounding my self-identification, keeping me with a foot on both sides of the fence, I have come to embrace that. To say who I am, to share where I’m from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident mixed-race woman. That when asked to choose my ethnicity in a questionnaire as in my seventh grade class, or these days to check ‘Other’, I simply say: ‘Sorry, world, this is not Lost and I am not one of The Others. I am enough exactly as I am.’

She has also specified:

My mom is black and my dad is Dutch and Irish, so the texture of my hair is densely curly. I’ve been getting Brazilian blowouts for a couple of years.

Duchess Meghan’s Dutch ancestry is really Pennsylvania Dutch, the name for ethnic Germans who lived in Pennsylvania; her German ancestry includes Alsatian Germans. Her father also has a preponderance of English ancestry, with Colonial American roots going back to the 1600s, as well as some Irish, Scottish, and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and remote French, ancestry. Duchess Meghan and her husband Harry share a common ancestor in the 1500s; the details of this remote genealogical relation can be seen here.

Duchess Meghan’s maternal grandparents were/are both black, from African-American families.

Duchess Meghan has also said:

I took an African-American studies class at Northwestern (university) where we explored colourism; it was the first time I could put a name to feeling too light in the black community, too mixed in the white community… For castings, I was labelled ‘ethnically ambiguous’. Was I Latina? Sephardic (Jewish)? Exotic Caucasian?

Several web sites have stated that Duchess Meghan’s father is Jewish. This is not accurate. While her wedding to her first husband, producer Trevor Engelson, was Jewish or had Jewish elements, that is because Trevor is Jewish. It is possible that Duchess Meghan converted to Trevor’s faith, but there is no particular indication of this being the case. She joined the Church of England upon marrying Prince Harry.

Photo by DFree/Bigstock.com

Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandfather was Gordon Arnold Markel/Markle (the son of Isaac Thomas Markel/Markle and Ruth Ann Arnold). Gordon was born in Pennsylvania. Isaac was the son of George Benjamin McClellian Markle and Mary Jane Mangle/Mengle. Ruth was the daughter of Adam A. Arnold and Martha Jane “Mattie” Sykes.

Duchess Meghan has said:

I rarely saw my Grandma Markle, as she hailed from New Hampshire and spent much of her life in Pennsylvania and Florida…

Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandmother was Doris Mary/May Rita Sanders (the daughter of Frederick/Fred George Sanders and Gertrude May Merrill). Doris was born in New Hampshire. Frederick was the son of George Sanders and Maria Belle Ellsworth. Gertrude was the daughter of George David Merrill and Mary Bird, who was born in Malta, to an English father and an Irish mother. Her family moved to Canada.

Duchess Meghan’s maternal grandfather was Alvin Azell/Azella Ragland (the son of Steven/Steve R. Ragland and Louise “Lois” Russell). Alvin was born in Tennessee, and was African-American. Steven was the son of Jeremiah/Jerrymiah/Jerry Miah Ragland and Claudie/Claudia Ritchie/Richie. Lois was the daughter of James Cunagan Russell and Virginia Lee Betts/Bettes.

Duchess Meghan’s maternal grandmother was Jeanette Arnold (the daughter of James Arnold and Netty/Nettie Mae Allen). Jeanette was born in Ohio, and was African-American. Nettie was the daughter of Luther Hunter Allen and Gertrude Parks.

Sources: Family histories of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex – http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Genealogies of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex – http://gw.geneanet.org
https://www.geni.com
http://i.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.famechain.com
https://famouskin.com
https://www.wikitree.com
https://1.bp.blogspot.com

Genealogy of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.dailyitem.com

Marriage announcement of Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandparents, Gordon Arnold Markel/Markle and Doris Mary/May Rita Sanders – https://www.newspapers.com

Marriage record of Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandparents, Gordon Arnold Markel/Markle and Doris Mary/May Rita Sanders – https://familysearch.org

Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandfather, Gordon Arnold Markel/Markle, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogies of Duchess Meghan’s father (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://www.gamblinfamily.org
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandmother, Doris Mary/May Rita Sanders, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Doris Mary/May Rita Sanders on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandmother, Doris Mary/May Rita Sanders (focusing on her own mother’s side) – http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Marriage record of Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandparents, Frederick/Fred George Sanders and Gertrude May Merrill – https://familysearch.org

Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandparents, Frederick/Fred George Sanders and Gertrude May Merrill, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandmother, Gertrude May Merrill (focusing on her own father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com

Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandmother, Gertrude May Merrill, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-great-grandparents, George David Merrill and Mary Bird, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Information about Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Mary Bird’s, family – http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Genealogies of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://www.famechain.com

Duchess Meghan’s maternal great-grandfather, Steven/Steve R. Ragland, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Duchess Meghan’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah/Jerrymiah/Jerry Miah Ragland, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Death record of Duchess Meghan’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah/Jerrymiah/Jerry Miah Ragland – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Meghan’s maternal grandmother, Jeanette (Arnold) Johnson – https://www.familysearch.org

Meghan Markle

Photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Duchess Meghan’s father’s ancestry first documented on the internet by Follers (May 21, 2017)

Tagged as: African American, Alsatian, English, French, German, Irish, Northern Irish, Scots-Irish, Scottish

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Chris Hemsworth

by follers on December 17, 2015

"Snow White and the Huntsman" World Premiere - Arrivals

Place of Birth: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Date of Birth: 11 August, 1983

Ethnicity: Dutch (maternal grandfather), English, Irish, 1/16th German, 1/16th Scottish

Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor. He is the brother of actors Luke Hemsworth and Liam Hemsworth. He is married to Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, with whom he has three children.

Chris’s maternal grandfather was a Dutch immigrant. The rest of Chris’s ancestry is approximately 11/32 English, 9/32 Irish, 1/16th German, and 1/16th Scottish.

Chris’s uncle, by marriage, was bushman Rod Ansell, who inspired the character “Crocodile” Dundee. Rod was married to Chris’s aunt (Chris’s mother’s sister), Joanne van Os, an author.

Chris was selected People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2014. He is the second Australian-born man to have been given this title by the magazine (Hugh Jackman, in 2008, is the first). Chris is also thus far the only man of significant Dutch heritage to have been given this title by the magazine (although Patrick Swayze, the 1991 title recipient, may have had a Dutch great-grandfather).

Chris’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to John Hemsworth, who was born, c. 1804, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

Chris’s paternal grandfather was Keith Hemsworth (the son of William Hamilton Hemsworth and Frances Margaret Jobson). William was born in Footscray, Victoria, Australia, the son of John Richard Hemsworth, who was of English descent, and of Carroline/Caroline Sophie Fahle, who was the daughter of German immigrants, Heinrich Conrad Fahle, from Minden, Westphalia, then belonging to Prussia, and Carroline/Caroline Schwer, from Hannover. Chris’s great-grandmother Frances was the daughter of John/Jack Jobson, who was of English and Scottish descent, and of Janet Bibby; Janet’s father, Thomas John Bibby, was born in Argyle, Scotland, and Janet’s mother, Ann/Anne/Annie McKeown/McEwan, was born in Dublin, Ireland.

Chris’s paternal grandmother was Gladys Priscilla Outen (the daughter of Charles Whynam Outen and Priscilla Louise Dainton). Charles had English and Irish ancestry, and was the son of Charles George Outen and Bridget Cross. Chris’s great-grandmother Priscilla was the daughter of James Henry Dainton, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, and of Elizabeth Victoria Parker, who was born in Devon, England.

Chris’s maternal grandfather is Martin van Os (the son of Johannes Has Van Os and Petronella Nel Verhoeven). Martin is a Dutch immigrant. Johannes was born in Veghel, Noord-Brabant, the son of Petrus Johannus Van Os and Theodora Van Der Heijden. Petronella was born in Vorstenbosch, Bernheze, North Brabant, the daughter of Everardus Martinus Verhoeven and Maria Van Der Sanden.

Chris’s maternal grandmother is Therese O’Sullivan (the daughter of Thomas Augustus O’Sullivan and Mary Christina Denham). Thomas was the son of Irish parents, Daniel O’Sullivan, from Kerry, and Catherine Flynn, from Tipperary. Mary Christina was the daughter of Henry Albert Denham, who was English, from Somerset, and of Margaret Catherine O’Neill, who was of Irish origin; Margaret was the daughter of Samuel O’Neill and Mary Alicia Bryce.

Sources: Genealogy of Chris Hemsworth – https://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Chris Hemsworth (focusing on his father’s side) – http://records.ancestry.com

Genealogy of Chris’s paternal great-grandmother, Frances Margaret Jobson (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Genealogy of Chris’s maternal great-grandmother, Petronella Nel Verhoeven (through Petronella’s sister, Adriana Maria Verhoeven) – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Photo by Prphotos

Tagged as: Dutch, English, German, Irish, People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, Scottish

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Cynthia Erivo

by follers on August 16, 2015

Cynthia Erivo – 72nd Annual Tony Awards – Arrivals – Radio City Music Hall – New York City, NY, USA – Photo Credit: Lisa Holte / PRPhotos.com

Birth Name: Cynthia Chinasaokwu O. Erivo

Place of Birth: Lambeth, London, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 8 January, 1987

Ethnicity: Nigerian

Cynthia Erivo is a British actress, singer, and songwriter. Her parents are Nigerian.

Tagged as: African, Nigerian

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Ryan Gosling

by ethnic on January 1, 2015

Birth Name: Ryan Thomas Gosling

Place of Birth: London, Ontario, Canada

Date of Birth: November 12, 1980

Ethnicity: French-Canadian (half), English, Scottish, Irish, as well as 1/32 German, likely 1/128th African-American

Ryan Gosling is a Canadian actor, writer, director, musician, and producer. He is the son of Donna and Thomas Gosling. Ryan was raised in a Mormon (Latter Day Saint) family. He has two children with his partner, American actress Eva Mendes.

Ryan is the first person born in the 1980s to have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor (for Half Nelson, 2006), and thus could be considered the first millennial to have done so. He is also one of three males born in 1980 or after to have received more than one Academy Award nomination for acting (Jonah Hill and Eddie Redmayne are the others).

Ryan is of approximately half French-Canadian ancestry (his father is of roughly three eighths French-Canadian descent, and his mother is of roughly five eighths French-Canadian ancestry). Ryan’s other roots include English, Scottish, Irish, and 1/32 German. Ryan and singers Justin Bieber and Avril Lavigne are distant cousins, connected through Québec’s earliest French settlers.

Ryan’s five times paternal great-grandfather, James-Jacques Robinson/Robertson, was described as “Negro” (black) in contemporaneous records, and may have been from the United States. He married Ryan’s five times great-grandmother, Marie Trottier, who was French-Canadian. This likely makes Ryan of approximately 1/128th African-American ancestry.

Ryan’s paternal grandfather was George Bigelow Gosling (the son of George Percy Gosling and Bessie Rae/Ray Bigelow). Ryan’s grandfather George was born in Cornwall, Stormont, Ontario. Ryan’s great-grandfather George was the son of George Edward Gosling, who was born in Paddington, Middlesex, England, and of Caroline Minerva Snetsinger. Bessie was the daughter of William Samuel Bigelow, who was English, and of Mary Miller, who was Scottish, from Perthshire.

Ryan’s paternal grandmother was Mary Yvette Brown (the daughter of Joseph Brown and Mary Ann/Marie-Anne Bélaire). Ryan’s grandmother Mary was born in North Glengarry, Stormont, Ontario. Joseph was the son of Frederick/Frederic Brown, an English immigrant, and of Rose/Rosalie Anna Proulx, who had French-Canadian ancestry. Ryan’s great-grandmother Mary Ann was the daughter of Julien Olivier Belaire and Matilda/Mathilda Exilda Séguin, and also had French-Canadian ancestry.

Ryan’s maternal grandfather was Robert Thomas “Bob” Wilson (the son of Henry/Harry Thomas Wilson and Marie Georgina Victoria Dextras/Dextraze). Henry was the son of James Thomas Wilson, who was English, and of Bertha Louisa Hacker/Hackett, whose parents were from Wiltshire, England. Marie Georgina was of French-Canadian descent, the daughter of Joseph Dextras/Dextraze and Marie Célina Elizabeth Quenneville.

Ryan’s maternal grandmother is Ruby Kitts (the daughter of Gérald/Gerrold Kitts and Rose Emma Lalonde). Ruby is of mostly French-Canadian, and some Irish, descent. Gérald was the son of Henry John Kitts and Helen/Hélène Françoise “Ellen” Massia. Rose was the daughter of Alexandre/Alexander Lalonde and Catherine Harriet Piché/Picher.

Ryan’s matrilineal line can be traced back to Catherine Guyard, who was born, c. 1639, in Paris, France, and to Catherine’s mother, Madeleine Venne.

Sources: Genealogies of Ryan Gosling – http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca
https://www.geni.com
http://laurenandtristan.net
http://www.perche-quebec.com

Genealogies of Ryan Gosling (focusing on his father’s side) – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com
http://famouskin.com

Genealogy of Ryan’s paternal great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, Marie Trottier – https://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Ryan’s maternal grandmother, Ruby Kitts – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Genealogy of Ryan’s maternal great-grandfather, Gérald/Gerrold Kitts – https://www.findagrave.com

Report on Ryan’s distant relatives – http://www.torontosun.com

Family tree showing the relation between Ryan Gosling, Avril Lavigne, and Justin Bieber – http://www.aceshowbiz.com

s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Tagged as: African American, English, French, French Canadian, German, Irish, Scottish

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Jeremy Ray Taylor

July 11, 2014

Place of Birth: Bluff City, Tennessee, U.S. Date of Birth: June 2, 2003 Ethnicity: English, other Jeremy Ray Taylor is an American actor. He stars in the films It (2017) and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018). Jeremy’s maternal grandfather is William Pete Grubbs (the son of Wilfred Wysor Gray, Jr. and Elinor Ruth Bowery). Wilfred […]

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Jeff Bridges

March 30, 2014

Birth Name: Jeffrey Leon Bridges Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States Date of Birth: December 4, 1949 Ethnicity: English, smaller amounts of Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, Swiss-German, and German Jeff Bridges is an American actor, singer, and producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Crazy Heart (2009). He is the son […]

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Jon Hamm

March 28, 2014

Birth Name: Jonathan Daniel Hamm Place of Birth: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Date of Birth: March 10, 1971 Ethnicity: *37.5% German *37.5% English *25% Irish Jon Hamm is an American actor, director, and producer. He is the son of Deborah Jean (Garner) and Daniel Leonard Hamm. Jon’s paternal grandfather was Leonard Edward Hamm (the son […]

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Lasse Hallström

October 14, 2018

Birth Name: Lars Sven Hallström Place of Birth: Stockholm, Sweden Date of Birth: 2 June, 1946 Ethnicity: Swedish, some German, distant Danish Lasse Hallström is a Swedish film director. His father, Nils Axel Hallström, was a dentist. His mother, Karin (Lyberg), was a writer. Lasse is married to actress Lena Olin. He has a son […]

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Dora Madison

October 14, 2018

Birth Name: Dora Madison Burge Place of Birth: Hutto, Williamson, Texas, U.S. Date of Birth: October 17, 1990 Ethnicity: English, Scottish, possibly other Dora Madison is an American actress. She is also sometimes credited as Dora Madison Burge. She is the daughter of Shanda and Richard Burge. Dora’s maternal grandfather was William Bruce Anthony (the […]

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Fabio Porchat

October 14, 2018

Birth Name: Fabio Porchat de Assis Place of Birth: Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Date of Birth: July 1, 1983 Ethnicity: Brazilian [Portuguese, possibly other], Italian, 1/32 Swiss-French, English Fabio Porchat is a Brazilian actor, comedian, television host, and writer. Fabio is the son of Isabella (Robinson) and politician Fabio Ferrari Porchat de […]

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Mitch Landrieu

October 14, 2018

Birth Name: Mitchell Joseph Landrieu Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Date of Birth: August 16, 1960 Ethnicity: German, about 1/8th French, small amounts of Italian, Irish, and English Mitch Landrieu is an American politician and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, from January 11, 2004 […]

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Teri Wyble

October 14, 2018

Birth Name: Teri Anne Wyble Place of Birth: Arnaudville, Louisiana, U.S. Date of Birth: March 23, 1985 Ethnicity: Cajun/French, with small amounts of English and German Teri Wyble is an American actress. Teri is the daughter of Angela and Huey Wyble. Teri’s paternal grandfather was Regis Wyble (the son of Edmond/Edmand Bernarde “LuLu” Wyble and […]

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