AJ McLean

McLean in 2014, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Alexander James McLean

Place of Birth: West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 9, 1978

Ethnicity: Puerto Rican (maternal grandfather), German, Scottish, one sixteenth Ashkenazi Jewish, as well as Irish, English, and French, possibly other

AJ McLean is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and model. He is a member of boy band Backstreet Boys, along with Nick Carter, Howie D., Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson. He is nicknamed “Bone,” “Mean McLean, “Bone Daddy”, “Johnny No Name,” and “Mr. Cool.”

AJ is the son of Denise Irma (Fernández) and Robert Blue “Bob” McLean. AJ has two children with his former wife, model and stylist Rochelle Karidis.

His father is of Scottish, and some Irish, English, and French, descent. His mother is of half Puerto Rican and half German ancestry.

A MyHeritage DNA test taken by AJ stated that his genetic ancestry is:

*39.8% Iberian
*19.5% East European
*19.1% Central & South America
*8.3% Nigerian
*6.8% Ashkenazi Jewish
*3.1% North & West European
*2.4% North African
*1% Middle Eastern

AJ has said that he is of one sixteenth Jewish ancestry, which dovetails with his DNA result.

Given his DNA result, it is likely that AJ’s Puerto Rican ancestry includes Spanish, Indigenous [Taíno], and African.

AJ’s paternal grandfather was Luther Irving McLean (the son of Alexander McLean and Flora Jane McDonald/MacDonald). Luther was born in Massachusetts. Alexander and Flora were born in Canada, to Scottish parents. Alexander was the son of John McLean and Catherine. Flora was the daughter of Alexander McDonald/MacDonald and Catharine/Catherine.

AJ’s paternal grandmother was Irene Frances/Francis Thompson (the daughter of Edwin Francis Thompson and Irene May Grant). A. J.’s grandmother Irene was born in Massachusetts. Edwin was the son of Nova Scotia-born parents, George Thompson, whose father was English, and Mary Jane Murphy, who had French, Irish, and English ancestry. AJ’s great-grandmother Irene was the daughter of Frederick “Fred” Grant and Mary Greer.

AJ’s maternal grandfather was Adolph Henry Fernández (the son of Adolfo/Adolph Fernández y Baria and Benedicta Rodriguez). A. J.’s grandfather Adolph was Puerto Rican. A. J.’s great-grandfather Adolfo was the son of Adolfo/Adolph Vicente Francisco Alfredo Ramon Maria de la Paz Fernández Rojas, who was from Algeciras, Andalusia, Spain, and had Cantabrian roots; and of Maria del Rosario Barea y Rodriguez.

AJ’s maternal grandmother was Ursula Margerat/Margaret Maier (the daughter of Wilhelm/William Maier and Kate Bubendey). Ursula was born in Germany, and moved to the U.S. around 1925.

Sources: Genealogy page of AJ’s paternal grandfather, Luther Irving McLean – https://www.wikitree.com

AJ’s paternal grandfather, Luther Irving McLean, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

AJ’s paternal grandmother, Irene Frances/Francis Thompson, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

AJ’s paternal great-grandfather, Edwin Francis Thompson, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

AJ’s maternal grandfather, Adolph Henry Fernández, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of AJ’s maternal grandfather, Adolph Henry Fernández – http://www.legacy.com

AJ’s maternal great-grandfather, Adolfo/Adolph Fernández y Baria, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of AJ’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Adolfo/Adolph Vicente Francisco Alfredo Ramon Maria de la Paz Fernández Rojas and Maria del Rosario Barea y Rodriguez – https://www.familysearch.org

AJ’s maternal grandmother, Ursula Margerat/Margaret Maier, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org