Amy Klobuchar

official photo of Amy Klobuchar c. 2013

Birth Name: Amy Jean Klobuchar

Place of Birth: Plymouth, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States

Date of Birth: May 25, 1960

Ethnicity:
*Slovenian (father)
*Swiss-German (mother)

Amy Klobuchar is an American politician and attorney. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, she has served as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, since January 3, 2007. She was previously County Attorney of Hennepin County, from January 5, 1999 to January 3, 2007.

She was a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2020.

Amy is the daughter of Rose Katherine (Heuberger) and Jim Klobuchar (James John Klobuchar), a journalist, author, columnist, and travel guide. She is married to attorney and professor John Bessler, with whom she has a daughter.

Her father was of Slovene descent, with roots in the White Carniola. Her mother was of Swiss ancestry, with a Swiss-German background. Amy is a cousin of singer, songwriter, and record producer Zola Jesus.

Amy’s patrilineal line can be traced to Janez Klobučar, who was born, c. 1719, in Tanča gora 22, Tanča Gora, Črnomelj, Slovenia.

Amy’s paternal grandfather was Michael/Mihael Klobuchar/Klobučar (the son of Mihael/Michael/Mike Klobučar/Klobuchar and Barbara Brozič/Brozich). Amy’s grandfather Michael was born in Minnesota, to Slovenian parents, with his father being from Tanča Gora, Dragatuš, Črnomelj, and his mother being from Otok, Metlika. Amy’s great-grandfather Michael was the son of Mihael Klobučar and Ana Svetič. Barbara was the daughter of Jurij Brozič and Barbara Malinarić.

Amy’s paternal grandmother was named Mary Pucel (the daughter of Joseph/Jožef Pucel and Rose). Mary was born in Minnesota, to Slovenian parents.

Amy’s maternal grandfather was named Martin Heuberger. Martin was born in Kirchberg, Switzerland.

Amy’s maternal grandmother was Margaret/Margeret Wuthrich (the daughter of John Wuthrich and Bertha Lutti). Margaret was Swiss. John was the son of Johannes Wuthrich and Elizabeth Krahenbuhl.

Amy is one of several people of significant Slavic ancestry to have run a plausible or semi-plausible campaign for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States. Of these candidates, four won a major party’s caucus and/or primary. The four are:
*Harold Stassen (Republican; in 1944, he won 1 state, Nebraska; in 1948, he won 4 states; in 1952, he won 1 state, Minnesota; Stassen also sought the 1964, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1992 Republican nominations; Stassen’s paternal grandmother was Czech)
*Edmund Muskie (1972; Democratic; won 4 states; Muskie was previously the 1968 Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States; he was of Polish descent)
*Tom Harkin (1992; Democratic; won 1 state, Iowa; Harkin’s mother was of Slovene descent)
*John Kasich (Republican; ran in 2000 and 2016: in 2016, he won 1 state, Ohio; Kasich is of Czech or Rusyn, and Croatian descent)

Other people of significant Slavic ancestry who have mounted plausible or semi-plausible campaigns for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States are:
*George H. Bender (who sought the 1960 Republican nomination; Bender was of Czech descent)
*James Traficant (who sought the 1988 Democratic nomination; Traficant’s mother was of Slovak descent)
*Dennis Kucinich (who sought the 2004 and 2008 Democratic nominations; Kucinich’s father was of Croatian descent)
*Gary Johnson (who sought the 2012 Republican nomination, and was the Libertarian Party’s 2012 and 2016 nominee for President of the United States; Johnson’s mother was of Ukrainian descent)
*Tim Pawlenty (who sought the 2012 Republican nomination; Pawlenty’s father was of Polish descent)
*Joe Sestak (who sought the 2020 Democratic nomination; Sestak’s father was of Slovak descent)
*Perry Johnson (who sought the 2024 Republican nomination; Johnson’s mother was of Rusyn and Slovak descent)

Sources: Genealogies of Amy Klobuchar – https://www.geni.com
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Amy’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Immigration record of Amy’s maternal grandfather, Martin Heuberger – https://www.familysearch.org