Dick Durbin

Birth Name: Richard Joseph Durbin

Place of Birth: East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S.

Date of Birth: November 21, 1944

Ethnicity:
*father – Irish, some English and Scottish
*mother – Lithuanian

Dick Durbin is an American attorney and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois, since January 3, 1997, Senate Majority Whip, since January 20, 2021, and previously, from January 3, 2007 to January 3, 2015, and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, since February 3, 2021. He was previously also a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois, from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1997, and Senate Minority Whip, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, and again, from January 3, 2015 to January 20, 2021.

Dick is the son of Ona/Ann/Anna (Kutkaitė/Kutkin) and William Pius Durbin, Jr. His mother was born in Jurbarkas, Tauragė County, Lithuania, and moved to the U.S. in 1911.

He is married to Loretta Schaefer, with whom he has had three children.

Dick’s patrilineal line can be traced to Thomas William Durbin, who was born, c. 1651, in London, Greater London, England.

Dick’s paternal grandfather was William Oscar Durbin (the son of Pius Anselm Durbin and Teresa Burtle). William was born in Kansas. Pius was the son of Robert Anselm Durbin and Elizabeth Ann Hill.

Dick’s paternal grandmother was Margaret Ellen Gaul (the daughter of William M. Gaul and Mary Elizabeth Cummings). Margaret was born in Illinois, to Irish parents.

Dick’s maternal grandfather was named Robert/Rokas Kutkin/Kutka/Kutkienė.

Dick’s maternal grandmother was named Marcella/Marcelė Saroch/Saroche.

Sources: Genealogy of Dick Durbin – https://www.geni.com

Genealogies and obituaries of Dick’s parents – https://www.findagrave.com