Joel McHale

McHale in 2012, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Joel Edward McHale

Place of Birth: Rome, Lazio, Italy

Date of Birth: 20 November, 1971

Ethnicity:
*father – Irish
*mother – Norwegian, Finnish, English

Joel McHale is an American comedian, actor, writer, and television producer and host. He is known for his shows The Soup and Community.

Joel was born in Rome, Italy, to an American father, Jack McHale, from Chicago, Illinois, and a Canadian mother, Laurie, from Vancouver. His father was Dean of Students at Loyola University Rome Center. Joel was raised in Mercer Island, Washington, and briefly in Haddonfield, New Jersey, U.S. He is married to Sarah Williams, with whom he has two children.

His father is of Irish descent. His mother is of one half Norwegian, one quarter Finnish, and approximately one quarter English, ancestry.

In an interview on Piers Morgan Tonight, He stated;

I am Irish Catholic… And Norwegian. So… we… can be funny and drunk and then really quiet.

Joel’s paternal grandfather was David Graham McHale (the son of David Graham McHale and Elean H. Ahern). Joel’s grandfather David was born in Illinois, and was of Irish descent. Joel’s great-grandfather David was born in Achill Island, Ireland, the son of James S. McHale and Susan Graham. Elean was born in New York, the daughter of Lawrence Ahern and Ellen O’Brien.

Joel’s paternal grandmother was Marie Anne Lynch (the daughter of Michael Edward Lynch and Ellen Agnes McManus). Marie Anne was born in Illinois, to Irish parents, from County Mayo. Michael was the son of Michael Edward Lynch and Catherine Frainey. Ellen was the daughter of Thomas McManus and Ellen McVady.

Joel’s maternal grandfather was Roy Ingvald Jackson (the son of Jens/John Bernard/Bastian Jackson/Kurset and Aina/Ina Matilde Smedjebacka/Smith). Roy was born in Alaska. Jens was born in Sykkylven, Møre og Romsdal, Norway, the son of Jakob/Jacob Andreas Petterson Straumsheim and Anne Oline Kurset. Aina was born in Kokkola, Western Finland, Finland, the daughter of Matts Mattson Smedjebacka and Mathilda S. Karkkonen.

Joel’s maternal grandmother was Priscilla Ruth Wicks (the daughter of Lorenzo Clisby Wicks and Ruth Meberg). Priscilla was born in Nebraska. Lorenzo had English ancestry, and was the son of Walter James Wicks and Emeline Sparrell Clisby. Ruth was born in South Dakota, to Norwegian parents, Louis C. Meberg, from Farsund, Vest-Agder, and Gunda Ottosdr Moum, from Tune, Østfold.

Sources: http://taddlr.com
http://transcripts.cnn.com

Genealogy of Joel McHale – http://www.geni.com