Stephen Colbert

Colbert in 2013, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Stephen Tyrone Colbert

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Birth: May 13, 1964

Ethnicity:
*93.75% Irish
*6.25% mix of Alsatian German and English

Stephen Colbert is an American television personality, comedian, actor, singer, writer, media critic, political figure, and producer. He has hosted The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since 2015. He previously hosted the show The Colbert Report from 2005 to 2014.

He was a (somewhat comedic) candidate for President of the United States in 2008.

Stephen is the son of Lorna Elizabeth (Tuck) and James William Colbert, Jr., both from New York state. His father was a physician, and the first vice president of academic affairs at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Stephen’s father was of seven eighths Irish ancestry, with the rest of his roots being Alsatian German and English; through Stephen’s great-great-grandmother, Susan Ann Fletcher. Stephen’s mother was of entirely Irish ancestry. Stephen was raised Catholic. His sister is economist and politician Elizabeth Colbert Busch.

Stephen is married to Evelyn McGee-Colbert, with whom he has three children.

Stephen’s paternal grandfather was James William Colbert (the son of George William Colbert and Angeline/Angela A. Garin). James was born in Illinois. George was the son of John J. Colbert and Susan Ann Fletcher. Angeline was Irish, the daughter of Michael Garin and Bridget Caffery.

Stephen’s paternal grandmother was Mary M. Tormey (the daughter of Henry John Tormey and Margaret Ann “Maggie” McCrory). Stephen’s grandmother Mary M. was born in New York. Henry was the son of John Tormey and Honora Manning. Margaret was the daughter of Henry McCrory and Margaret McCreash, who were from Belfast, Ireland.

Stephen’s maternal grandfather was Andrew Edward Tuck (the son of Andrew Tuck and Maria Lynch). Stephen’s grandfather Andrew was born in New York. Stephen’s great-grandfather Andrew was born in New York, the son of Irish parents, John Tuck, from Ballyhorahan, and Judith “Julia” Dunn, from Camross; the couple had first lived in Canada. Maria was born in Canada, the daughter of Irish parents, Thomas Lynch and Bridget Rowan.

Stephen’s maternal grandmother was Marie Elizabeth Fee (the daughter of John C. Fee and Carolina/Caroline L. Connolly). Marie Elizabeth was born in New York. John was born in New York, the son of Irish parents, Owen Fee, from County Monaghan, and Margaret McMahon, from Cavan. Carolina was the daughter of Patrick Connolly, who was from Knockaturly in County Monaghan, Ireland, and of Elizabeth Maloy, who was born in New York, the daughter of Charles Maloy and Margaret, who were from Kings County, now County Offaly, Ireland.

Stephen was featured on the 2010 television series Faces of America, which examined his genealogy and that of other notables. In his 2010 book elaborating on the series, Faces of America: How 12 Extraordinary People Discovered their Pasts, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. writes, “The Broad Institute’s testing of Meryl [Streep]‘s autosomal DNA revealed that she shares recent ancestral connections to Mike Nichols (of four million base pairs on chromosome 13) and to Eva Longoria (of five million base pairs on chromosome 2), as well as an extraordinarily close ancestral connection to Stephen Colbert. Indeed, Meryl and Stephen share thirty million base pairs – a huge stretch of identical DNA.”

A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show stated that Stephen’s genetic ancestry is:

*100% European

DNA tests performed by the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. found that Stephen has a common ancestor with actor Ted Danson and television journalist Soledad O’Brien.

Colbert in 2007, photo by David Shankbone

Sources: Family history of Stephen Colbert at Irish America, by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak – http://irishamerica.com

Genealogy of Stephen Colbert – https://www.geni.com

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

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