Tom Selleck

Selleck in 2010, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Thomas William Selleck

Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 29, 1945

Ethnicity:
*father – English, Scottish, Irish, more distant German
*mother – English

Tom Selleck is an American actor and film producer. He is known for starring on the series Magnum, P.I. and Blue Bloods, and in High Road to China and the Three Men films.

Tom is the son of Martha and Robert Dean Selleck, a real estate developer. His father was of English, as well as Scottish, Irish, and more distant German, ancestry. His mother’s ancestry is English. Tom is married to Jillie Mack. He has a son with his former wife, model Jacqueline Ray, and a daughter with Jillie.

There is an internet rumor that Tom’s father was of Slovak/Rusyn descent, possibly because of his perhaps unusual-sounding, English surname, Selleck. This is not accurate.

Tom’s patrilineal line traces to Robert Selleck/Sellock, who was born, c. 1575, in England.

Tom’s paternal grandfather was George Samuel Selleck (the son of Samuel/Sam H. Selleck and Mary Clementine Fricke). Tom’s grandfather George was born in Hunters Creek, Lapeer, Michigan. Tom’s great-grandfather Samuel was the son of Samuel Horace Selleck and Sarah Augusta Daily/Daley/Dailey. Mary was the daughter of John Francis Fricke and Phebe Shadbolt.

Tom’s paternal grandmother was Nellie Louisa Fife (the daughter of William L. Fife and Sarah Elizabeth/Eliza Glenn/Glynn). Nellie was born in Chatham, Kent, Ontario, Canada. William was born in Peterborough, Peterborough County, Ontario, and had roots in Kincardine, Fife and High Comorie, Nielstoun, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He was the son of John William Fife and Elizabeth Pearl Learmonth. Sarah was born in Vernonville, Northumberland County, Ontario, to an Irish father, Joseph/John H. Glynn, and to a mother, Sarah Chambers, with English ancestry.

Tom’s maternal grandfather was Fred Grant Jagger (the son of Thomas/E. Jagger and Eliza James). Fred was born in Philipsburg, Clearfield, Pennsylvania, to English parents. Thomas was born in West Riding, Yorkshire, the son of Robert Jagger and Elizabeth/Eliza Jackson.

Tom’s maternal grandmother was Martha Birchall/Birchell (the daughter of James Birchall and Mary Ann Brown). Martha was born in Pennsylvania, to English parents, from Lancashire. Mary Ann was the daughter of James Brown and Sarah Ann Partington.

Sources: Genealogies of Tom Selleck – http://famouskin.com
https://www.geni.com

Obituary of Tom’s father – http://articles.latimes.com

Marriage record of Tom’s paternal great-grandparents, William L. Fife and Sarah Elizabeth/Eliza Glenn/Glynn – https://www.familysearch.org

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

Marriage record of Tom’s maternal grandparents, Fred Grant Jagger and Martha Birchall/Birchell – https://www.familysearch.org

Tom’s maternal grandfather, Fred Grant Jagger, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Tom’s maternal grandmother, Martha Birchall/Birchell, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org