Profile Text
Seacrest in 2012, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Ryan John Seacrest
Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Date of Birth: December 24, 1974
Ethnicity: German, Swiss-German, distant Irish
Ryan Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, and producer. He has been the host of American Idol , among other ventures.
He was raised in Atlanta. His parents are from Pennsylvania, with deep Pennsylvania Dutch roots. Ryan’s ancestry is mostly German and Swiss-German. He also has distant Irish roots.
Ryan’s paternal grandfather was John Alton Seacrest (the son of Samuel Mack Seacrest and Amelia Margaret Strimatter/Strittmatter). Ryan’s grandfather John was born in Pennsylvania. Samuel was the son of John C. Secrest/Seacrest and Charlotte A. Hoeflich.
Ryan’s paternal grandmother was Virginia May Robinson (the daughter of Howard Ralphord/Ralpard Robinson and Margaret Marie Hartman). Virginia was born in Pennsylvania. Howard was the son of Charles Augustus Robison and Mary Barbra Readle.
Ryan’s maternal grandfather was Merle Elwood Zullinger (the son of Paul Kenneth Zullinger and Eva May/Maye Hassler). Merle was born in Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Paul was born in Pleasant Hall, Franklin County, the son of Harry Warren Zullinger and Anna Blanche Keefer Newton. Eva was born in Guilford, Franklin County, the daughter of James Washington Hassler and Clara Ann Schultz.
Ryan’s maternal grandmother was Pauline Edna Kean (the daughter of Earl Hull Kean and Mary Catherine Koser). Pauline was born in Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Earl was born in Chambersburg, the son of Charles Allen/Albert Kean and Annie/Anna Mary Burkhart, whose father was German, with roots in Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg, Hessen, and whose maternal grandparents were ethnic Germans from Département du Bas-Rhin, Alsace. Ryan’s great-grandmother Mary Catherine was born in Newburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Charles Emerson Koser and Susan Anna/Susanna “Annie” Wagner.
Sources: Genealogies of Ryan Seacrest – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Ryan’s paternal grandparents, John Alton Seacrest and Virginia May (Robinson) Seacrest Glass – http://www.findagrave.com
Genealogies of Ryan’s maternal grandparents, Merle Elwood Zullinger and Pauline Edna (Kean) Zullinger – https://www.findagrave.com