Superstar Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is a proud Houston woman, but did you know she's also 1/32 Irish?
The chart-topper was born to an African-American father and a Creole mother.
Beyoncé's mother Tina, who was born in Texas, boasts African, Native American and Irish ancestry in her family.
Tina's maiden name is notably Beyincé, inspiring the name she bestowed upon her daughter. According to Kreol Magazine, Beyoncé's maternal grandparents were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia, 30 miles southeast of Lafayette.
Tina's family has roots in Spain, too. While Beyoncé herself does not speak French or Spanish, she has sung in Spanish before.
Matthew Knowles, Beyoncé's father, was born in Alabama. Her paternal grandparents lived in the state for generations.
It is believed that thirty-eight percent of African-Americans have some percentage of Irish DNA.
There is a history of intermarriage between the two communities in places such as New Orleans that dates back to a time when African-American men had a life expectancy of 14 years while Irish-American men lived to 31. At the time, African-American women had an average life expectancy of 36 while Irish women could only be expected to live to 18.
Read More: Black Irish Identities: The complex relationship between Irish and African Americans
Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, Eddie Murphy, and Billie Holiday are some notable public figures who have traces of Irish DNA or Irish ancestors.
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