Who are the American presidents who had foreign born parents?
Five American presidents, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Jefferson, James Buchanan, Chester Arthur and Herbert Hoover had one immigrant parent each. Andrew Jackson is the only American president who grew up with two immigrant parents. President Barack Obama is the seventh American president to have a foreign born parent.
- Parents of the seventh president of the U.S. Andrew Jackson, Andrew Jackson Sr. and Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson, were immigrants. They immigrated to the American colonies from Northern Ireland due to political unrest and religious persecution.
- The 28th American president Woodrow Wilson had an immigrant parent. His mother Jessie Janet Woodrow, was born in Carlisle, England.
- Jane Randolph Jefferson, the mother of Thomas Jefferson, the third American president and one of the Founding Fathers, was born in London.
- Parents of James Buchanan, the 15th American president, James Buchanan, Sr. and Elizabeth Speer, were of Ulster Scots decent. Buchanan, Sr. was an immigrant, born in Ireland.
- Chester Arthur, who served as the 21st president of the U.S., is the son of William Arthur, who emigrated from Northern Ireland.
- Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the U.S., had an immigrant parent. Hoover’s mother, Hulda Randall Minthorn was born in Canada.
- President Barack H. Obama, the 41st president of the U.S., was born to Stanley Ann Dunham and Barack Obama, Sr., who was from Nyang’oma Kogelo, Kenya.
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