Roots of the Well Known Roots of the Well Known.President Obama retraced some of his lesser-known ancestral roots to a village in Ireland .. One of the president's maternal great-great-great-grandfathers was a shoemaker who immigrated to the United States during the height of a crisis in his homeland. Crowds packed the streets to hear Obama speak as he kicked off a four-nation tour of Europe Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler had some interesting finds in his family tree, according to DNA research. The revelation underscores the surprises many people often uncover when researching their genealogy. See what you can dig up about your own family. Lionel Richie When Lionel Richie retraced his roots, he had a little help from a certain TV show. The legendary musician has ties to an old civil rights organization dating back to 1897 through his great-grandfather. Learn interesting facts about other famous family trees. Vanessa Williams The award-winning actress and former beauty queen has roots i...