Anthony Kiedis

Kiedis in 2011, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Place of Birth: Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: November 1, 1962

Ethnicity: Lithuanian (paternal grandfather), Dutch, French-Canadian, English, Irish, Scottish, German, distant French Huguenot, Swiss-German, and Welsh

Anthony Kiedis is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is known as the lead singer of rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Other members of the band include/have included Flea, John Frusciante, Josh Klinghoffer, Dave Navarro, and Chad Smith.

Anthony is the son of Margaret Idema and Blackie Dammett (born John Michael Kiedis), an actor and author. Anthony has a son with his former partner, model Heather Christie.

His paternal grandfather’s parents were Lithuanian. His other ancestry includes Dutch, French-Canadian, English, Irish, Scottish, German, and distant French Huguenot, Swiss-German, and Welsh.

In his autobiography, Scar Tissue, 2004, Anthony wrote that his paternal grandmother Molly Vanderveen’s ancestry was “a pastiche of English, Irish, French and Dutch (and, as we’ve recently discovered, some Mohican blood, which explains my interest in Native American culture and identification with Mother Earth).” In his autobiography, Lords of the Sunset Strip: An Autobiography (2013), Anthony’s father Blackie Dammett wrote that Anthony’s grandmother “was a Duchess in the Dutch city of Grand Rapids, a symphony of French-Canadian, English, Irish, Algonquian Native American and her Netherlandic origins that traced all the way back to 1066. In the 17th century, some of our more radical Vander Veens risked the whole kit and caboodle when they embarked on a treacherous voyage to find their own new land of opportunity. After first settling in New Amsterdam, my direct descendents migrated to upstate New York and intermarried with Mohican Indians.”

It is not clear if this Mohican Native American and/or Algonquian Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.

Anthony is also said to have Spanish ancestry. It is not clear if this Spanish ancestry has been verified/documented.

Anthony’s paternal grandfather was John Alden Kiedis (the son of Antanas “Anthony/Anton” Kiedis and Julija V. “Julia” Ramanauskaitė, later Kiedienė). Antanas and Julija were Lithuanian emigrants, from Tauragė. Julija was the daughter of Augustas “August” Ramanauskas and Anna Strumbras.

Anthony’s paternal grandmother was Molly/Mollie Rose Vanderveen/Vander Veen (the daughter of Richard Box/D. Vanderveen/Vander Veen and Catharine/Catherine Alzina Lauzon). Molly was born in Michigan. Richard was born in Michigan, to a Dutch father, Christiaan Vanderveen, and to an American-born mother, Maria Louisa Taylor, who was from New Jersey. Catharine was Canadian, and was the daughter of Augustine H. Lauzon, who was French-Canadian, from Québec, and of Elizabeth Louisa Alyea, who had English, Irish, Dutch, and distant French Huguenot, ancestry.

Anthony’s maternal grandfather was William R./F. A. Noble (the son of William J. Noble and Edith/Elizabeth M. Burmaster). Anthony’s grandfather William was born in Michigan. Anthony’s great-grandfather William was born in Michigan, the son of T. A. Noble and Elizabeth Bixton, who was Irish. Edith was born in New York, the daughter of Charles Burmaster and Dora Griffin, who were German.

Anthony’s maternal grandmother was Mary G. McCully (the daughter of Highland/Hiland Emmett McCully and Desire/Dessie E. Skidmore). Mary was born in Michigan. Highland was the son of Phillip J. McCully and Hannah Maria Smith. Desire was the daughter of Nathan J. Skidmore and Mary A. Smitley/Smithley.

Sources: Mention of Anthony’s Lithuanian ancestry – http://www.baltic-course.com

Death record of Anthony’s paternal grandfather, John Alden Kiedis – https://www.familysearch.org

Anthony’s paternal great-grandparents, Antanas “Anthony/Anton” Kiedis and Julija V. “Julia” Ramanauskaitė/Kiedienė, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Anthony’s paternal great-grandfather, Antanas “Anthony/Anton” Kiedis – https://www.findagrave.com

Anthony’s paternal grandmother, Molly/Mollie Rose Vanderveen/Vander Veen, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Anthony’s paternal great-grandparents, Richard Box/D. Vanderveen/Vander Veen and Catharine/Catherine Alzina Lauzon, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Anthony’s paternal great-grandfather, Richard Box/D. Vanderveen/Vander Veen – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Anthony’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Louisa Alyea – https://www.geni.com

Anthony’s maternal grandfather, William R./F. A. Noble, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Anthony’s maternal great-grandparents, William J. Noble and Edith/Elizabeth M. Burmaster – https://www.familysearch.org

Anthony’s maternal grandmother, Mary G. McCully, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org