Johnny Depp
Depp in 2008
Birth Name: John Christopher Depp II
Place of Birth: Owensboro, Daviess, Kentucky, United States
Date of Birth: June 9, 1963
Ethnicity: English, along with small/distant amounts of Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French/French-Canadian, Dutch, Flemish Belgian, and German, as well as 3/2048 African
Johnny Depp is an American actor, producer, and musician. He is the star of the films A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Platoon, Cry-Baby, Edward Scissorhands, Benny and Joon, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Ed Wood, Dead Man, Donnie Brasco, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Sleepy Hollow, Chocolat, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, The Libertine, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Public Enemies, Alice in Wonderland (2010), and its sequel; Dark Shadows (2012), The Lone Ranger (2013), Black Mass, and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and the series 21 Jump Street. Johnny was selected People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2003, and again in 2009. He has often worked with director Tim Burton. He is a member of rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires, with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. He also founded film production company Infinitum Nihil.
Johnny is the son of Betty Sue (Wells), a waitress, and John Christopher Depp, a civil engineer. He was raised partly in Miramar, Florida. He has two children, including actress and model Lily-Rose Depp, with his former partner, French singer, model, and actress Vanessa Paradis.
Much or most of Johnny’s ancestry traces back to England. He also has small amounts (to varying degrees) of Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, French-Canadian, Dutch, Flemish Belgian, and German, ancestry, as well as 3/2048 African ancestry (through Elizabeth Key Grinstead, who is his ancestor twice over). Johnny’s patrilineal line is generally traced to Pierre Deppe, a Huguenot, who was born, c. 1706, in France, and to Pierre’s wife, Angelica/Angeline LeVillian/le Villian.
Both of Johnny’s parents, as well as all of Johnny’s grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents, were born in Kentucky. Johnny has stated, on several occasions, that he has or likely has Native American ancestry (of varying tribes, most often Cherokee). For example:
I guess I have some Native American somewhere down the line… My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.
It does not appear that this Native American ancestry has been documented. All of Johnny’s grandparents and great-grandparents are listed as “White” on United States Censuses. No verified Native American ancestry has been produced for Johnny Depp.
LOS ANGELES – MAY 18: Depp arrives for “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” US Premiere in Hollywood, CA, 2017, photo by DFree
Johnny’s paternal grandfather was Oren Larry Depp (the son of Oren Richard Depp and Effie A. Palmore). Johnny’s grandfather Oren was born in Barren County, Kentucky. Johnny’s great-grandfather Oren was the son of John Burkes/Burks Depp and Mariba Elizabeth Reneau. Effie was the daughter of Andrew H. Palmore and Mary Elizabeth “Mollie” McCreary.
Johnny’s paternal grandmother was Violet Mattie Grinstead (the daughter of Robert Fauntleroy “Roy” Grinstead and Mary E. Bailey). Roy was the son of Christopher Tompkins Grinstead and Martha S. “Mattie” Sanders. Mary was the daughter of Joseph Taylor Bailey and Martha Ann Mansfield.
Johnny’s maternal grandfather was Walter Everett/Everette Wells (the son of Richard Mack/Mac Wells and Annie/Anna Cooper). Richard was the son of Commodore Perry Wells and Rebecca Ann “Beckie” Litteral/Little. Johnny’s great-grandmother Anna was the daughter of William M. “Bill” Cooper and Sallie/Sarah Kelly/Craft.
Johnny’s maternal grandmother was Bessie Whitaker (the daughter of Branch Whitaker and May/Mae Slone). Branch was the son of William C. Whitaker and Sirilda/Sarilda/Serilda Fletcher/Fletchet. May was the daughter of Wiley Slone and Amanda Bradley.
Johnny is descended from a woman, Martha, who was born in 1612, and who was of African descent. Martha had a daughter, Elizabeth Key Grinstead, married to William Grinstead, who were Johnny’s ancestors. Elizabeth’s father, Thomas Key, was caucasian, of English descent. Elizabeth was the first woman of African ancestry to successfully take legal action to free herself from slavery. This happened in 1656. Johnny is descended from Martha twice (on one family tree, she is both one of his eight times great-grandmothers, and one of his nine times great-grandmothers). That would mean that Johnny is of 3/2048 African ancestry.
Some family trees state that Johnny’s nine times great-grandmother was a woman named Nicketti Opechancanough, who is said to have been of Powhatan Native American ancestry. If true, that would make Johnny of 1/2048 Powhatan Native American descent. However, stories about her are believed to be a myth. Scholarly research and records dispute the existence of Nicketti Opechancanough.
Sources: Genealogies of Johnny Depp – https://famouskin.com
http://www.geni.com
http://www.genealogy.com
https://www.wikitree.com
Genealogy of Johnny’s paternal grandparents, Oren Larry Depp and Violet Mattie Grinstead – http://www.findagrave.com
Johnny’s paternal grandfather, Oren Larry Depp (“Laramore Depp”), on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s paternal grandmother, Violet Mattie Grinstead (“Violet M. Grinstead”), on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Christopher Tompkins Grinstead and Martha S. “Mattie” Sanders, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy and obituary of Johnny’s mother – https://www.findagrave.com
Johnny’s maternal grandfather, Walter Everett/Everette Wells (“Everette Wells”), on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s maternal great-grandmother, Annie/Anna (Cooper) Wells, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s maternal great-great-grandparents, William M. “Bill” Cooper and Sallie/Sarah Kelly/Craft, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s maternal grandmother, Bessie Whitaker, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Article about Johnny’s ancestor, Elizabeth (Key) Grinstead – http://www.womenhistoryblog.com
Any white with black hair and brown eyes, taking a super tan with oil in the body, seems to be descending Afro or Indian. But they are not, because when they marry the children remain white too. Look at some picture of Johnny when he was younger: the guy is white no doubt. Blacks and Indians generally have physical features with very thick noses and very thick faces, unlike those of Johnny Depp.
Oh shut up Obey. That is the most ignorant comment I’ve read yet. Africans and Indians have thick noses and thick faces? Have you seen every single African person in Africa? You sound very dumb. Lol
people on the internet seem to want to discount, or minimize any reference to celebrities being ethnic. this is happening with johnny depp, even though he says he is native himself, and with keanu reeves who said he is asian
Whatever dude, how he or anyone identifie is their own business, and how people perceive these or that person is also their business. But we have always to know for sure the ethnic background of a person, and it is with documented ancestry or DNA testing. Sure, pappers can lie and genetics are tricky, but it’s a better source of information than Just going “oh, this person thinks he is this and that, oh i think these person is this and that”… That being said, the only documented non-white ancestry that Depp has is an veeeeery distant one, It really does not change anything. I personally always thought he looked just white, there are a lot of english and french guys that look like him, but who knows, only with Dna testing we would know more, but i think is highly unlikely that he is less than 90% european…
I’ve been doing Genealogy work for quite a while now. Sometimes the Census Bureau makes a lot of Mistakes on Spelling, and Other Important details in the recording of information on people. Especially prior to 1950. Another issue that arises is people who aren’t even related to the family Creating Death Index Cards and either not entering the Correct or Incomplete information. I consider these people as VULTURES, because they wait outside of the Local Newspaper Company and or Funeral Homes for the Obituaries for the week so they can Create Death Index Cards. This is just a Numbers Game to them, or a Race if you will to see Who can Reach the Highest Quota.
When dealing with the documentation of Native American Ancestry, it’s best to go through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or Tribal Community Records. In Canada, if you want to find out information on the history of your Native American Ancestry, you have to Access the Aboriginal Records through the Library of Archives Ottawa, for the Ontario Region and Library of Archives Toronto for the Eastern Region. Before I cast Doubt on the Ethnicity or decide what Ethnicity I think or Believe Someone else should be, I would Do my Due Diligence and Investigate. Maybe it’s because someone is Uncertain about their own Ethnicity, so why not Doubt anyone else’s ?
he’s also a member of rock band Hollywood Vampires whose other members include Alice Cooper and Joe Perry
Whenever a white person has darker features: ”OMG he has to have jewish or spanish or african”
When a black person has obvious lighter features: ”Just black”
It’s obvious that this website is full of dumbasses, who are obsesses with looks and features, probably because they are ugly themselves..
I know people can’t believe Johnny doesn’t have Native American ancestry because they think he looks Native American, but he and Skeet Ulrich resemble each other. Skeet is probably Johnny’s closest look alike, and he’s also a WASP.
Some people said that Emory Cohen looks like Depp, but I guess they meant a light-complexioned version.
Also Thomas McDonell, but I don’t think they look that much alike.
Emory and Thomas are both handsome, but Thomas doesn’t look that much like Depp. I think people just said that because of his look – long (for a guy) dark hair, dark eyes, and I guess Native American-looking or rather what people think Natives look like.
I would say Skeet is the celebrity that resembles him most.
Johnny looks like Tommy Flanagan, who is Scottish (and part Irish, I think)
@Arny Diaz yes because black people are extremely diverse in skin tone and features without admixture
Very true haha
They try to find the beautiful ethnicity – obviouly the white one – and convince themselves they are pretty for belonging to a proud race. The fact is they belong to no race at all, as white people isn’t a race, and they remain ugly to themselves and to others in the end.
genealogy of Johnny’s maternal great-grandfather, Richard Mack Wells (focusing on his mother’s side): http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=ajobebrown&id=I44141