Krysten Ritter

"Jessica Jones" Series Premiere - Arrivals

Ritter in 2015, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Krysten Alyce Ritter

Place of Birth: Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Date of Birth: December 16, 1981

Ethnicity: German, English, Scottish

Krysten Ritter is an American actress, director, musician, author, and model. Her roles include the series Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, Breaking Bad, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, superhero Jessica Jones in the series of the same name, and later in The Defenders; and Love & Death, and the films 27 Dresses, What Happens in Vegas, Confessions of a Shopaholic, She’s Out of My League, Life Happens, which she also wrote, Vamps, Listen Up Philip, Big Eyes, The Hero (2017), and Nightbooks.

She is the daughter of Kathi and Gary Ritter. She was raised in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania. Krysten has a son with her former partner, musician Adam Granduciel.

Her surname is German.

Krysten’s paternal grandfather was Harry L. Ritter (the son of William McClellan/Mac Ritter and Hellen/Helen Alberta/Elberta Shipman). Harry was born in West Virginia. William was the son of Harry Bertram Ritter and Dora Ethel Williams. Hellen was the daughter of Earnest LaRue Shipman and Mable/Mabel Florence Smith.

Krysten’s paternal grandmother is named Shirley A. Shaffer.

Krysten’s maternal grandfather was Grover James Howard Payne (the son of William Hamilton Payne and Ollie Beatrice Carroll). Grover was born in West Virginia. William was the son of George Waldon Payne and Estelle Martisha Day. Ollie was the daughter of James A. Carroll/Carrell and Martha Washington Pippin.

Krysten’s maternal grandmother was Betty Lou Hill (the daughter of William Moody Hill and Mattie Mae Bailey). Betty was born in West Virginia. Mattie was the daughter of John Wallace Bailey and Vada Gearles or McKinney.

Sources: Krysten’s paternal grandfather, Harry L. Ritter, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary, and genealogy, of Krysten’s paternal grandfather, Harry L. Ritter (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com

Obituary of Krysten’s paternal grandfather, Harry L. Ritter – http://www.mcmichaelfuneralhome.com

Krysten’s paternal great-grandmother, Hellen/Helen Alberta Shipman, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Krysten’s paternal great-great-grandfather, Earnest LaRue Shipman, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Krysten’s maternal grandfather, Grover James Howard Payne – http://obituaries.expressionstributes.com

Genealogy of Krysten’s maternal grandmother, Betty Lou (Hill) Payne (focusing on her own mother’s side) – http://www.findagrave.com

30 Responses

  1. brt says:

    By the way Ritter is also a Jewish name

  2. brt says:

    It says here she has a father of Dutch ethnicity and A mother of Jewish ancestry in this article about her. http://www.celebritybeliefs.com/krysten-ritter/

    How reliable is this source?

  3. Jason 7 says:

    Does she have any Pennsylvania German ancestry (colloquially called “Pennsylvania Dutch”)?

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