Melanie Griffith

Griffith in 2012, photo credit: Prphotos.com

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 9, 1957

Ethnicity:
*father – English, as well as Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, and Scottish
*mother – Swedish, German, Norwegian

Melanie Griffith is an American actress. She is the daughter of Peter Griffith and actress Tippi Hedren. Her half-sister is actress Tracy Griffith. Her father had English, and smaller amounts of Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, and Scottish, ancestry. Her mother is of half Swedish, one quarter German, and one quarter Norwegian, ancestry.

Melanie has three children, a son with her former husband, actor Steven Bauer; a daughter, actress Dakota Johnson, with her former husband, actor Don Johnson; and a daughter, actress Stella Banderas, with her former husband, Spanish actor Antonio Banderas.

Melanie’s paternal grandfather was Benjamin Elmer Griffith (the son of William Thomas Griffith and Rosa Bond). Benjamin was born in Maryland. William was the son of Abraham Griffith and Ellen M. Gent. Rosa was the daughter of Thomas Bond and Isabella Shugars.

Melanie’s paternal grandmother was Hilda Atwill (the daughter of Robert Clarence Atwill and Lucy Jane McClure). Hilda was born in Maryland. Lucy was the daughter of Albert McClure and Mary Ann Whittle.

Melanie’s maternal grandfather was Carl Bernard “Ben” Hedren (the son of Mattias/Mathias J. Hedren and Maria/Marie Wilhelmina/Vilhelmina/Wilhelmine Flygare). Carl was born in Bernadotte, Nicollet, Minnesota, to Swedish parents. Mattias was born in Vinsater, Jarbo, Dalsland, the son of Olof Jonasson and Kristina/Christina Andersdotter Floberg. Maria was born in Finnatorp, Norra Ving, Vastergotland, the daughter of Petter Johansson Flygare and Kristina/Christina Maria Jansdotter.

Melanie’s maternal grandmother was Dorothea Henriette/Henrietta Eckhardt (the daughter of Charles “Charley” Eckhardt and Julia Strand). Dorothea was born in Boyd, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. Charles was born in New York, to German parents, Frederick Eckhardt and Amelia Stubbe, who was from Hanover. Julia was born in Minnesota, to Norwegian parents, Lars E. Strand and Austine F. Moen.

Sources: Genealogies of Melanie Griffith – http://www.wargs.com
https://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com

Genealogy of Melanie Griffith (through her daughter Dakota Johnson) – http://famouskin.com

Melanie’s maternal great-grandfather, Charles “Charley” Eckhardt, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org