Olivia de Havilland
Birth Name: Olivia Mary De Havilland
Date of Birth: July 1, 1916
Place of Birth: Tokyo, Empire of Japan
Date of Death: 26 July, 2020
Place of Death: Paris, France
Ethnicity: English, one quarter Guernsey Channel Islander, some Anglo-Irish
Olivia De Havilland was a British actress. She twice won the Academy Award for Best Actress, for To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949).
She was the sister of actress Joan Fontaine. Olivia was born in Tokyo, Japan, to English-born parents, Lillian Fontaine (born Lillian Augusta Ruse), an actress, and Walter Augustus de Havilland, a patent attorney and professor. Her paternal grandfather was from a family from Guernsey, in the Channel Islands. Her other ancestry includes English and some Anglo-Irish. She was a cousin of Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, an aircraft designer and founder of the de Havilland aircraft company.
Olivia had a son with her former husband, Navy veteran, journalist, and author Marcus Goodrich; and a daughter with her former husband, Pierre Galante, an executive editor for the magazine Paris Match.
Olivia’s paternal grandfather was Charles Richard de Havilland (the son of Charles Fiott de Havilland and Marthe/Martha Saumarez/Sausmarez). Olivia’s grandfather Charles was born in Bath, Somerset, England. Olivia’s great-grandfather Charles was born on Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, the son of Peter de Havilland and Carterette Fiott. Marthe was also born on Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, the daughter of Richard Saumarez/de Saumarez and Marthe/Martha Le Mesurier.
Olivia’s paternal grandmother was Margaret Letitia Molesworth (the daughter of John Molesworth and Louisa/Louise Tomkyns/Tompkyns). Margaret was born in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. John was born in Ireland, the son of Richard Molesworth and Catherine Cobb, who was English. Richard’s grandfather was Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth. Louisa was the daughter of The Rev. Dr. Tompkyns.
Olivia’s maternal grandfather was Alfred Joseph Bunning Ruse (the son of Joseph Surridge Ruse and Mary Bunning). Alfred was born in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, England. Olivia’s great-grandfather Joseph was the son of William Ruse and Mary Surridge. Olivia’s great-grandmother Mary Bunning was the daughter of Joseph Bunning and Mary Stephenson.
Olivia’s maternal grandmother was Mary Jane Hockin (the daughter of Thomas Hockin and Elizabeth Jane Hawkins). Mary Jane was born in Brighton, Sussex, England. Thomas was the son of William Hockin. Elizabeth was the daughter of Edward Dowle Hawkins.
Sources: Genealogies of Olivia de Havilland – http://www.wikitree.com
https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Olivia de Havilland (focusing on her father’s side) – http://famouskin.com
Who are the Channel Islanders most genetically similar to? The French or the English?
You see French surnames. French?
I myself am from Guernsey and a lot of my relatives are, too. Their ancestry results typically show about 60 percent England and Northwestern Europe and the rest is other British Isle locations. Perhaps about 15 percent French on average. Guernsey has been British since 1066.
Don’t always assume a surname means anything.
Also regions in DNA tests can mean nothing. They group together “French&German”, so go figure.
Please add a link to her sister, Joan Fontaine