Creole

Lynn Whitfield

by Mixed Kidd on March 19, 2018

Lynn Whitfield – 5th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon – Arrivals – Beverly Hills Hotel – Beverly Hills, CA, USA – Keywords: Orientation: Portrait Face Count: 1 – False – Photo Credit: Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Birth Name: Lynn Butler-Smith

Place of Birth: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.

Date of Birth: May 6, 1953

Ethnicity: African-American, Louisiana Creole [African, French]

Lynn Whitfield is an American actress and producer. She began working in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film.

Lynn is the daughter of Jean (Butler), an officer of a finance agency, and Valerian Smith, a dentist. Lynn is African-American and Louisiana Creole.

Lynn has a daughter with her former husband, English-born director Brian Gibson. Her surname is from her first husband, Vantile Whitfield.

Source: https://kreolmagazine.com

Tagged as: African, African American, Creole, French, Louisiana Creole

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RuPaul

by stlucas on February 13, 2018

RuPaul – 2012 Critics’ Choice Television Awards – Arrivals – The Beverly Hilton Hotel – Beverly Hills, CA, USA – Keywords: Rupaul Andre Charles, Rupaul Charles Orientation: Portrait Face Count: 1 – False – Photo Credit: Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Birth Name: RuPaul Andre Charles

Place of Birth: San Diego, California, United States

Date of Birth: November 17, 1960

Ethnicity:
*African-American (father)
*Louisiana Creole [African, French, Swiss-German, possibly other] (mother)

RuPaul is an American drag queen, actor, model, singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. RuPaul is known for being the host of television series RuPaul’s Drag Race.

RuPaul is the son of Ernestine “Toni” (Fontenet/Fontenette) and Irving Andrew Charles. RuPaul’s parents are from Louisiana. His father was African-American and his mother was a Louisiana Creole. RuPaul is married to Georges LeBar, an Australian.

Two of RuPaul’s maternal ancestors were Andre Adrien Mercier, who was born, c. 1766, in Nantes, France; and Nicholas Wiltz, who was born, c. 1699, in Volkringen, Canton of Bern, Switzerland.

RuPaul has said:

My mother got the name [RuPaul] out of Ebony magazine. It was spelled Ripoll, but she’s Creole, so she made it into this saucy, Frenchy concoction.

RuPaul’s maternal grandfather was Felix “Bukey” Fontenet/Fontenette (the son of Felix Fontenette and Marie Louise Wiltz). Marie Louise was the daughter of François Leufroy Wiltz and Marie Amelie Mercier.

RuPaul’s maternal grandmother was Ernestine Girard/Gerard (the daughter of Joseph Gerard).

Sources: http://www.nytimes.com

Birth record of RuPaul – http://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of RuPaul’s maternal grandfather, Felix “Bukey” Fontenet/Fontenette – http://www.genealogy.com

Tagged as: African, African American, Creole, French, German, Louisiana Creole, Swiss, Swiss-German

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Chris Rene

by stlucas on December 3, 2017

 Chris Rene – “Jack and Jill” World Premiere – Arrivals – Regency Village Theatre – Westwood, CA, USA – Photo Credit: Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Birth Name: Christopher Noel Maurice René

Place of Birth: Santa Cruz, Riverside, California, United States

Date of Birth: December 25, 1982

Ethnicity:
*Louisiana Creole [African, French, German, Swiss-German, possibly other] (father)
*German, Swiss-German, English (mother)

Chris Rene is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. He is known for being a contestant on the first season of The X Factor USA.

Chris is the son of Joan G. (Sampson) and musician Rafael/Raphael Leon “Googie” René. His siblings are Mike, Gabriel, and Gina.

Chris’ father, who had been described as a Louisiana Creole, was of African-American, French, German, and Swiss-German descent. He was also said to have had Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this ancestry has been verified/documented.

Chris’ mother is pictured here. She has German, Swiss-German, and English ancestry.

Chris has stated:

Fun facts… about my heritage, which is Creole – that’s black and French. And German, Indian, Swiss. Not everybody knows that about me.

Chris has two children.

Chris’ paternal grandfather was music composer Leon T. René (the son of Otis Joseph René and Lelia Baumann). Otis was the son of Joseph René and Mary Caroline Plaisance/Pleasant. Lelia was the daughter of James Connor Baumann, whose parents were from Switzerland and Germany, and of Matilda/Madilda Johnson, who was listed as “Black” on the 1880 U.S. Census.

Chris’ paternal grandmother was Irma J. Jahncke (the daughter of Solomon Z. Thomas and Jennie). Irma was also from Louisiana. She was listed as “Mulatto” on the 1910 U.S. Census.

Chris’ maternal grandfather was Maurice Bradley Sampson (the son of Maurice/Morris B. Sampson and Annabel Bradley). Chris’ great-grandfather Maurice was the son of Henry J. Sampson and Josephine Barr. Annabel was the daughter of Watson Bradley and Eliza Lanker.

Chris’ maternal grandmother was Lois Bernice Schini (the daughter of Jacob Jay Schini and Edith Ellen Grayburn). Jacob was the son of Jacob Schini, whose parents were from Alsace-Lorraine, and of Elizabeth Schueller/Schneller, whose parents were from Felsberg, Switzerland. Edith was the daughter of Charles Frederick Grayburn and Praxcy Ann Garlick.

Sources: Genealogy of Chris Rene – http://www.geni.com

Birth record of Chris Rene – http://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Chris’ parents – http://www.familysearch.org

Chris’ mother on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Chris’ maternal grandmother, Lois Bernice Schini – https://www.geni.com

Tagged as: African, Creole, English, French, German, Louisiana Creole, Swiss, Swiss-German

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Ava DuVernay

by follers on November 11, 2017

Birth Name: Ava Marie DuVernay

Place of Birth: Long Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: August 24, 1972

Ethnicity: African-American, Louisiana Creole (African, French), distant Haitian

Ava DuVernay is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, film marketer, and film distributor.

She was born to Darlene and Joseph Marcel DuVernay III. She was raised by her mother and stepfather, Murray Maye, whom Ava considers to be her father. Murray was from Lowndes County, Alabama, and was the son of Cornelia and Percy Devon Maye.

Ava’s ancestry is African-American and Louisiana Creole (which consists of African and French).

A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2017) stated that Ava’s genetic ancestry is:

*57.3% African
*41.5% European

Among Ava’s paternal ancestors is Jacques Henry Glaudin, a white man, of French descent, who was born, c. 1779, in Haiti, and his wife, Magdeleine Clémence Auger, who was of mixed race background. The two left Haiti during the slave revolt of the 1790s, and lived in Cuba, before settling in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Ava’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Marcel DuVernay II (the son of Joseph Marcel DuVernay and Jeanne Eulalia Staes). Ava’s great-grandfather Joseph was the son of Frank Louis DuVernay and Victoria Frilot.

Ava’s paternal grandmother was Naomi Veronica Lockett (the daughter of Cornelius Lockett and Octavia Smith).

Ava’s maternal grandfather was William Marshall Sexton (the son of L. Z. Sexton).

Source: Genealogy of Ava’s paternal grandfather, Joseph Marcel DuVernay II (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.wikitree.com

Photo by Debby Wong/Bigstock.com

Tagged as: African, African American, Creole, French, Haitian, Louisiana Creole

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Suzanne Malveaux

by follers on November 9, 2017

Janine di Giovanni and Suzanne Malveaux – The International Women’s Media Foundation’s 27th Annual Courage in Journalism Awards Ceremony – Arrivals – Cipriani 42nd Street – New York City, NY, USA – Photo Credit: Laurence Agron / PRPhotos.com

Birth Name: Suzanne Maria Malveaux

Place of Birth: Lansing, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: December 4, 1966

Ethnicity: Louisiana Creole (African, French, Spanish), at least 1/1024 Algonquin First Nations

Suzanne Malveaux is an American news journalist. She works in television, on CNN.

Suzanne self-identifies as black.

She is the daughter of Myrna Maria (Ruiz) and Floyd Joseph Malveaux. Her parents are of Louisiana Creole descent. They both have African ancestry, along with French/French-Canadian, and some Spanish. She also has at least one Algonquin First Nations ancestor, her eight times great-grandmother Catherine Exipakinoa.

A picture of Suzanne’s father can be seen here. A picture of Suzanne with her mother can be seen here.

Among Suzanne’s siblings is Suzette M. Malveaux, a law professor. Suzanne’s father comes from a long line of free men of color, going back to at least the 1800s.

Suzanne has a daughter, who is adopted.

Suzanne’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Delton Malveaux (the son of Joseph Laurent “Lawrence” Malveaux and Héllène “Helen” Fauries). Suzanne’s great-grandfather Joseph was the son of Jean Baptiste Laurent Malveaux and Amélie Chrétien.

Suzanne’s paternal grandmother was Inez Mary Lemelle (the daughter of Joseph B. Lemelle and Elena Donatto). Joseph was the son of Noah/Nora Lemelle and Virginia Sanders. Elena was the daughter of Mary.

Suzanne’s maternal grandparents were John Flores Masion Ruiz (the son of John F. Ruiz and Anostesia/Anastasia Lacoste) and Lucille David.

Tagged as: African, African American, Algonquin, Creole, First Nations, French, French Canadian, Louisiana Creole, Spanish

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