Kieran Culkin

Culkin in 2003, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Kieran Kyle Culkin

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

Date of Birth: September 30, 1982

Ethnicity: German, one quarter Norwegian, one eighth Irish, small amount of Swiss-French, more distant English and Swiss-German

Kieran Culkin is an American actor. His roles include the Home Alone franchise, Only the Lonely, Father of the Bride (1991), and its sequel; Nowhere to Run, My Summer Story, The Mighty (1998), She’s All That, Music of the Heart, The Cider House Rules, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Igby Goes Down, Lymelife, Paper Man, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Margaret (2011), Movie 43, Quitters, Wiener-Dog, Infinity Baby, No Sudden Move, and A Real Pain; television’s The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, Go Fish, Succession, Gaming Wall Street, Solar Opposites, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, the latter four in voice performance; as well as many works on stage.

He is the son of Patricia Brentrup, a road traffic controller, and actor Kit Culkin (Christopher Cornelius Culkin). Among his siblings are actors Macaulay Culkin and Rory Culkin. His aunt, father’s sister, is actress Bonnie Bedelia (Bonnie Bedelia Culkin). He was raised in Yorkville, Manhattan. Kieran is married to Jazz Charton, with whom he has two children.

Kieran’s father has German and one quarter Irish ancestry, with smaller amounts of English, Swiss-German, and Swiss-French. Kieran’s mother is of half German and half Norwegian descent.

His father gave most of his children Irish first names.

Kieran’s paternal grandfather was Philip Harley Culkin (the son of Philip Joseph Culkin and Amanda Juliette/Juliet Ferrier). Kieran’s grandfather Philip was born in New York. Kieran’s great-grandfather Philip was born in Michigan, the son of Irish parents, Philip Clemens Culkin and Margaret Ann Doyle. Amanda was born in Neuchâtel, Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, the daughter of Henri/Henry Ferrier and Rosine/Rosina Loeffel. Given the surnames Ferrier and Loeffel, it is likely that Amanda had Swiss-French and Swiss-German ancestry.

Kieran’s paternal grandmother was Marian Ethel Wagner (the daughter of Joseph Franklin Wagner and Ethel Lula Herrold). Marian was born in Indiana, and had German, including Alsatian German, and some English and Swiss-German, ancestry. Some of her family had lived in the United States since the 1600s. Joseph was the son of John Merritt Wagner, who was born in Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and of Rebecca Shellhammer/Shellhamer. Kieran’s great-grandmother Ethel was the daughter of Matthew Henry Herrold and Rosella/Rose Elizabeth Lusher.

Kieran’s maternal grandfather was Hubert Mathias Brentrup (the son of Johannes/John Maria Brentrup and Kathryn/Catherine Ann “Katie” Kirchen). Hubert was born in North Dakota. John was born in Rheda Wiedenbrück, Detmold, Germany, the son of Johannes/John Stephan Brentrup and Maria Elisabeth Schalk. Katie was born in Minnesota, to a German-born father, Mathias/Matthias Kirchen, from Philippsheim, Bitburg-Prumer Landkreis, Rheinland-Pfalz, and to a mother, Grace Wadenspanner, who was either born in Bavaria, Germany, or in the U.S., of German descent.

Kieran’s maternal grandmother was Mildred Doris “Millie” Narum (the daughter of Julius Olaf Narum and Inga Christine Jordet). Mildred was born in North Dakota. Julius was born in Minnesota, to Norwegian parents, Johan/Johannes Christiansen Narum, from Narum, Kolbu, Østre Toten, Oppland, and Eli Karine Hansdatter Teterud/Morterudhaugen, who was born in Morterudhaugen, Vestre Toten, Oppland. Kieran’s great-grandmother Inga was born in North Dakota, also to Norwegian parents, Ole Iversen Rotnem Jordet, from Jordet/Martegarden, Rotneim, Gol, Buskerud, and Mary/Margaret Farseth, who was also from Gol.

Sources: Genealogy of Kieran Culkin – https://www.geni.com

Genealogies and obituaries of Kieran’s maternal grandparents, Hubert Mathias Brentrup and Mildred Doris “Millie” (Narum) Brentrup – https://www.findagrave.com

Kieran’s maternal grandmother, Mildred Doris “Millie” Narum, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org