Maria Shriver

Shriver in 2004, Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Maria Owings Shriver

Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Date of Birth: November 6, 1955

Ethnicity:
*father – German, Irish, small amounts of Scottish, English, Dutch, and French Huguenot
*mother – Irish, remote Scottish

Maria Shriver is an American journalist, activist, and writer.

Maria is the daughter of Eunice Mary (Kennedy) and Sargent Shriver (Robert Sargent Shriver). Her father was the 1st Director of the Peace Corps, from March 22, 1961 to February 28, 1966, the U.S. Ambassador to France, from April 22, 1968 to March 25, 1970, and the Democratic Party’s nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1972. Her uncles, her mother’s brothers, were John F. Kennedy, who was President of the United States, from January 20, 1961 to November 22, 1963, Robert F. Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy, both of whom were also politicians, and her aunt (mother’s sister) was activist and humanitarian Jean Kennedy Smith, who was Ambassador to Ireland, from June 24, 1993 to September 17, 1998. She is a first cousin of environmental lawyer, author, radio host, and politician Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and journalist John F. Kennedy, Jr.; and a first cousin, once removed, of politician Joe Kennedy III and designer and author Jack Schlossberg. Maria has four children with her former husband, actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, including author Katherine Schwarzenegger and actor, model, and entrepreneur Patrick Schwarzenegger. Katherine is married to actor Chris Pratt.

Maria is of German, Irish, as well as small amounts of Scottish, English, Dutch, and French Huguenot, descent on her father’s side, and of Irish, and remote Scottish, descent on her mother’s side.

Maria’s patrilineal line can be traced to Lorenz Schreiber, who was born, c. 1630, in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.

Maria’s paternal grandfather was Robert Sargent Shriver (the son of Henry Shriver and Sarah Sargent Van Lear Perry). Robert was born in Maryland. Henry was the son of Joseph Shriver and Henrietta Jane Cansten. Sarah was the daughter of Thomas Johns Perry and Maria/Mary Louisa/Louise Van Lear.

Maria’s paternal grandmother was Hilda Shriver (the daughter of Thomas Herbert Shriver and Elizabeth Rosalia/Rosalie Lawson). Hilda was born in Maryland. Thomas was the son of William Shriver and Mary Margaret Josephine Owings/Owing. Elizabeth was the daughter of Robert Lawson and Margaret Quinn.

Maria’s maternal grandfather was Joseph Patrick “Joe” Kennedy (the son of P. J. Kennedy, Patrick Joseph Kennedy, and of Mary Augusta Hickey). Maria’s grandfather Joseph was born in East Boston, now Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, and was a businessperson, investor, and politician. Maria’s great-grandfather P. J. was a businessperson and politician, who was the son of Patrick Kennedy and Bridget Murphy, who were from Dunganstown, County Wexford, Ireland. Maria’s great-grandmother Mary was the daughter of James Hickey, who was from Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, Ireland, and of Margaret Martha Field, who was from Rosscarbery, County Cork, Ireland.

Maria’s paternal grandmother was Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald (the daughter of John Francis “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald and Mary Josephine “Josie” Hannon). Rose was born in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, and was a philanthropist and socialite. Maria’s great-grandfather John was born in Massachusetts, and was a Democratic politician, who served as Mayor of Boston, from January 1, 1906 to January 6, 1908, and again, from February 7, 1910 to February 2, 1914; and as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts, from March 4, 1895 to March 3, 1901, and again, from March 4, 1919 to October 23, 1919; he was the son of Thomas Fitzgerald and Rosanna Cox, who were born in Co. Limerick, Ireland. Maria’s great-grandmother Mary Josephine was the daughter of Michael Hannon, who was born in Lough Gur, Ireland, and of Mary Ann Fitzgerald, who was from Bruff, Limerick, Ireland.

Sources: Genealogies of Maria Shriver – https://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com

Genealogies of Maria’s parents – https://www.findagrave.com

Maria’s paternal great-grandmother, Elizabeth Rosalia/Rosalie Lawson, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Maria’s mother (through her own brother, John F. Kennedy) – http://famouskin.com

Maria’s maternal grandmother, Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Notes on the ancestry of Maria’s maternal grandmother, Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald – http://www.americanancestors.org
http://www.familytreecircles.com