Anya Taylor-Joy

Taylor-Joy in 2015, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Anya-Josephine Taylor-Joy

Place of Birth: Miami, Florida, U.S.

Date of Birth: April 16, 1996

Ethnicity: English, Scottish, one quarter Catalan Spanish, distant French and Irish

Anya Taylor-Joy is an Argentinian and British actress and model. She has starred in the films The VVitch, Morgan, Barry (2016), Split, Thoroughbreds, Marrowbone, Glass, Playmobil: The Movie, Radioactive (2019), Emma. (2020), Here Are the Young Men, The New Mutants, Last Night in Soho, The Northman, The Menu, Amsterdam, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, in voice performance; and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; and on the series Atlantis, The Miniaturist, Peaky Blinders, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, in voice role; and The Queen’s Gambit.

She was born in Miami, Florida, then grew up in Argentina, and moved to London, England, at age six. Her name Anya is Russian. Her parents, Jennifer Joy and Dennis Taylor, are conservationists. She is fluent in Spanish. Anya is married to American musician and actor Malcolm McRae, who is the frontman of rock band More*.

Anya’s father, a banker, was raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, by his English-born father and Buenos Aires-born mother, both of whom were of Scottish and English descent. Dennis has an MBE and the OBE.

Anya’s mother, a psychologist, was born and raised in Zambia, Africa, the daughter of an English diplomat father and a Catalan Spanish mother. She was raised partly in London, with her own parents, Anya’s grandparents, eventually moving to Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. A picture of Anya with her mother can be seen here. Through her maternal grandfather, Anya is a descendant of Henry Cromwell (1628-1674), who was Lord Deputy of Ireland, and of his father, statesman Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658). Her grandfather had distant French and Irish ancestry.

Anya’s paternal grandfather was Alfred Royal Taylor (the son of Henry William Taylor and Janette/Jeannette Liddle McDonald). Alfred was born in Romford, Essex, England, and lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Henry was the son of John Taylor and Caroline Howell. Janette was born in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland, the daughter of William Robertson and Jessie McDonald.

Anya’s paternal grandmother was Violet Mary Forrest (the daughter of Alexander Gibson Forrest and Mabel Carter). Violet was born in Buenos Aires. Alexander was born in Pettinain, Lanark, Scotland, the son of George Forrest and Mary MacMinn/McMinn. Mabel was born in Reading, England, the daughter of George Thomas Carter and Annie Wheeler.

Anya’s maternal grandfather was David Joy (the son of Harold Oliver Joy and Doris Kate Buxton). David was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, and was a British Crown Civil Service officer/diplomat. Harold was the son of Leopold Oliver de Blaquiere Joy, who was born in Akron, Ohio, U.S., to English parents, from Kent, and had a small amount of Irish and French ancestry; and of Leah Crossley. Doris was the daughter of George Earl/Earle Buxton and Frances/Fanny Elizabeth Harmer.

Anya’s maternal grandmother is Montserrat Morancho Saumench (the daughter of Ángel Morancho Garreta and Marina Josefa/Josefa Marina Saumench Castells). Montserrat was born in Barcelona, Spain.

Anya has said:

…the political situation in Argentina was getting so dire that [my parents] wanted their children to grow up in an environment without fear. We all really resented them for [leaving Argentina] and now we look back, we’re like thank you so much because they gave us such an opportunity in life.

Sources: http://www.interviewmagazine.com
http://www.goldenglobes.com
https://www.youtube.com
https://www.culturalweekly.com

Genealogy of Anya Taylor-Joy – https://www.geni.com

Article about Anya’s mother’s family – https://thecanadian.news

Anya’s paternal grandfather, Alfred Royal Taylor, on the 1911 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Anya’s paternal great-grandfather, Alexander Gibson Forrest – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Anya’s paternal great-great-grandparents, George Thomas Carter and Annie Wheeler – https://www.familysearch.org