Audrey Hepburn

Hepburn in trailer for ”Roman Holiday”, 1953

Birth Name: Audrey Kathleen Ruston

Date of Birth: 4 May, 1929

Place of Birth: Ixelles, Belgium

Date of Death: 20 January, 1993

Place of Death: Tolochenaz, Vaud, Switzerland

Ethnicity:
*father – English, Czech, one quarter Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – Dutch [including Frisian], as well as 1/128th French, remote English

Audrey Hepburn was a Belgian-born, Dutch-raised, British actress, model, dancer, and humanitarian. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Roman Holiday (1953). Her films also include Sabrina (1954), Funny Face, The Nun’s Story, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade, My Fair Lady, Wait Until Dark, and Robin and Marian. She appeared in the documentary series Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn. She often worked with UNICEF, and was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Audrey’s father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, was born in Úžice/Auschiz, Bohemia, and was of English, Czech, and at least one quarter Ashkenazi Jewish, descent. He was Honorary British Consul in Semarang in the Dutch East Indies, and worked for a trading company and a loan company. He later changed his surname to Hepburn-Ruston, though there is no evidence of a Hepburn name in his family tree. Through him, Audrey was a British citizen.

Audrey’s mother, Ella, Baroness van Heemstra, was Dutch. Audrey’s mother was of almost entirely Dutch descent, including Frisian, and had some remote non-Dutch roots; Audrey’s mother had 1/128th French ancestry, as well as English roots on a similarly distant level. Audrey had stated that she was of half Irish and half Dutch descent, though she was evidently not of Irish ancestry.

Audrey spent time in Belgium, England, and the Netherlands during her childhood, including attending boarding school in Kent, England, in the late 1930s. She was in the Netherlands during WWII, and performed ballet to raise money for the Dutch Resistance. She studied ballet after the war. Audrey had a son, producer and writer Sean Hepburn Ferrer, with her former husband, American actor, director, and producer Mel Ferrer; and a son with her former husband, Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti. Audrey’s granddaughter is model and artist Emma Ferrer.

Audrey was sometimes said to have some degree of Jewish ancestry on her mother‘s side. This does not appear to be accurate.

Audrey’s paternal grandfather was Victor John George Ruston (the son of Joseph John Ruston and Barbara Victoria Belha). Joseph was English, and is usually stated as having been born in London or in Poplar, near London, the son of John Joseph Ruston and Ann Smith.

Audrey’s paternal grandmother was Anna Juliana/Julianna Franziska/Francisca Karolina/Carolina Wels/Wells/Welsová (the daughter of Johann Anton Wels/Wedeles and Carolina Clara Schütz). Anna was born in Kovarce, south-western Slovakia. Johann was born in Prague, Czechia, the son of Jewish parents, Nathan Wedeles and Judith Julie Porges. Carolina was born in Zářečí, Březová Nad Svitavou, Czechia, the daughter of Karl Wenzel Ignatz Schütz and Franziska Josepha Burschwal.

Audrey’s maternal grandfather was Aarnoud Jan/Johan Anne Aleid, Baron van Heemstra (the son of Willem Hendrik Johan, Baron van Heemstra, and of Wilhelmina/Wilhelmine Cornelia de Beaufort). Aarnoud was born in Vreeland, Utrecht. He was a nobleman, jurist, and politician, who served as mayor of Arnhem, from 1910 to 1920, and Royal Governor of Suriname, twice, between 1921 and 1928. Audrey’s great-grandfather Willem was the son of Frans Julius Johan van Heemstra, Baron van Heemstra, and of Henriëtta Philippina/Philippine Jacoba, Baroness van Pallandt. Wilhelmina was the daughter of Arnoud Jan de Beaufort and Anna Aleida Stoop.

Audrey’s maternal grandmother was Elbrig Wilhelmina/Wilhelmine Henriette, Baroness van Asbeck (the daughter of Gerrit Ferdinand, Baron van Asbeck, and of Caroline/Carolina van Hogendorp/Hoogendorp). Elbrig was born in Almelo, Almelo, Overijssel. Gerrit was the son of Tjalling Minne Watze van Asbeck, tot Bergen en Munsterhausen, and of Elbrig Roos van Bienema. Caroline was the daughter of Graaf Dirk/Willem van Hogendorp/Hoogendorp and Marianne Cathérine van Hogendorp.

One of Audrey’s maternal six times great-grandfathers, Henri Collot D’Escury, was French. One of Audrey’s maternal eight times great-grandfathers, George Clifford, was English. Adurey’s mother had another line of English ancestry on a similarly distant level.

Audrey’s matrilineal line can be traced to her great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, Clara Maria Christoffers.

Sources: Genealogies of Audrey Hepburn – http://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com
http://geneagraphie.com
http://fabpedigree.com

Information on Audrey’s paternal grandmother, Anna Juliana/Julianna Franziska/Francisca Karolina/Carolina Wels/Wells/Welsová – http://www.pitt.edu
https://mynitra.sme.sk

Baptismal record of Audrey’s paternal grandmother, Anna Juliana/Julianna Franziska/Francisca Karolina/Carolina Wels/Wells/Welsová – https://familysearch.org