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, Austrian and/or German, possibly Czech
*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, Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and My Fair Lady, among others.
Audrey’s father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, was born in Úžice/Auschiz, Bohemia, and was of English and Austrian and/or German, as well as possibly Czech, descent.
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 1/128 French ancestry, as well as remote 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 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. No Jewish ancestors have of yet been verified/documented for Audrey’s family.
Audrey’s paternal grandfather was Victor John George Ruston (the son of John Joseph Ruston and, evidently, of Barbara Victoria Belha). Audrey’s great-grandfather John was English, and is usually stated as having been born in London or in Poplar, near London, the son of John J. Ruston.
Audrey’s paternal grandmother was Anna Juliana/Julianna Franziska/Francisca Karolina/Carolina Wels/Wells/Welsová (the daughter of Antonius/Anton Wels/Wells and Carolina Schütz). Anna was born in Kovarce, south-western Slovakia, and was of Austrian and/or German descent.
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 Franziska Karolina Wels/Wells/Welsová – http://www.pitt.edu
https://mynitra.sme.sk
Baptismal record of Audrey’s paternal grandmother, Anna Juliana Franziska Karolina Wels/Wells/Welsová – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Audrey Hepburn (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com
If any of the moderators or people who do the write ups for people on here read this, Audrey once said she was”Half Irish/Half Dutch” when asked about her background. Though it seems like she doesn’t have any family origins in Ireland whatsoever.
Here’s the article: https://us.hola.com/celebrities/2018012219879/audrey-hepburn-biography-facts/
Here’s the quote: “I’m half-Irish, half-Dutch and I was born in Belgium. If I was a dog, I’d be in a hell of a mess!” she joked of her background.”
According to Bertrand Meyer-Stabley’s biography “La véritable Audrey Hepburn”, John Joseph Ruston had Irish and Scottish origins and Barbara Victoria Belha was a “rich Austrian”.
Her maternal grandfather Aarnoud 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
Her paternal grandmother was German, according to this tree: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/M4WL-7LK
“Weltz” was the original family name. From Mainz.
Keltic-Nordid with an Alpinoid-Cro-Magnon influence
I understand that she isn’t half dutch, but to me she looks too dark to be dutch.
—
I don’t see why her ancestors from Czechoslovakia are labeled “Austrian” just because the country was part of Austria-Hungary. I think they probably identified as Germans, and German-speakers from that part of the world are usually called Germans rather than Austrians.
Also, “Belha” sounds like a Czech surname. It appears that more Czechs than Germans or Austrians carries it:
https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3ABelha~
http://www.namespedia.com/details/Belha
http://forebears.io/surnames/belha
Well, I don’t know, who is considered an Austrian then?
Is there any more input on this, from biographies or other people here? Bablah?
People from the territory known as Austria (+Tyrol)?
I’m just saying, they are usually refered to as Germans (i.e. Sudeten Germans). But Kovarce and Bavory are actually closer to Austria, so I don’t know…
Also, are her paternal ancestors verified? I’m asking because I’ve seen conflicting information in genealogies. The names “Kathleen Hepburn”, “Isabella Elisabeth Hepburn”, and “Hannah Watson” appear in some, and others don’t list any (or few) ancestors beyond her paternal grandparents.
http://geneagraphie.com/pedigree.php?personID=I21623&tree=1
http://fabpedigree.com/s077/f043462.htm
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=tlw091215&id=I024294
I don’t know about her genealogy. More input and information needed.
I found some material on Slovak sites.
https://mynitra.sme.sk/c/4860187/korene-herecky-audrey-hepburnovej-siahaju-do-kovariec.html
Anna Wels/Wells > Anna Welsová
Also add that Katherine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn were not related
Are you sure Welsová is accurate? They also write “Audrey Hepburnovej”.
They’re talking about this baptism
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNC-XD2X
These people were either German or Austrian. It says the family previously lived in Moravia.
Just to correct the transcription
Carolina Schutz -> Carolina Schütz
What about that Belha line?
Sorry, don’t know.
I asked because I’m wondering which parts of “Dutch (including Frisian), English, Austrian and/or Czech and/or Slovak and/or German, 1/256 French” I should keep.
I think Slovak can go, since we’ve concluded that her ancestors fro m Slovakia are in fact Germanic, and haven’t even lived in Slovakia for that long. Czech should be separated if you think that Belha line is Czech (it’s possible).
So something like ”Dutch (including Frisian), English, Austrian and/or German, 1/256 French, possibly Czech”