Beck

Beck in 2005, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Bek Campbell

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: July 8, 1970

Ethnicity: English, Irish, Scottish, one eighth Swedish, one eighth Ashkenazi Jewish (matrilineal)

Beck is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. He is the son of Bibbe Hansen, a performance artist, musician, and actress, and David Richard Campbell, an arranger, composer, and conductor, who was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Beck has two children with his former wife, actress Marissa Ribisi.

Beck’s paternal grandfather was David Warren Campbell (the son of David Campbell and Mary Ann Willoughby). Beck’s grandfather David was from Winnipeg, and was a Presbyterian minister. Beck’s great-grandfather David was the son of Scottish parents, David Blake Campbell and Margaret Allen. Mary Ann was the daughter of James Willoughby, who was Irish, and of Elizabeth Gregory, whose parents were also Irish.

Beck’s paternal grandmother was Noreen/Norean Lyle Reid (the daughter of Stanley Richard Reid and Elsie Elenor Newman). Norean was born in Manitoba, Canada. Stanley was born in Manitoba, the son of Ontario-born parents, William Henry Reid, whose parents were English, and Margaret/Margret Melissa Darling, who was of at least half Irish descent. Elsie was the daughter of John Thomas Newman and Eliza Jane Dundass, who was English.

Beck’s maternal grandfather was Alfred Earl “Al” Hansen (born Alfred Duckworth, the son of Franklin T. Duckworth and Katherine Campbell Lynch). Alfred, an artist, was born in New York, and took on the surname of his stepfather, Nicholis Hansen. Though Beck’s mother has stated that she is of part Norwegian descent, it appears that Alfred Dckworth/Hansen was of mostly English, and some Scottish, ancestry, and that only his stepfather was of Norwegian origin. Beck’s great-grandmother Katherine was the daughter of Edward J. Lynch and Catherine Galligan, who were born in Massachusetts, both of them to Irish parents.

Beck’s maternal grandmother was Audrey Ostlin (the daughter of Olaf Gabriel Ostlin/Ingeniar and Sadie Rosenberg). Audrey, a poet, was born in New Jersey. Olaf was Swedish, born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Olof Östlin and Anna Matilda Andersson. Beck’s matrilineal great-grandmother Sadie was Jewish, born in Brooklyn, New York, to a father from Łomża, Podlaskie, Polska, Abraham Rosenberg/Czarka, and a mother from Russia, Fannie Melutnik.

Beck has said that he was raised celebrating Jewish holidays and considers himself Jewish. He has also been a Scientologist.

Sources: Genealogy of Beck – http://www.geni.com

Information about Beck’s father – http://davidmusic.com
http://www.thestar.com

Beck’s paternal great-grandfather, Stanley Richard Reid, on the 1916 Canada Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Beck’s paternal great-great-grandparents, William Henry Reid and Margaret/Margret Melissa Darling – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Beck’s paternal great-great-great-grandfather, Richard Darling – https://www.findagrave.com

Beck’s paternal great-grandmother, Elsie Elenor Newman, on the 1901 Canada Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Bek’s maternal grandfather, then Alfred Duckworth, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Bek’s maternal grandfather, Alfred Earl “Al” Hansen – http://www.nytimes.com