Beyoncé
Beyoncé in 2010, photo by kathclick/bigstock.com
Birth Name: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
Place of Birth: Houston, Harris, Texas, U.S.
Date of Birth: September 4, 1981
Ethnicity:
*father – African-American
*mother – Louisiana Creole, including African, French, Acadian/French-Canadian, as well as distant Irish, Breton, and Belgian Walloon, remote Penobscot First Nations
Beyoncé, also known as Harmonies by The Hive, Queen Bey or Queen B, Third Ward Trill, Sasha Fierce, and Beyoncé Knowles, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, director, and businessperson. She was a member of R&B girl group Destiny’s Child, along with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and also, originally, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. As a solo artist, she has won the most Grammy Awards of any person, at 32, and has sold over 200 million records worldwide. Often exploring themes of feminism and womanism, her songs include “Crazy in Love,” “Baby Boy,” “Me, Myself and I,” “Check on It,” “Déjà Vu,” “Irreplaceable,” “Beautiful Liar,” “If I Were a Boy,” “Single Ladies,” “Halo,” “Run the World (Girls),” “Drunk in Love,” “Formation,” “Perfect Duet,” “Break My Soul,” “Cuff It,” “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and “II Most Wanted.” Beyoncé has starred in the films Carmen: A Hip Hopera, Austin Powers in Goldmember, The Fighting Temptations, The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records, Obsessed (2009), Epic (2013), and Disney’s The Lion King (2019), the latter two in voice role. She co-directed her music films Life Is But a Dream, Lemonade, and Black Is King, which she also co-wrote; and directed and wrote her music films Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé and Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.
Beyoncé is the daughter of Tina Knowles (born Célestine Ann Beyoncé), a fashion designer, and Mathew C. Knowles, a businessperson and talent manager. Her sister is singer and actress Solange Knowles. They are the first sisters to have each had No. 1 albums. She is married to rapper and music producer Jay-Z, with whom she has three children, including singer and dancer Blue Ivy Carter. Beyoncé and Jay-Z are in a musical superduo together, The Carters. Beyoncé is a step-sister of actress Bianca Lawson. Her mother is married to Bianca’s father, actor Richard Lawson. Beyoncé founded management company Parkwood Entertainment.
Beyoncé’s father is African-American. Beyoncé’s maternal grandparents were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia; their ancestry was mostly African and French, including French ancestors who lived in Canada. Through her mother’s line, Beyoncé is a great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Acadian leader Joseph Broussard, who led French-speaking Catholics from Nova Scotia, Canada to Louisiana in 1765. He was among the first 200 Acadians to arrive in Louisiana that year. She is also a descendant of French military officer Jean-Vincent d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin (born c. 1652 in Escout, France), and of his wife, Marie Mathilde Pidianske/Penobscot (born c. 1658), who was the daughter of Madockawando Abenaki, a chief of the Penobscot (Panawahpskek) people. Through Marie Mathilde, Beyoncé is of 1/1024 Indigenous descent. Beyoncé is also of approximately 1/32 Irish ancestry, and has distant Breton and Belgian Flemish roots on her mother’s side, the latter including her ancestor Albert de Cuir, from Hainaut Province, Wallonia. Her name, Beyoncé, is a tribute to her mother’s family name, Beyincé. Through her Broussard line, she is a third cousin of gospel singer and graphic artist Karen Showell.
Beyoncé has said that she has Nigerian ancestry. She may have discovered this through a DNA test.
Beyoncé’s parents Mathew and Tina, 2007, photo by bigstock.com
Beyoncé’s mother has also been described as having Cherokee and/or Choctaw Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this ancestry has been verified/documented. No Cherokee or Choctaw Native American ancestors appear on publicly available family trees of Beyoncé’s mother. One book biography, Crazy in Love: The Beyoncé Knowles Biography, also refers to Beyoncé’s mother having Spanish, Jewish, Chinese, and Indonesian ancestry. It is also not clear if this is accurate.
Beyoncé does not speak French or Spanish, but she has sung in Spanish before.
A picture of Beyoncé’s maternal grandparents can be seen here.
Beyoncé’s paternal grandfather was Matthew/Mathew Q. Knowles (the son of Taylor Knowles and Girlie/Gurlie/Gerlie Mae Miller). Matthew was born in Alabama. Taylor was the son of James Isaac Knowles and Sarah Elizabeth Dixon. Girlie was the daughter of Prophet Miller and Jane Hall.
Beyoncé’s paternal grandmother is Lou Helen Hogue (the daughter of Davis/Dave Hogue and Hester Moore). Lou was born in Alabama. Davis was the son of Jim Hogue and Rosetta Moore. Hester was the daughter of Pinkney Madison Moore and Arenia Goree.
Beyoncé’s maternal grandfather was Lumis/Lumas Albert Beyincé/Buyincé (the son of Alexandre/Alexon Beyincé/Buyincé and Mary Olevia). Lumis was born in Delcambre, Vermilion, Louisiana.
Beyoncé’s maternal grandmother was Agnès/Agnèz DeRouen/Deréon (the daughter of Eugène-Gustave DeRouen/Deréon/Derezen and Odelia/Odilia Broussard). Agnès was born in Louisiana, and was a prominent seamstress. Eugène-Gustave likely was the son of Eloi Jacques DeRouen. Odelia was the daughter of Éloi/Éloy-René Rosemond Broussard, who was white, of French descent, and of Celestine Joséphine Lessee/Lesse/Lesser/Lacy/Lacey/Lessassier, who was black/mixed-race black, and the daughter of a slave mother. Éloi and Joséphine had many children together, and possibly married. A picture of Beyoncé’s great-grandfather Eugène-Gustave can be seen here.
LOS ANGELES – FEB 10: Beyoncé arrives to the Grammy Awards on February 10, 2013 in Hollywood, CA photo by DFree/Bigstock.com
Sources: Genealogies of Beyoncé – http://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com
Family histories of Beyoncé – https://www.hollywoodancestry.com
https://www.dailymail.co.uk
https://jack.canalplus.com
Family history of Beyoncé, by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak – http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Beyoncé’s paternal grandfather, Matthew/Mathew Q. Knowles, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Beyoncé’s paternal grandmother, Lou Helen Hogue, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Beyoncé’s maternal grandmother, Agnès/Agnèz DeRouen/Deréon, on 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Article about Beyoncé’s maternal great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Joseph Broussard – http://www.biographi.ca
Oh gees! What’s the big deal? She’s BLACK 100% She speaks like a black persona. She looks like a black person. She act like a black person. So, she’s black. Why people try to hang on certain thing to run away fom their truth.. all that Creole bull sh*t. She might have it in her blood but she’s BLACK!
It’s so sad that some of us will never or want to understand other people’s cultures,genetic makeup or whatever..Noone is saying that Beyonce is not Black..no one is saying she is all Creole..Beyonce admits that she and her mother didnt even understand or accept their Creole heritage but now regrets it..her mother was embarrassed by her Lousiana French-speaking Creole parents when she was young so i can understand why Beyonce cant relate..But for 2012,Beyonce is embracing her Creole heritage that is her new campaign that is promoting this year.. anyway..I’ve said ENOUGH and only wish that people would take the time to to read up on Creole people in general..we are not a race ,we are a mixture of differnt enthicities and differnt cultures that mainly secends from French colonists and african slaves..their are Haitain Creoles,Lousiana French Creoles(LIKE MYSELF) Guyana Creoles..the list goes on..we all have this in common: French vocabulary. Either u speak it or your parents speak it..Either way Creole people of COLOR are misunderstood and misrepresented..I’m Out and it’s been a pleasure discussing this ..Peace,Love & Happieness!!
That’s really interesting. Thanks for the information as I don’t know much about Creole people.
Quote by Divine24Cool: “Noone is saying that Beyonce is not Black..no one is saying she is all Creole..Beyonce admits that she and her mother didnt even understand or accept their Creole heritage but now regrets it..her mother was embarrassed by her Lousiana French-speaking Creole parents when she was young so i can understand why Beyonce cant relate..”
That’s what I’m afraid of if I were to ever marry outside my race. =/ I dunno. I think it’s hard to successfully immerse a child into a cultural heritage especially when the parent in question doesn’t know much about the culture in the first place, or how to identify with it. Well, how you were talking about Beyonce’s mother being embarrassed of her Louisana Creole parents’ reminds me of that’s how I used to feel about my own culture and my parents.
I’m not creole, but asian. My parents were immigrants, and like any first generation family in America, they mostly still have stuck very clear to their roots including the language. They refuse, or maybe out of habit, would rather have a conversation with me at home in their native language. It used to bother me so much because I felt like I had to fit in outside of home by only speaking english. I felt awkward with their asian customs, or when having friends over they’d ask about “what’s that” or “what’s this” and having to explain. I was afraid of not blending in.
Now I can accept myself more with the language and culture. I feel lucky that I could see eye to eye with it but I think it had to do a lot with growing up and realizing I didn’t know how to self identify myself. I grew up mostly turning away from my asian culture, but when I became curious as a teen, I jumped at the chance of opening myself to the culture.
Now if she wasn’t famous….. you guys are pathetic arguing what race she’s! WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU? The question you need to ask yourself is, “WHAT DOES SHE PERCEIVES HERSELF TO BE?” You guys turn something that suppose to be so positive into something negative. I bet most of you don’t even know your own genetic make up! You think you know, but you don’t! Learn more about yourself before you start stating what someone else is….
http://dnadiscussionproject.com/index.php
This comment is for Mike! Mike your comment is just nonsense! Can u be this stupid??? Why am I asking the obvious? I was an educator for approximately 10 years and boy I would have flunked you without hesitation!!!! The racist of the past and present have done a number on people who think just like you! I bet u your the fool who believes in the 1/8 drop rule don’t u???? You see your parents didn’t teach you the responsibilities of telling the truth! Beyonce’s genetics state that she is African-American, French, and Native American! Americans do what they have historically done to minimize a situation by stating that oh it barely exists or its not that bad! Some have yet to take responsibility for what their ancestors have done even though in some way they have benefited from such a disgraceful past this is also known as bloody hands ! So in addition to the slavery lies now you want people to believe that people of color in America are not of any mixed ancestry! As my good friend of mine fromSierra Leone who’s working on his Doctorate degree from John Hopkins would say “That boy is a damn idiot”!lol! Mike please please leave the teaching to the real educators!!!!
For those of you who disagreed! Instead of just checking a comment how about making a comment! That’s exactly what I mean so uneducated about a topic that the only thing you know how to do is check an answer! I said alot on this comment what exactly are you in disagreement with???? Please enlighten me!!! I know the truth hurts but as many of you have stated state the facts! Thats exactly what has happened!!! The facts! Please, I challenge you to make a comment!!!!
Hi Seba – I agree with you. I find it a bit frustrating that people just mark comments down without at least commenting why they are unhappy with the comment. It is easy to press your mouse and mark a comment down but requires a bit of thought to actually make a constructive comment.
:P
French is the language of love ❤
Shes Frenc Native America And African american
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Jc50e02zDt8
no
thats her mother
And where did she come from her mother obviously so she shares her parents genes.
NO –
I SAY ITS HER MOTHER
–
BUT HER FATHER IS JUST AFRICAN AMERICAN
–
not CR
Beyonce is half Creole. Creole is of French, Native American, & African descent. Don`t believe it. Google or Wiki it.
It is of many races.