Brian Cox

Cox in 2012, photo by prphotos.com

Birth Name: Brian Denis Cox

Place of Birth: Dundee, Angus, Scotland

Date of Birth: 1 June, 1946

Ethnicity:
*father – Irish
*mother – Irish, Scottish

Brian Cox is a Scottish actor and author. His roles include the films Manhunter, Rob Roy (1995), Kiss the Girls, The Boxer, Nuremberg, L.I.E., The Bourne Identity, The Ring, Adaptation., X2, Troy, Red Eye, and Coriolanus, the show Succession, and a multitude of acclaimed stage performances.

Brian is the son of Mary Ann Guillerline/Gillerline (McCann), a spinner who worked in the jute mills, and Charles McArdle Campbell Cox, a police officer and shopkeeper. His father was of Irish descent. His mother was of Irish and Scottish ancestry. Brian was raised Catholic.

Brian is married to actress Nicole Ansari. He has two children, including actor Alan Cox, with his former wife Caroline Burt; and two children with Nicole. Alan starred in the film Young Sherlock Holmes.

A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2023) stated that Brian’s genetic ancestry consists of:

*88% Ireland
*12% Scotland

Genetically, he was found to have a common ancestor with comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan.

Brian’s paternal grandfather was Hugh Cox (the son of Bernard Cox and Bridget Boylan). Bernard was from Fermanagh, Ireland, the son of Hugh Cox and Susan. Bridget was from Monaghan, Ireland, the daughter of Francis Boylan and Margaret Coogan.

Brian’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth McArdle (the daughter of James McArdle and Ann Campbell). Elizabeth’s parents were Irish.

Brian’s maternal grandfather was James McCann (the son of Patrick McCann and Margaret McArthur). James was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, to Irish parents. He was a decorated WWI veteran. Patrick was the son of Thomas McCann and Margaret Mullen. Brian’s great-grandmother Margaret was the daughter of James McArthur and Sarah.

Brian’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Heard/Herd (the daughter of Robert Heard and Catherine Walker). Robert and Catherine were Scottish, Robert from Roxburghshire and Catherine from Dumfrieshire. Robert was the son of James Heard and Janet Ormston. Catherine was the daughter of Harriot/Heriot/Horatio/Herriots Walker.

Sources: Partial family histories of Brian Cox – http://www.scotsman.com
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk