Christopher Lee

Lee in 2012, photo by PrPhotos.com

Birth Name: Christopher Frank Carandini Lee

Date of Birth: 27 May, 1922

Place of Birth: St. George Hanover Square, London, England, U.K.

Date of Death: 7 June, 2015

Place of Death: Chelsea, London, England, U.K.

Ethnicity: English, as well as one eighth Italian

Christopher Lee was a British actor, author, and singer. He is known for his roles as Count Dracula, as well in The Man with the Golden Gun, The Wicker Man (1973), The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, The Face of Fu Manchu, and Rasputin, the Mad Monk, among 195 film credits.

Christopher’s mother, Contessa Estelle Marie (Carandini di Sarzano), was born in Bengal, India, of English and one quarter Italian [Emilia-Romagnan] ancestry. Christopher’s father, Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Trollope Lee, was English. His niece (sister’s daughter) is actress Harriet Walter.

Christopher was married to Danish painter and model Birgit “Gitte” Krøncke, until his death. The couple has a daughter.

Christopher’s paternal grandfather was Ellis Lee (the son of Henry Lee and Maria Matilda Tilson). Ellis was born in Finsbury, Middlesex. Henry was the son of Henry Lee and Susannah Stubbing. Maria Matilda was the daughter of Thomas Tilson and Maria Matilda Johnson.

Christopher’s paternal grandmother was Constance Helen Trollope (the daughter of George Francis Trollope and Constance Hayward/Haward). Christopher’s grandmother Constance was born in St. Margaret’s, Westminster, London, England. George was the son of George Trollope and Mary Mann. Christopher’s great-grandmother Constance was the daughter of William Hayward/Haward and Constance Stapleton.

Christopher’s maternal grandfather was Francesco/Frank Giacomo/James Carandini (the son of Girolamo/Jerome Carandini, the 10th Marquis of Sarzano, and of Maria Burgess, an opera singer). Christopher’s grandfather Francesco was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, to an Italian father, from Modena, Emilia-Romagna, and to an English mother. Girolamo was the son of Francesco Carandini and Rosa Tampellini. Maria was the daughter of James Burgess and Martha Medwin.

Christopher’s maternal grandmother was Florence Annie Clemenston (the daughter of Charles Doxat Clementson and Anne Frederica/Fredericka Beck). Florence was born in Kensington, London, England. Charles was the son of Charles Clementson and Juliana. Anne was born in Cape Town, South Africa.

Sources: Genealogies of Christopher Lee – http://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com