Christopher Nolan

Nolan in 2012, photo by prphotos.com

Birth Name: Christopher Edward Nolan

Place of Birth: Westminster, London, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 30 July, 1970

Ethnicity: Danish, Irish, Welsh, English, possibly other

Christopher Nolan is an English and American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He has directed the films Following, Memento, Insomnia (2002), Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, Dunkirk (2017), Tenet, and Oppenheimer. He also wrote Following, Memento, Inception, Dunkirk, Tenet, and Oppenheimer; and co-wrote The Dark Knight trilogy, The Prestige, and Interstellar, all but Batman Begins with his brother Jonathan “Jonah” Nolan. With his wife, producer Emma Thomas, he founded and runs production company Syncopy, Inc.

Christopher is the son of Christina Lynn (Jensen), a flight attendant and teacher of English, and Brendan James Nolan, an advertising executive and creative director. His father is British and his mother is American. His father likely has Irish and Welsh ancestry. His mother has Danish and English ancestry. Christopher grew up in London, and spent summers in his mother’s native Evanston, Chicago, Illinois. He has both British and American citizenship.

Christopher and Emma have four children. His uncle is actor John Nolan. His brother Jonathan is also a producer, director, and author; Jonathan is married to screenwriter and producer Lisa Joy.

Christopher’s paternal grandfather was named Francis Thomas Nolan. Francis was shot down over France, in 1944, during World War II. He was part of the Avro Lancasters No 1 Group of RAF in Bomber Command.

Christopher’s paternal grandmother was named Catherine M. Rees.

Christopher’s maternal grandfather was Anton Oscar Jensen (the son of Anton Jensen and Mary H. Boyschou/Boyschon). Christopher’s grandfather Anton was born in Wisconsin. Christopher’s great-grandfather Anton was Danish, the son of Jens Andersen and Ane Marie Theil Pedersen. Christopher’s great-grandmother Mary was born in Iowa, to Danish parents, Christian Thompson Boyschou and Marie Lorentsen.

Christopher’s maternal grandmother was Emily Fisher Swan (the daughter of Edward Jess “Ted” Swan and Gertrude H./M. “Nellie” Fisher). Emily was born in Illinois. Edward’s father was English.

Sources: Information about Christopher’s father’s family history – http://www.mirror.co.uk

Marriage records of Christopher’s paternal grandparents, Francis Thomas Nolan and Catherine M. Rees – https://familysearch.org
https://familysearch.org

Christopher’s maternal grandfather, Anton Oscar Jensen, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Christopher’s maternal grandmother, Emily Fisher Swan, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org