Demi Lovato

LOS ANGELES – DEC 6: Lovato at the 29Rooms West Coast Debut presented by Refinery29 at the ROW DTLA on December 6, 2017 in Los Angeles, CA, photo by kathclick

Birth Name: Demetria Devonne Lovato

Place of Birth: Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 20, 1992

Ethnicity:
*father – Mexican, including Spanish, Indigenous, distant English, and remote Jewish, Portuguese, and French Huguenot
*mother – English, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish

Demi Lovato is an American actress, singer, and songwriter, known for starring in the Disney movie Camp Rock and the television series As the Bell Rings. Demi arrived onto the pop scene with her debut album, Don’t Forget, and has toured extensively across the United States.

Demi is the child of Dianna Lee (Smith) and Patrick Martin Lovato. Demi is a maternal half-sister of actress Madison De La Garza. Demi’s step-cousin is actor Braeden De La Garza.

Demi’s father was from a Mexican family that has lived in New Mexico for many generations. Demi’s father, like many people of Mexican descent, had Spanish and Indigenous Mexican ancestry. Demi has also stated that Demi traced her father’s genealogy and found that he had distant Portuguese and Jewish ancestry. It is not atypical for people of Spanish-Mexican descent to have distant/remote Portuguese and/or Sephardi Jewish ancestry. Demi’s father also had distant English and remote French Huguenot and Native American ancestry.

Demi’s mother is from a Southern family of English, as well as Scottish and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, ancestry.

Demi is able to speak a little Spanish, as when appearing on Spanish TV. A video of this appearance can be seen here.

A DNA test whose results Demi displayed on her Twitter page stated that Demi’s genetic ancestry is:

*85% European
——–*32% Iberian Peninsula
——–*16% Scandinavia
——–*14% Ireland
——–*11% Great Britain
——–*7% Europe West
——–*5% Trace Regions
*10% Native American
*3% West Asian
*1% African
——–*1% Trace Regions
*<1% Asian
——–*<1% Trace Regions

Lovato in 2010, Dfree/bigstock.com

Demi’s patrilineal line traces back to Andres Lovato and Inasita Pena, who lived in New Mexico in the 1800s.

Demi’s paternal grandfather was Francisco Nathaniel “Frank” Lovato (the son of Atanacio Lovato and Anita Sanchez). Francisco was born in New Mexico, and was of Mexican descent. Atanacio was son of Donaciano Lovato and Maria Cristina Perea. Maria Cristina’s father, Demi’s great-great-great-grandfather, was businessperson and politician Francisco Perea. Francisco was born in Los Padillas, Nuevo México, First Mexican Republic, now Bernalillo County, New Mexico, and was a Union Army Officer in the American Civil War, and a Republican Party delegate to the U.S. Congress from the Territory of New Mexico, from March 4, 1863 to March 3, 1865. Through this line, Demi’s paternal great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was Francisco Xavier Chávez/Chaves, who was the second géfe político (similar to Governor) of the Santa Fe de Nuevo México territory, from 5 July, 1822 to November 1822. He was born in Santa Fé de Nuevo México, now Santa Fé. Demi’s great-grandmother Anita was the daughter of Jesus M. Sanchez and Carpia.

Demi’s paternal grandmother was Evangeline Celina Herrera (the daughter of Antonio Aranda Herrera and Maria/Mary Juana Ortiz). Evangeline was born in New Mexico, and was of Mexican descent. Antonio was the son of parents surnamed Herrera and Tello. Maria was the daughter of Jose Cecilio Rafael Gatin y Lucero and Beatriz/Beatrix Cordova Enos. Beatriz had Hispanic, English, and remote Native American and French Huguenot, ancestry.

Demi’s maternal grandfather was Donald Lee Smith (the son of Hugh Emory/Emery Smith and June Snodgrass). Donald was born in Texas. Hugh was the son of Thomas Allen Smith.

Demi’s maternal grandmother was Sue Dianne Emmons (the daughter of Aaron Jefferson Emmons and Patty Marie Davlin). Sue was born in Texas. Demi’s step-grandfather was The Rev. Perry Eugene Hart. Aaron was the son of David George Emmons and Nancy Caroline Pipes. Patty was the daughter of Thomas Charnel Davlin and Gertrude Annie May/Mae Reed.

Sources: Genealogies of Demi Lovato – http://www.geni.com
http://gw.geneanet.org

Article about Demi’s father’s ancestry – http://archive.is

Obituary of Demi’s father, Patrick Martin Lovato, including much of his genealogy – http://www.findagrave.com

Demi’s paternal grandmother, Evangeline Celina Herrera, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Demi’s maternal grandmother, Sue Dianne Emmons (under “37. SUE DIANNE7 EMMONS”) – http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com