Dennis Quaid
Quaid in 2012, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Dennis William Quaid
Place of Birth: Houston, Harris, Texas, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 9, 1954
Ethnicity: English, some Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, and German
Dennis Quaid is an American actor and gospel singer.
He is the son of Juanita Bonniedale “Nita” (Jordan) and William Rudy Quaid, and the younger brother of actor Randy Quaid. Dennis is married to CPA and yoga instructor Laura Savoie. He has a son, actor Jack Quaid, with his former wife, actress, director, and producer Meg Ryan; and two children with his former wife, real estate agent Kimberly Buffington.
Dennis has English, and a smaller amount of Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, and German, ancestry. During his interview on Inside the Actors Studio, 2002, Dennis stated that he has Irish and Cajun ancestry. It is not clear where this Cajun lineage may originate from. None of Dennis’s grandparents or great-grandparents were born in Louisiana, the state that is home to Cajun culture.
Dennis’s paternal great-great-great-great-grandparents, Silas Ebenezer Moore and Mourning Dumas Folsom, were said to have been of partially and/or fully Choctaw Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this is accurate.
Dennis’s paternal grandfather was William Jessie/Jesse Quaid (the son of John Thomas Quaid and Martha Louisa Lola Ozment). William was born in Texas, to parents from Texas. John was the son of Benjamin Walter Quaid and Martha Elizabeth Bell. Dennis’s great-grandmother Martha was the daughter of Andrew Clinton Ozment and Margaret Malinda/Melinda Pierce.
Dennis’s paternal grandmother was named Grace Dakota Corbett. Grace was born in South Dakota, to a father from Iowa and a mother from South Dakota.
Dennis’s maternal grandfather was George Waymon Jordan (the son of Nathan James Hezicar Henry Clay Jordan and Martha Ellen Austin). George was born in Tennessee. Nathan was the son of Thomas Jordan and Nancy Tabitha Clark. Martha was the daughter of Thomas M./J. Austin and Sarah Pelina Beavert.
Dennis’s maternal grandmother was Ollie Lula French (the daughter of Gardner Zale French and Dezzie/Dessy Octavia/Octava Cagle). Ollie was born in Texas. Gardner was the son of Azale J. “Zale” French and Sarah Moore. Dezzie was the daughter of James Pinkney Cagle and Rebecca Jane Clardy.
Dennis is a first cousin, twice removed, of performer Gene Autry, known as The Singing Cowboy. Dennis’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Andrew Clinton Ozment and Margaret Malinda Pierce, were the maternal grandparents of Gene Autry. Dennis is also a cousin of actors Corbett Tuck and Hillary Tuck.
Sources: Information about Dennis’s possible Choctaw Native American ancestry – http://objgenealogy.com
Genealogies of Dennis Quaid – https://www.wikitree.com
https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Dennis Quaid (focusing on his father’s side) – http://objgenealogy.com
Genealogy of Dennis’s father (focusing on his own father’s side) – http://www.findagrave.com
Dennis’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Dennis’s paternal great-grandfather, John Thomas Quaid, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Dennis’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Benjamin Walter Quaid and Martha Elizabeth Bell, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Benjamin Walter Quaid and Martha Elizabeth Bell on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Dennis’s paternal great-great-great-grandmother, Emily Ann Meese (Moore) Quaid, on the 1870 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Dennis’s paternal great-great-great-great-grandparents, Silas Ebenezer Moore and Mourning Dumas Folsom, on the 1850 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Dennis’s mother on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy, and obituary, of Dennis’s maternal grandmother, Ollie Lula (French) Jordan – http://www.findagrave.com
Dennis’s maternal grandmother, Ollie Lula French, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.geni.com/people/Dennis-Quaid/6000000011263170437
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=76024514
All family trees lists him as a descendant Morning/Mourning Star Folsom or Dumas. Her husband, Silas Ebenezer Moore, had also Choctaw ancestry from his mother, Emilie Nancy Folsom (the daughter of Jacob Folsom).
The Choctaw heritage of Folsom family is certain.
How do you know that their Choctaw heritage is certain?
information about Mourning Star Folsom: http://objgenealogy.com/indiI5397.html
The enrollment of Dennis ancestors as citizens of the Choctaw Nation was rejected mutiple times by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. Source:
https://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/silas-sharp-mississippi-choctaw.htm
I added a number of census records of that line of Quaid’s.
I looked for those records, with no success.
http://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/Quaid-Family-Tree-7
Dennis actually has Irish ancestry, through his fourth great-grandfather, Walter Simpson Quaid, born 1780 in Kilfinny, Ireland. He has Irish ancestry through other lines as well, and also German, through his sixth great-grandfather Jacob Redwine, born 1751 in Pittsburgh, to German parents (his wife, Rowena Rhinehart likely also has German ancestry).
Yip, Quaid itself is an Irish name.
I wonder why Dennis stated that he has Cajun ancestry? Looking at his family tree, I really don’t think he does.