Elizabeth Warren

official photo of Elizabeth Warren, c. 2013

Birth Name: Elizabeth Ann Herring

Place of Birth: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.

Date of Birth: June 22, 1949

Ethnicity: English, Cornish, Swiss-German, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant Swedish, likely between 1/128th and 1/256 Native American

Elizabeth Warren is an American politician. She has served as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, since January 3, 2013, and Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, since January 3, 2017. She was previously Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, from November 25, 2008 to November 15, 2010, and Special Advisor for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, from September 17, 2010 to August 1, 2011.

She was a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2020.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Pauline Louise (Reed) and Donald Jones Herring. She is married to legal scholar and professor Bruce Mann. She has two children, including businessperson, management consultant, and author Amelia Warren Tyagi, with her former husband Jim Warren.

Elizabeth documented ancestry includes English, with smaller amounts (to varying degrees) of Cornish, Swiss-German, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and Swedish.

Elizabeth has stated that she was told by her family that one of her maternal great-great-great-grandmothers, Neoma Sarah Smith (popularly known as O.C. Sarah Smith), was of Cherokee Native American background. Elizabeth has also stated that she has some degree of Delaware Native American ancestry. These statements, and their accuracy, have often the subject of media coverage since her 2012 Senate campaign in Massachusetts. Many of O.C. Sarah Smith’s ancestral lines have been traced to foreign-born (non-Native American) origins. To date, it appears that no genealogical evidence has been produced that Elizabeth Warren has Native American ancestry.

However, Elizabeth undertook a DNA test in 2018. The test was reviewed by genetics professor Carlos D. Bustamante. An overview of the test stated:

The great majority of (Warren’s) identifiable ancestry is European… The analysis also identified 5 genetic segments as Native American in origin at high confidence… Bustamante’s analysis places Warren’s [unadmixed] Native American ancestor between six and 10 generations ago, with the report estimating eight generations.

This means that Elizabeth likely has between 1/128th and 1/256 Native American genetic ancestry.

The report added:

…it is not possible to reliably associate smaller segments having Native American ancestry with any specific tribe or group.

Therefore, it is not clear if Elizabeth’s ancestry is Cherokee, Delaware, or another or a combination of other tribes.

Elizabeth’s paternal grandfather was Grant Leslie Herring (the son of John Hayne Herring and Maria/Mary Anna/Annie Schären/Scharann). Grant was born in Billings, Christian, Missouri. John was born in Delabole (St. Teath), Cornwall, England, the son of John Herring and Ann Hayne. Maria was born in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, the daughter of Abraham Schären/Scharan and Magdalena/Magadelena Berger.

Elizabeth’s paternal grandmother was Ethel V. Jones (the daughter of Summerfield Jones and Sarah Frances/Francis Kerr). Ethel was born in Billings, Christian, Missouri. Summerfield was the son of Hamilton Jones and Sarah A. Wilkerson. Elizabeth’s great-grandmother Sarah was the daughter of Mathew/Matthew Kerr and Sarah E.

Elizabeth’s maternal grandfather was Harry Gunn Reed (the son of Joseph H. Reed and Charity L. Gorman). Harry was born in Mount Vernon, Jefferson, Illinois. Joseph was the son of The Rev. Joseph H. Reed, a Methodist minister, and a member of the Illinois State Legislature, and of Eliza Bell. Charity was the daughter of Ezekiel/Ezekial Gorman and Elizabeth Mathews/Matthews.

Elizabeth’s maternal grandmother was Bethania Elvina “Hannie” Crawford (the daughter of John H. Crawford and Paulina A. “Pliny” Bowen). Bethania was born in Missouri. John was the son of Preston H. Crawford and Edith May “Ede” Marsh/March. Paulina was the daughter of George W. Bowen and Bethania/Bethany/Bethaney Clark.

Sources: Genealogies of Elizabeth Warren – https://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com

Article about the issue of whether Elizabeth Warren has Cherokee Native American ancestry – http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Detailed genealogical blog about Elizabeth’s claimed Cherokee ancestry – http://www.pollysgranddaughter.com
http://www.pollysgranddaughter.com
http://www.pollysgranddaughter.com

Elizabeth’s maternal great-great-great-grandmother, Neoma Sarah Smith, on the 1860 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org