Ellen Pompeo

Pompeo in 2007, photo by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Ellen Kathleen Pompeo

Place of Birth: Everett, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of Birth: November 10, 1969

Ethnicity: Irish, one quarter Italian, small amount of English and Scottish

Ellen Pompeo is an American actress and producer. She is known for starring on the ABC series Grey’s Anatomy, as Meredith Grey.

Her paternal grandfather was Italian, and her paternal grandmother was of Irish, and some English and Scottish, ancestry. Her mother was of Irish descent. She is married to record producer Chris Ivery. Chris’s father was African-American and Chris’s mother was Jewish. The couple has three children.

Ellen’s paternal grandfather was Angelo Pompeo (the son of Giuseppe/Joseph Pompeo and Isabella/Isabel Dellerario). Angelo was Italian, from Gesualdo, Province of Avellino, Campania, Italy. Giuseppe was the son of Angelo Pompeo and Maria Annunzianta Bettalico. Isabella was the daughter of Ciriaco Dellerario and Maria Rosa DiNisco.

Ellen’s paternal grandmother was Marie J. Burnham (the daughter of Horace Edward Burnham and Honora Frances Elizabeth Dawson). Horace was the son of Frederick/Fredrick William Burnham and Jennie A. McKay/McCabe, who was born in Massachusetts, to Canadian parents, and was of at least part Scottish descent. Honora was born in Massachusetts, the daughter of Irish parents, Frances/Francis/Frank C. Dawson and Ellen J. Lynch.

Ellen’s maternal grandfather was Dennis Francis O’Keefe (the son of William Francis/I. O’Keefe and Ellen Bridget “Nellie” Twomey). William was born in Ireland, and was the son of Dennis O’Keefe, from Cork, and of Mary Coffey. Ellen’s great-grandmother Ellen Twomey was also Irish, and was the daughter of Hugh Twomey and Margaret McCarthy.

Ellen’s maternal grandmother was named Edith H. Brady.

Sources: Genealogies of Ellen Pompeo – https://www.geni.com
https://gw.geneanet.org

Obituary of Ellen’s father – http://charlestownbridge.com

Ellen’s paternal grandfather, Angelo Pompeo, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Ellen’s paternal great-grandfather, Horace Edward Burnham, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Horace Edward Burnham on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Ellen’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Frederick/Fredrick William Burnham and Jennie A. McKay/McCabe, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Ellen’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Jennie A. McKay/McCabe, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Ellen Pompeo (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com