Evan Ross

Ross in 2011, s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Evan Olav Næss

Place of Birth: Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 26, 1988

Ethnicity:
*father – German, Norwegian, distant Danish
*mother – African-American

Evan Ross is an American actor and musician. His roles include the films ATL, Pride (2007), Gardens of the Night, Linewatch, Life Is Hot in Cracktown, According to Greta, Mooz-lum, 96 Minutes, The Family Tree (2011), Jeff, Who Lives at Home; All the Wilderness, Just Before I Go, Squatters, Supremacy, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and Part 2, The Curse of Buckout Road, Pink Skies Ahead, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and A Snowy Day in Oakland, the shows 90210, Wicked City, and Star, and the made-for-tv movies Life Support and CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story. His songs include “Yes Me” and “How To Live Alone.”

He is the son of German-born Norwegian mountaineer, businessperson, and shipping magnate Arne Næss, Jr. (Arne Ludvig Rudolf Næss) and American singer and actress Diana Ross. Among Evan’s paternal half-siblings is singer Leona Naess, and among his maternal half-siblings are musician and actress Rhonda Ross Kendrick and actress and model Tracee Ellis Ross. Evan is married to singer and actress Ashlee Simpson, with whom he has two children.

His father, who was born in Munich, Germany, was of German, Norwegian, and distant Danish, descent. His mother is African-American. It is sometimes stated that Diana Ross has Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this ancestry has been verified/documented.

Evan’s paternal grandfather was named August Oskar German Raab. August was a German physician.

Evan’s paternal grandmother was Kirsten “Kiki” Dekke Næss (the daughter of Ragnar Eide Næss and Christine/Kristine Dekke). Evan’s grandmother Kirsten was Norwegian, and was born in Bergen, Bergen, Hordaland. She was the sister of businessperson Erling Dekke Næss and philosopher Arne Næss (Arne Dekke Eide Næss). Kirsten also had distant Danish ancestry. Ragnar was the son of Ludolf Johan Eide Næss and Aminda Caroline Bødker. Evan’s great-grandmother Christine was the daughter of Ananias Christopher Hansen Dekke and Rebecca/Rebekka Arloug/Arlaug Stoltz.

Evan’s maternal grandfather was Fred Earl Ross (the son of The Rev. William Edward “Ed” Ross and Ida D. J. W. Snead). Fred was born in West Virginia. William was born in Tennessee, the son of Frederick/Fred/Fredrick Ross and Hannah Varnell. Ida was born in Virginia.

Evan’s maternal grandmother was Ernestine Lillian Moten (the daughter of The Rev. M. William Moten and Isabella/Isabell/Bell Pruit/Pruitt Caldwell/Codwell Collins). Ernestine was born in Alabama. Evan’s great-grandfather The Rev. M. William was the son of Peter Moten. Isabella was the daughter of Hamp Caldwell and Cealia Jones.

Sources: Genealogies of Evan Ross – http://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com

Evan’s maternal great-grandparents, The Rev. William Edward “Ed” Ross and Ida D. J. W. Snead, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Evan’s maternal great-grandfather, The Rev. William Edward “Ed” Ross, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Evan’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Frederick/Fred/Fredrick Ross and Hannah Varnell – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Evan’s maternal grandmother, Ernestine Lillian (Moten) Ross – https://www.findagrave.com