Gerard Butler
Butler in 2011, DFree / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Gerard James Butler
Place of Birth: Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Date of Birth: 13 November, 1969
Ethnicity: Irish, possibly Scottish
Gerard Butler is a Scottish actor. He has starred in the films Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, 300, The Bounty Hunter, and Olympus Has Fallen, among many others.
Gerard was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He was raised Catholic. He is either of entirely or partially Irish ancestry. It is not clear if he is also of Scottish descent. His mother’s maiden name is Hanton, which can be Scottish or Irish. Gerard has said that he is “a little Scots boy whose whole family are Irish. They really are – my family is from all over Ireland.”
Gerard’s family moved to Montréal, Québec, Canada, when he was several months old. He returned with his mother to Scotland not long after, and was raised there. Gerard is related to writer and director Mike Flood.
Gerard’s paternal grandfather was Johnny Butler (the son of Edward Butler and Mary Brennan). Edward and Mary were from Myshall, County Carlow, Ireland.
Gerard’s maternal grandfather was named James Hanton. James was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Gerard’s maternal grandmother was named Mary/May Flood. May was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The Flood family was from County Wicklow, Ireland.
Sources: Some of Gerard’s family history – http://groups.yahoo.com
Genealogy of Gerard Butler (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Ethnicly we tend to seperate Europeans alot more than we would say Africans or Asians don’t you think?
Butler is Celtic, leave it at that. Both Scots and Irish share Celtic-Gaelic roots.
Irish-Scots, an uncommon name but a very common people, are found throught lowland Scotland. Connery, Connolly, Butler, Cox, Doyle, Boyle… proud to call myself one as well.
You’ll find that it’s only on Gerard’s father side that he is Irish whereas his mother is of 100% Scottish roots.
Hi. Just wondering how you know about this?
I think the above needs changing
Have no idea who sent a reply about Connery and a link to what appears to be his paternal Irish roots.
However, his mother’s family came from Uig and Fife, on the Isle of Skye, and were native Scottish Gaelic speakers. The maternal side evidently rated large in this family.
Just let Butler and Connery be Scots, for heaven’s sake. That’s where they were born and that’s how they ethnically identify.
It is true that they are Scots but their ethnicity is Irish also and the ancestry is fairly recent as well. This site is about a person’s ethnicity and if they were half Italian and Scottish by birth that would be listed. Rod Stewart is English by birth but sees himself as a Scot due to his ancestry.
is this true? Can someone update his ancestry
Yes he is Irish on his father’s side but Scottish on his mother’s.
He even made this quote about acting as a Leprechaun
“At least it’ll make the Irish part of me proud. It doesn’t get more patriotic than playing a leprechaun.”
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/movies/movie-news/gerard-butler-says-sorry-for-his-terrible-1537995
He definitely should be listed as Scottish as well.
How do you know that he is Scottish on his mother’s side? Her maiden name is “Hanton”.
I think I remember one interview where Gerard said something like “my whole family is Irish”.
Gerard Butler never mentions himself as anything but Scots – nor does Sean Connery (a true champion of Scottish nationalism who put a lot of his money where his mouth is about that).
Scotland the Brave!
Connery – Co. Wexford
Butler – Co.Carlow
Éire go Brách