Helen Mirren

Mirren in 2007, cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Helen Lydia Mironoff

Place of Birth: Hammersmith, London, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 26 July, 1945

Ethnicity:
*Russian (father)
*English (mother)

Helen Mirren is a multiple award-winning British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Queen (2006). She is also known for her roles in Prime Suspect, The Madness of King George, Gosford Park, The Last Station, The Long Good Friday, Calendar Girls, and Hitchcock, among many other screen performances, and for considerable work on stage.

Helen is the daughter of Kathleen Alexandrina Eva Matilda (Rogers) and Vasiliy Petrovich Mironov, later known as Basil Mironoff. Her father was of Russian descent. Her mother was English. Helen is married to American director Taylor Hackford.

Helen’s paternal grandfather was a Russian arms dealer who went to England to buy arms for his country. However, he could not go back to Russia due to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, and stayed in London with his family. He subsequently worked as a taxi driver. Helen’s father grew up in England.

Helen has evidently stated that her mother had Romani ancestry. It is not clear if this claim has been verified/documented.

Helen’s cousin was actress and model Tania Mallet.

Helen’s paternal grandfather was Pyotr Vasilievich Mironov (the son of Vasily Mironov and Lidia Andreevna Kamenskaya). Lidia was the daughter of Count Andrey/Andrei Sergeyevich Kamensky and Lubov Fedorovna Nadervil. Count Andrey was the son of Sergey Mikhailovich Kamensky and Ekaterina Fedorovna Levshina. Sergey was the son of Mikhail Fedotovich Kamensky and Anna Pavlovna Scherbatova. Mikhail Kamensky (1738 – 1809), Helen’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, was a Field Marshal and a member of the Russian nobility, who fought in the Napoleonic campaigns and Catherinian wars.

Helen’s paternal grandmother was named Maria/Mary “Marusia”/”Maroussia” Sinchugova/Sinchougova/Sinchougoff.

Helen’s maternal grandfather was Arthur Rogers (the son of Henry Rogers and Matilda Bayley). Henry was the son of James Rogers. Matilda was the daughter of William Bayley.

Helen’s maternal grandmother was named Elizabeth Sarah Jones (the daughter of Samuel Jones).

Sources: Family history of Helen Mirren – http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Genealogy of Helen Mirren (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Daily Mail article about Helen’s Russian ancestry – http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Biography of Helen Mirren, that mentions her possible Romani ancestry – http://news.bbc.co.uk

Birth record of Helen’s mother – https://www.familysearch.org