James Purefoy
Purefoy in 2012, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: James Brian Mark Purefoy
Place of Birth: Taunton, Somerset, England
Date of Birth: 3 June, 1964
Ethnicity: English, small amounts of Scottish and Irish, as well as 1/32 Jewish [Ashkenazi, Sephardi], possibly other
James Purefoy is a British actor.
James is the son of Shirley and Anthony Chetwynd Purefoy. The Purefoy family were landed gentry, of Shalstone, Buckinghamshire.
James is married to documentary director and producer Jessica Adams. He has a son with his former partner, actress Holly Aird; and three children with Jessica.
James’ paternal grandfather was The Rev. Brian Mews, later Purefoy, vicar of Tewkesbury (the son of Walter Mews and Violet Mary Phillips). The Rev. Brian was born in London, England, and took on his wife’s surname of Purefoy. James’ great-grandfather Walter was the son of John Mews and Ellen Langton. Violet was born in Llangeinwen, Carmarthenshire, Wales, the daughter of Edward Nunes Phillips and Cecil Mary Chetwynd-Talbot, who was born in Sri Lanka, to parents with roots in England and Ireland. Edward’s mother Fanny was Jewish, of Sephardi and Ashkenazi descent.
James’ paternal grandmother was Mary Lilias Geraldine Purefoy/FitzGerald (the daughter of Admiral Richard Purefoy Purefoy, born FitzGerald, and of Mary Lillias/Lilias Sandys-Lumsdaine). James’ grandmother Mary was born in Axford, Hampshire, England. Richard was born in Shalstone Manor, Buckinghamshire, and was the son of Richard Purefoy Fitzgerald, whose paternal grandfather was born in Jamaica, and of Henrietta Mary Chester-Bagot. James’ great-grandmother Mary was the daughter of The Rev. Francis Gordon Sandys-Lumsdaine and Martha Alice Cattley.
James’ maternal grandfather’s surname is Taylor.
Sources: Genealogy of James’ paternal great-great-grandfather, Edward Nunes Phillips – https://www.geni.com
Information about James’ Nunes ancestors – http://www.barrow-lousada.org
Genealogy of James’ paternal grandmother, Mary Lilias Geraldine Purefoy/FitzGerald – https://www.wikitree.com
“Edward Nunes Phillips and Cecil Mary Chetwynd-Talbot.”
So Violet Phillips’ mother’s name was Cecil? Also, Chetwynd would point towards Wales ancestry particularly since that’s where Violent was born.
James’ paternal grandfather was Rev Brian Purefoy/Mews (the son of Walter Mews and Violet Mary Phillips). Brian was born in London, England. Walter was the son of John Mews and Ellen Langton. Violet was born in Llangeinwen, Carmarthenshire, Wales, to Edward Nunes Phillips and Cecil Mary Chetwynd-Talbot.
*Edward Nunes Phillips’ mother Fanny was Jewish (Sephardi on paternal and Ashkenazi on the maternal side).
http://www.barrow-lousada.org/baron.htm
James’ paternal grandmother was Mary Lilias Geraldine Purefoy/FitzGerald (the daughter of Admiral Richard Purefoy Purefoy/FitzGerald and Mary Lillias Sandys-Lumsdaine). James’ grandmother Mary was born in Axford, England. Richard was the son of Richard Purefoy Fitzgerald and Henrietta Mary Chester-Bagot. James’ great-grandmother Mary was the daughter of Rev Francis Gordon Sandys-Lumsdaine and Alice Cattley.
James also has some Scottish ancestry.
He’s likely part Welsh too (Phillips). I’ll check it later.