Jessica Brown Findlay
Birth Name: Jessica Rose Brown-Findlay
Place of Birth: Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, U.K.
Date of Birth: 14 September, 1987
Ethnicity: Scottish, English, Irish, Welsh
Jessica Brown Findlay is a British actress. Her roles include television’s Downton Abbey, Labyrinth, Jamaica Inn, Harlots, Castlevania, Brave New World, Life After Life, and Flatshare, and the films Albatross, Winter’s Tale, Lullaby, The Riot Club, Victor Frankenstein (2015), This Beautiful Fantastic, England Is Mine, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Banishing, Munich – The Edge of War, and The Hanging Sun.
Jessica is married to actor Ziggy Heath, with whom she has two children.
Jessica’s paternal grandfather was William Peter Brown-Findlay (the son of William Brown Findlay and Annie Cowan Murdoch). Jessica’s grandfather William was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Jessica’s great-grandfather William was the son of James or Alexander Findlay and Jessie Miller Brown. Jessica’s great-grandfather hyphenated his middle name, Brown, into his surname, Findlay, creating the surname Brown-Findlay. Jessica’s great-grandmother Annie was the daughter of Richard Oliver Murdoch and Annie Dow Cowan.
Jessica’s paternal grandmother was Isobel Mary Cumming (the daughter of George William Cumming and Margaret/Daisy Beatson). Isobel was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. George was born in Plymouth, England, the son of George Ross Cumming, who was from Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and of Minnie Mary Flynn, whose parents were Irish. Margaret was the daughter of Robert Beatson and Isabella.
Jessica’s maternal grandfather is Keith D. Neale (the son of Edward Davies Neale and Margaret Isabel Wilson). Keith was born in Chertsey, Surrey, England. Edward was the son of Albert Edward Neale and Hannah Davies, who was from Glanmule, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Margaret was the daughter of Job Wilson and Margaret Grace Fitzgerald.
Jessica’s maternal grandmother is Betty A. Caswell (the daughter of John Thomas Caswell and Elizabeth Sophia Poulton). John was the son of George Caswell and Edith Rose Franklin. Elizabeth was the daughter of Ernest Poulton and Annie Amelia Fouracre/Foreacre.
Sources: Partial family history of Jessica Brown Findlay – http://www.dailymail.co.uk
Genealogy of Jessica Brown Findlay – https://www.geni.com
At the great-great-great grandparental level, she is:
10/32 Unknown (probably Scottish)
2/32 Unknown (probably Welsh)
4/32 Scottish
3/32 Irish
13/32 English
8 of the unknowns come from the fact I know nothing about her great grandparents William Brown Findlay and Annie Cowan Murdoch.
So her mother is of 3/16 Irish descent?
No, her mother is 1/16 Irish and her dad is 2/16 Irish (assuming his unknown ancestry is all Scottish). Her mother is 1/8th Welsh, but I couldn’t identify her Welsh ancestress’ parents, because of how common their names were.
Scotland is always a tricky place to get started. Not many member trees to look at, but was George William Cumming born in Plymouth in 1892?
Do you have a DOB for Annie Cowan Murdoch? There are a few, and I’m not sure which one she is.
Finally, was Margaret/Daisy Beatson born Margaret or Daisy? If Margaret, then was she the Margaret Beatson born in 1893 in Edinburgh to Robert and Isabella?
Thanks.
George William Cumming was born in 1892 in Devon. His wife is listed as Margaret (Daisy) Beatson, born in 1893 in Edinburgh, but her parents’ names aren’t listed. As for Annie, I’m not sure.
I’m getting these off trees here. You can search for names and put in the spouse’s last name to help find them.
http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=1030
Always thought she was part Black. Shame really…
Derp.
“Part black”?! “A shame”? A lot of Celtic girls look just like her.
Beautiful for a Brit.
Wow, you don’t know many real British people, do you?!
Lots of Brits look like her. Lots of good looking Brits don’t look like her as well. Have you been there?
She is pretty.