Jim Acosta

Birth Name: Abilio James Acosta

Place of Birth: Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.

Date of Birth: April 17, 1971

Ethnicity:
*father – Cuban
*maternal grandfather – English, Irish
*maternal grandmother – Czech

Jim Acosta is an American news journalist. He is known for his work with CNN.

His father, Abilio Jesús Acosta y Pérez, was a Cuban immigrant, who left for the U.S. with his own mother, c. 1962. His father’s family lived in the town Santa María del Rosario for six generations, and had originally founded the town. Jim’s mother, Barbara Ellen (Rice), was American. Jim was raised in northern Virginia, by his single mother. He has three children with his former wife, nurse Sharon Mobley Stow.

Jim’s paternal grandfather was named Abilio Acosta y González.

Jim’s paternal grandmother was Julia Bélgica Pérez y Puigcerver/Puigscerver (the daughter of Julio Vicente Pérez y Hernández and Silveria Angelina Puigcerver y Llanes). Julia had partial roots on the Canary Islands. Silveria was the daughter of Miguel Puigcerver y Gómez and Francisca Llanes y Barrios.

Jim’s maternal grandfather was Vincent Daniel Rice (the son of Herbert Moses Rice and Mary/Marie Anne “Annie” Snee). Vincent was born in Connecticut, to an English father and an Irish mother. Annie was born in Creevaun Townland, Coolaney, County Sligo, the daughter of Daniel Snee and Anna/Anne Toolan.

Jim’s maternal grandmother was Elsie Henrietta Skirvanek/Skrivánek (the daughter of Anton Skrivánek and Karolina/Caroline Šedivý/Schedivy/Schedevy). Elsie was born in New York. Anton was the son of Czech parents, Anton Skrivánek and Barbara Zoufal/Zoufaly. Karolina was also the daughter of Czech parents, František Xaver “Frank” Šedivý/Schedivy and Marie “Mary” Holubová.

A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2023) stated that Jim’s genetic ancestry consists of:

*23% Portugal
*21% Ireland
*13% Eastern Europe & Russia
*12% Spain
*8% Sweden & Denmark
*5% Scotland
*5% North Africa
*4% Germanic Europe
*4% Basque
*3% North Italy
*2% England and Northwest Europe