John F. Kennedy, Jr.

Kennedy in 1998, by NASA

Birth Name: John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr.

Date of Birth: November 25, 1960

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Death: July 16, 1999

Place of Death: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, U.S.

Ethnicity: Irish (at least three quarters), smaller amounts of English, Scottish, French, German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, remote Dutch

John F. Kennedy, Jr. was an American socialite, journalist, magazine publisher, and lawyer.

His parents were U.S. president John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who served from January 20, 1961 to November 22, 1963, and Jackie Kennedy (born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier). His sister is author, attorney, and diplomat Caroline Kennedy, who has been U.S. Ambassador to Japan, from November 19, 2013 to January 18, 2017, and U.S. Ambassador to Australia, since July 25, 2022. He was a nephew of politicians Robert F. Kennedy (Robert Francis Kennedy) and Ted Kennedy (Edward Moore Kennedy), and activist and humanitarian Jean Kennedy Smith, who was Ambassador to Ireland, from June 24, 1993 to September 17, 1998. His nephew, the son of his sister Caroline, is designer and author Jack Schlossberg; his first cousins are environmental lawyer, author, and radio host Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and journalist Maria Shriver; and his first cousins, once removed, are politician Joe Kennedy III, author Katherine Schwarzenegger, and actor and model Patrick Schwarzenegger. John was married to publicist Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, until their deaths. He was also known as John-John and JFK, Jr.

Overall, John’s ancestry was at least three quarters Irish. His father was of Irish ancestry, along with remote Scottish roots. His mother was of Irish, some English, smaller amounts of French, German, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and remote Dutch, ancestry. One of John, Jr.’s great-great-great-great-grandmothers, Elizabeth Sarah Mohler/Maieler, was born in Hanover, Germany. John, Jr. was of approximately 3/64ths French descent.

John was selected People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1988.

John’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Patrick “Joe” Kennedy (the son of P. J. Kennedy, Patrick Joseph Kennedy, and of Mary Augusta Hickey). John’s grandfather Joseph was born in East Boston, now Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, and was a businessperson, investor, and politician. John’s great-grandfather P. J. was a businessperson and politician, who was the son of Patrick Kennedy and Bridget Murphy, who were from Dunganstown, County Wexford, Ireland. John’s great-grandmother Mary was the daughter of James Hickey, who was from Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, Ireland, and of Margaret Martha Field, who was from Rosscarbery, County Cork, Ireland.

John’s paternal grandmother was Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald (the daughter of John Francis “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald and Mary Josephine “Josie” Hannon). Rose was born in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, and was a philanthropist and socialite. John’s great-grandfather John was born in Massachusetts, and was a Democratic politician, who served as Mayor of Boston, from January 1, 1906 to January 6, 1908, and again, from February 7, 1910 to February 2, 1914; and as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts, from March 4, 1895 to March 3, 1901, and again, from March 4, 1919 to October 23, 1919; he was the son of Thomas Fitzgerald and Rosanna Cox, who were born in Co. Limerick, Ireland. John’s great-grandmother Mary Josephine was the daughter of Michael Hannon, who was born in Lough Gur, Ireland, and of Mary Ann Fitzgerald, who was from Bruff, Limerick, Ireland.

John’s maternal grandfather was John Vernou Bouvier III (the son of John Vernou Bouvier, Jr. and Maude Frances Sergeant). John’s grandfather John Bouvier III was born in New York, and was a stockbroker and socialite. John’s great-grandfather John Bouvier, Jr. was the son of John Vernou/Vernon Bouvier, who was of about three quarters French descent, and of Caroline Maslin Ewing. Maude was born in Massachussetts, the daughter of English parents, William Roberts Sergeant and Edith W. Maretta/Mathilda/Matilda Leaman, from London.

John’s maternal grandmother was Janet Norton Lee (the daughter of James Thomas Aloysius Lee and Margaret A. Merritt). Janet was born in New York. James was born in New York, the son of James Lee and Mary/Marion Theresa Norton, and was of Irish descent. Margaret was born in New York, the daughter of Thomas Merritt and Maria Curry, who were Irish.

Sources: Genealogies of John F. Kennedy, Jr. – http://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Genealogy of John’s father – http://famouskin.com

John’s paternal grandmother, Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Notes on the ancestry of John’s paternal grandmother, Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald – http://www.americanancestors.org
http://www.familytreecircles.com

John’s maternal great-grandparents, John Vernou Bouvier, Jr. and Maude Frances Sergeant, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of John’s maternal great-great-grandparents, William Roberts Sergeant and Edith W. Maretta/Mathilda/Matilda Leaman – https://www.familysearch.org

John’s maternal grandmother, Janet Norton Lee, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Janet Norton Lee on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of John’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Thomas Merritt and Maria Curry – https://www.familysearch.org