Johnny Depp
Depp in 2008
Birth Name: John Christopher Depp II
Place of Birth: Owensboro, Daviess, Kentucky, United States
Date of Birth: June 9, 1963
Ethnicity: English, along with small/distant amounts of Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French/French-Canadian, Dutch, Flemish Belgian, and German, as well as 3/2048 African
Johnny Depp is an American actor, producer, and musician. He is the star of the films A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Platoon, Cry-Baby, Edward Scissorhands, Benny and Joon, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Ed Wood, Dead Man, Donnie Brasco, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Sleepy Hollow, Chocolat, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, The Libertine, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Public Enemies, Alice in Wonderland (2010), and its sequel; Dark Shadows (2012), The Lone Ranger (2013), Black Mass, and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and the series 21 Jump Street. Johnny was selected People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2003, and again in 2009. He has often worked with director Tim Burton. He is a member of rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires, with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. He also founded film production company Infinitum Nihil.
Johnny is the son of Betty Sue (Wells), a waitress, and John Christopher Depp, a civil engineer. He was raised partly in Miramar, Florida. He has two children, including actress and model Lily-Rose Depp, with his former partner, French singer, model, and actress Vanessa Paradis.
Much or most of Johnny’s ancestry traces back to England. He also has small amounts (to varying degrees) of Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, French-Canadian, Dutch, Flemish Belgian, and German, ancestry, as well as 3/2048 African ancestry (through Elizabeth Key Grinstead, who is his ancestor twice over). Johnny’s patrilineal line is generally traced to Pierre Deppe, a Huguenot, who was born, c. 1706, in France, and to Pierre’s wife, Angelica/Angeline LeVillian/le Villian.
Both of Johnny’s parents, as well as all of Johnny’s grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents, were born in Kentucky. Johnny has stated, on several occasions, that he has or likely has Native American ancestry (of varying tribes, most often Cherokee). For example:
I guess I have some Native American somewhere down the line… My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.
It does not appear that this Native American ancestry has been documented. All of Johnny’s grandparents and great-grandparents are listed as “White” on United States Censuses. No verified Native American ancestry has been produced for Johnny Depp.
LOS ANGELES – MAY 18: Depp arrives for “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” US Premiere in Hollywood, CA, 2017, photo by DFree
Johnny’s paternal grandfather was Oren Larry Depp (the son of Oren Richard Depp and Effie A. Palmore). Johnny’s grandfather Oren was born in Barren County, Kentucky. Johnny’s great-grandfather Oren was the son of John Burkes/Burks Depp and Mariba Elizabeth Reneau. Effie was the daughter of Andrew H. Palmore and Mary Elizabeth “Mollie” McCreary.
Johnny’s paternal grandmother was Violet Mattie Grinstead (the daughter of Robert Fauntleroy “Roy” Grinstead and Mary E. Bailey). Roy was the son of Christopher Tompkins Grinstead and Martha S. “Mattie” Sanders. Mary was the daughter of Joseph Taylor Bailey and Martha Ann Mansfield.
Johnny’s maternal grandfather was Walter Everett/Everette Wells (the son of Richard Mack/Mac Wells and Annie/Anna Cooper). Richard was the son of Commodore Perry Wells and Rebecca Ann “Beckie” Litteral/Little. Johnny’s great-grandmother Anna was the daughter of William M. “Bill” Cooper and Sallie/Sarah Kelly/Craft.
Johnny’s maternal grandmother was Bessie Whitaker (the daughter of Branch Whitaker and May/Mae Slone). Branch was the son of William C. Whitaker and Sirilda/Sarilda/Serilda Fletcher/Fletchet. May was the daughter of Wiley Slone and Amanda Bradley.
Johnny is descended from a woman, Martha, who was born in 1612, and who was of African descent. Martha had a daughter, Elizabeth Key Grinstead, married to William Grinstead, who were Johnny’s ancestors. Elizabeth’s father, Thomas Key, was caucasian, of English descent. Elizabeth was the first woman of African ancestry to successfully take legal action to free herself from slavery. This happened in 1656. Johnny is descended from Martha twice (on one family tree, she is both one of his eight times great-grandmothers, and one of his nine times great-grandmothers). That would mean that Johnny is of 3/2048 African ancestry.
Some family trees state that Johnny’s nine times great-grandmother was a woman named Nicketti Opechancanough, who is said to have been of Powhatan Native American ancestry. If true, that would make Johnny of 1/2048 Powhatan Native American descent. However, stories about her are believed to be a myth. Scholarly research and records dispute the existence of Nicketti Opechancanough.
Sources: Genealogies of Johnny Depp – https://famouskin.com
http://www.geni.com
http://www.genealogy.com
https://www.wikitree.com
Genealogy of Johnny’s paternal grandparents, Oren Larry Depp and Violet Mattie Grinstead – http://www.findagrave.com
Johnny’s paternal grandfather, Oren Larry Depp (“Laramore Depp”), on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s paternal grandmother, Violet Mattie Grinstead (“Violet M. Grinstead”), on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Christopher Tompkins Grinstead and Martha S. “Mattie” Sanders, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy and obituary of Johnny’s mother – https://www.findagrave.com
Johnny’s maternal grandfather, Walter Everett/Everette Wells (“Everette Wells”), on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s maternal great-grandmother, Annie/Anna (Cooper) Wells, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s maternal great-great-grandparents, William M. “Bill” Cooper and Sallie/Sarah Kelly/Craft, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Johnny’s maternal grandmother, Bessie Whitaker, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Article about Johnny’s ancestor, Elizabeth (Key) Grinstead – http://www.womenhistoryblog.com
Don’t get me wrong- he’s awesome. And super-hot. But EVERY person in America with no idea what their TRUE ethnicity is tries to claim they’re Native. Usually “Cherokee,” and almost always from their grandmother some generations back. Unless you’ve got a tribal i.d., you know- proof, than don’t try to claim you’re part of a people who don’t need to be bled out any more than we already are. C’mon- get your own damned identity. Speaking as a full-blood from a REAL tribe -with a TRIBAL I.D.- it’s really friggin’ offensive. We’ve had our country stolen and are nearly extinct, and are, in truth, the rarest breed. Leave us our damned identity at least. And for fuck’s sake, all the black people in America need to shut the fuck up about opression. If you’re in America, you’ve got nothing to complain about. You are no longer enslaved by anything other than yourselves, and you are NOT entitled to OUR land. The only people here who should be getting acreage and mules are US.
To Anonymous
So it’s black people your piss at?They are the ones who took the land from you,ok I understand now.Now it’s a historical fact that many African Americans have native blood like it or not.Also despite what you think you know black people still have a lot to complain about.Besides you guys got casinos now,what are you upset about?
Hey Anonymous Native, why the anger towards black people. Doesn’t the Native word Seminole mean runaway slave. It is a fact that a lot of Native peoples mixed with American blacks. (My maternal great granny, who was Creek and Choctaw, lived with me during her later years.) My paternal grandfather, who was born on a reservation in Texas, was half black…and was brutally murdered by some Klan affiliates in Ms. I’m Black, proud, and love my country good and bad. I could get a tribe I.D., but I identify as Black American with various ethnic heritage. Besides NO one is pure anything in the U.S.
To Supernaut
Your right Seminole was for the black people,not the Indians.However like the word Moor for Arabs ,Seminole got expanded to include the native Americans.Now people completely forget it got started with black people(including the Indians)
technically not. natives are no different than africans. your country was taken away by spaniards, portuguese, and french and anglo saxons. africa was carved up by 4x as many nations including the dutch and arab nations,enslaved, exported/imported, and no one gave them federal dollars or money annnnnd africa had way more antural resources like gold and diamonds that people took without so much as a thanks that were worth way more. the only difference is the mass extinction of amerindians becasue your ancestors lacked immunity from disease truth be told that’s the only reason today you’re not in the position of africans, and i lack sympathy because of the huge amounts of slaves that native americans owned and because of historical accounts of how they were treated so i could literally care less
alllssssoooo, every group feels entitled to vent frsutration about their situations. when amerindians WERE populous they DID not endure the hardships of africans. it’s a historical fact that natives were extrememly disenfranchised however even europeans remarked that although “savage” they at least were considered a step up from africans who europeans truly believed literally lacked a soul whereas they at least though natives were a “proud race” of people and with their illustrious help could at least save their souls if converted. Seeing as native slavery lasted about less than 10 years as well and interracial marriages and breeding were not illegal between the 2 races and that native americans especially the cherokee were allowed to own slaves and that natives could go anywhere thye pleased whereas even colonized africans like south africans required passes to enter what used to be their land…then i feel i could correctly state that YES natives were treated disgustingly but not as bad nor were viewed as bad as african slaves and thats the truth, but it’s the mass extinction of native americans largely due to disease that makes people more sympathetic because their heritage was gone and a whole people virtually erased. but even in colonized africa they weren’t viewed half as nicely as native americans were. just look up apartheid in south africa
and another thing sweetie native americans deserve all the money they can get from the government that’s a fact however, black slaves are what made america. there would be no computer you’re sitting at angrily typing had it not been for the industrial revolution that begain in Europe becaue of all the money pooring in from the american colonies that were PRODUCED BY slaves and from the mass ecportation of goods that were taken from the colonized africans. african slaves had the knowledge to farm/work on cane fields, to produce cotton and rice, and to work in the indigo, tobacco fields etc…. so although america belonged to a whole other race of people, the new nation of america that we know and live in currently was not built on the backs of indians or just whites but on free african labor that produced the goods for the country and raw material for the world- hell there were more millionaires in the world per capita living in mississippi in the early 19th century because of slave labor MY ancestors worked there, MY ancestors were trained slaves who were bricklayers, crop growers, and welders that created the cities, MY ancestors therefore clearly deserved reparations even though they never received anything for the building of this country.so if you’re angry about your ethnic groups situation i suggest you quit allowing the dominant group’s fdivide/conque tactics to manipulate you and be angry at the poeple responsible for the destruction of your race.
I always thought he had a black lineage in his ancestry. I have one in mine and I am white with red hair and green eyes. I think is’s great and interesting.
I consider you racially challenged.
intresting!!!!!!!
To Britney
If they followed that rule,he would be