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
part african, that explains his dark complexion.
Dark complexion?really?cause I think he looks pale lol
i meant dark for a white person.
Every race has dark to light complexions. But this “White” thing is weird with Americans. Did you know jews, italians, even Germans weren’t consider “white” in some point in American history. Victoria Beckham is of dark complexian and she’s a English girl
Iman is light Black girl Alek Wek is a dark black girl ect.
wow, i never would have suspected that about Germans.
the German thing doesnt even make sense….
not really that “dark complexion” (It’s actually more on his facial features than skin tone) would be his Cherokee side he states his grama got loads of cherokke indian which is a closer relative than that martha lady year 1610 would make black non existing in him it’s like 1/2000. Most “White-Americans” got some black like that oh and they don’t claim it as their heritage (Johnny never mentioned African in his interviews when they ask about his ancestry)
9 generations… thats about 1000 ancestors, one of which was black. chances are martha was also half caste, so he is like 1/2000th black. hardly worth getting excited about
You are right,it’s no big deal.However I wasn’t talking about Martha.I was talking about that Cherokee grandmother,that’s the other part black one
who cares?? it’s still part of his collective history and important to african americans moreso because the ancestor was so noteworthy in being the first woman to sue for her freedom.If it was some noteworthy english mayflower ancestor we were discussing you’d have no comment.If other AA’s want to discuss this notable black ancestor within his lineage they should.
huh….omg you must be american to be that idiotic. do you really think his g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-….g-g-g-grandma from the puritan era qualifies him as black just because she was?? Hell if that’s the case on the 2020 census Im putting down irish,jewish,french etc.. since that’s what my great and great great grandparents were even though im black.smh. im not quite sure if you’re an old school american or a recent immigrant who can’t trace his family past the creation of ellis island…however, if you’re family has been in america for more than 300 years when the population was like less than 5 million (lol) you’re bound to have black in you. sorry if it offends you, but there was a time when blacks outnumbered whites, and where white women weren’t exactly populous over here, and considering the first blacks came over with spaniards landing in south carolina in the 1520s ..thats a long time for racial mixing to occur. and with so much racial mixing and passing there’s quite a few whit people with black in them that they don’t know. 400 years is a long time to not assume multiple races didn’t mix. Hell, Alice Walker lived so long ago everyone might be related to her.
yeah, only Americans are idiots. not Brits, Italians, Mexicans, Australians, Indians, whatever.
You must be a non-American to be such an idiot and hater.
agreed.
who said he was black? even though he has some black roots doesn’t mean he’s black i believe he’s white to be honest. This is the same thing with black celebs that have a far mix down the line of their ancestry they’re not white or mixed they’re black, same thing with johny he’s white.
To Liyah
Nobody did,all that was said,was he had a black ancestor.Next thing you know,all sudden we’re trying to turn him black.I’ve said this over and over,that having black heritage does not make you black,but they don’t understand that.Every other day,there is someone new with the same old SH*T(excuse the language).Your just trying to turn him black,your trying to ODR him.It’s ridiculous how you could say the man grandmother,was a bat;yet no one would blink.However say he has black blood,oh no you didn’t.He is not black,how dare you try to make him black.You just want everybody in to world to be black,so you can think black is pretty.;all kinds of stupid stuff like that.Like I said,that’s the only part of his heritage that bothers people.It’s probably because if he could have black blood,they could to and it scares them;others might think their inferior
Sometimes you make a lot of sense, but other times…I don’t know what happens.
To jose
LOOOL
I am dark skinned and all of my relatives are dark. We once tried to associated our background with the West Indies. After taking a Y chrome DNA we learned we were M343. My uncles and grandfather had straightish hair. As my uncle got old his hair turned really straight. When I was a kid he gooked it up with pomade and it was hard to tell what his natural hair looked like. M343 is associated with some parts of Africa and Spain, England and Irland. I would rely on the DNA test as opposed to a country or religous association. They don’t mean much. After all people somehow got from Africa to all these other countries. People move around. Good to read Johnie Depp was not Jewish. A DNA test for Jewish could really be middle eastern anything.
haplogroups [y-dna] don’t mean anything they represent less than 1% of your ancestry.
EtHNiC, yU pUt “ENgLANd” f0R HiS EtHNiCity. yU ACtUALLy MEAN ENgLiSH. L0L. CAN yU fiX tHAt.? tHANkS.! =]]
Ta!