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
His ancestry can be part African American.My ancestry is European Caucasian(French) ,Philipino ,Cherokee Indian And African American and my skin color is a highly light mocha chocolate.It can be true everybody is mixed with something.
People are so ignorant. How do you squeeze out a total race. If the man had any African features, I pretty sure you would say oh I see the black blood hasn’t been squeezed out. That shows you how ignorant and racist some people are. You may not think its racist, but it really is.
I don’t mean to sound rude, but his African ancestry is pretty much irrelevant. He is less than 1%, and could hardly be considered black.
@Selene
We don’t what the man’s levels are,plus the human body doesn’t work that way.You can receive traits from ancestors from centuries ago.Example,Tom joyner is the only one in his entire family,that has grey eyes that he got from an ancestor who started his family line centuries ago.Also no one is calling the man black,good grief.He has African heritage,like millions of white Americans do(no big deal)
@Selene
Don’t mean to sound rude either,or to sound harsh.I’m just sick of that idea,that people think were trying to turn someone black.The man has the heritage,basically he’s a mutt like most Americans are.Everyone seems to freakout about the African blood,but everything else in his bloodline is ok to people,which shows racism is alive and well
I didn’t freak out. I said it’s hardly a big deal. I’m starting to realize that this site is very biased. I get thumbed down for saying Johnny Depp is less than 1% African-American, which he is, but people get a thumbs up for projecting and asserting that Taylor Lautner is mostly Native American, even though he isn’t, just because they think he looks it? Wow. What a bunch of racial apologists and bullshitters.
That was my point exactly when I posted about Allessandra Ambrosio and her being Brazilian but also having Italian ancestry. Sicilians are the same way, we have had many “invaders” (basically Nordic peoples, Greeks, Spaniards & Moors who are considered today as “Muslims”). But you don’t get many Sicilians admitting the African part of their heritage & that is sad.
Apparently his African ancestry is relevant enough to him to mention it, and a source of pride for him, after all, he has a historically significant individual in his background. Why should he not consider himself exactly what he actually is “racially mixed”. Do you have a problem with it, that he doesn’t?
He mentioned that he was part Cherokee.
I don’t have a problem with him having a black ancestor. It’s just annoying how you guys are acting as if he is boy wonder because you looked at his family tree and found out that he had a black ancestor from nine generations ago. You guys do the same with celebrities like Megan Fox and Miley Cyrus — as if the majority of white actors and actresses don’t claim Native American ancestry.
Not to mention, MOST white Americans, white Latin Americans, Europeans, black Americans, black Latin Americans, and so on are racially mixed, so basically, ANYONE can claim it.
Like I said, this site is full of racial apologists, hypocrites, and bullshitters. Not to mention, there are extremely racist people on here who hate whites — just check out some of the comments left on Megan Fox’s page.
You guys also react negatively to someone claiming a black actor or actress is mixed, and pull that card about how every black in America is mixed, and therefore, it’s okay to just call them black, but when a white actor or actress has Native American or black ancestry — no matter how distant it is (just like Johnny Depp’s black grandmother from over 200 hundred years ago) — you start singing that tune about how they’re not white and how they couldn’t possibly be white because they have (insert whatever ignorant shit) features.
Thats wrong because I believed blacks who are recently mixed are black because thats what an African American is, however I said Johnny Depp is not Black the ancestry is too far back from him to be black- you wouldnt agree that Beyonce is black? Or Mariah Carey? Johnny Depp is in a different category
I really don’t think “me” meant “squeezed it out” the way that you two put it. The African ancestry he has is not very relevant, at least that’s what I understood from “me”‘s post. I can’t be sure, though, I’m not “me”. xP
400 years is a long time, his Black heritage is not as relevant as closer ethnicities are. He can’t even be called Black.
But it’s a very interesting information. :)
Just to let you know if anyone has 2% black in them they are black in the US.
Tracy
Your right,but as you can see the rule gets bend when necessary
To Juli
I understand you trying to defend her,but she knows what she said.I don’t know why everyone keeps skipping over this,however as far as his black bloodline,I was not talking about Martha.The Cherokee grandmother was the one I was referring to,she’s the fresh one.According to mulatto.org which is real accurate about this stuff,says:
(Black-Indian Creole ancestry. His maternal great-grandmother, although recognized as being 100% Cherokee, was of African and Cherokee extraction)
There are other mixed blood sites that stated the same thing
Now if anyone paid attention to what I said before,in the 1900’s census there were 37,000 cherokee’s of that maybe 2000 were pure.7000 people were adopted into the tribe(white and black),and rest were mixed bloods of all combos,but majority African and Cherokee extraction.I came give other evidence of this particular combo(African and Cherokee extraction)if you want
Now please no one is calling Johnny black.One again I will repeat this(SAYING YOU HAVE RECENT BLACK HERITAGE OR FROM 400yrs AGO IS NOT CALLING YOU BLACK)
Didn’t proofread,
I came give=I can give
All this talk about color and what color Johnny Depp is, whatever he’s mixed with apparently it doesn’t bother him. If any of you think that you are of pure black or white then you truly need to study your history. And for those Caucasians who think that you have no black in you, where do you think you derived from. In 1950 two anthropologist found fossils of the Australopithecine species in East Africa that proved human life indeed began in African. Not to mention in 1972 in Hadar Ethiopia “Lucy” was found. The first Homo erectus, and the skeleton of Lucy is 3 1/2 feet tall dating back 1.8 million yrs. So in saying that I am saying that the ancient ancestors of all humans originated in Africa about 120,000 to 160,000 yrs ago and these ancestors are called Homo sapiens. So no your history, as much as whites don’t want to admit it but yes you guys are mixed with black as well just like we A. A. are mixed thanks to your forefathers raping our women during slavery. just thought you needed to know that. And for the record Johnny Depp is very sexy regardless what color he is to me.
From 1600s to 2011…..I’m pretty sure all the African has been squeezed out of him by now. U can’t technically call him African….400 years later and several different ethnicities mixed? And don’t get bent outta shape I would say the same if it was any other race. Just saying….
400 years does not define what he is today
To Me
It doesn’t work like that,humans are not sponges.Certain blood doesn’t squeezes out as you put it.He can’t urinate it out,sweat it out or anything other thing you can think of.This is how they trace DNA back to Africans,okay it doesn’t go anywhere.Certain traits can always reappear in future generations,even 400yrs later.Take Tom joyner here:
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSSQZCCg2x1psjkGJyZ73E9C02ShNSP2IqZfqYROwPm5n9m5QetAw
He’s known to have funny gray eyes.He’s the only person in his family that has them.In American lives 2,he found out where he got them.From the white man who was father to his line,centuries ago.Also I never heard of Martha before,it was the Cherokee great grandmother who was reported to have the black blood.So it’s no telling who else in his family had recent black blood in them.Because countries don’t tell you what color a person is,and neither does DNA
I couldn’t agree with you more. Squeeze out black blood, I thought I heard it all until I heard that. LOL.
Where did it get squeezed out to? Clearly you have no knowledge of racial genetics. Please read and learn http://www.biotech.bioetica.org/ap4.htm
If you look at pics of Johnny Depp’s father posted on this blog, he clearly has lips that resemble what are known to be an African trait. Plus all Johnny Depp has to do is have a child with a woman with the right genetic cocktail to compliment his own, and and he could have a child who appears more African than him. So much for “squeezed out”.
Ummm last I looked brilliant, whatever a persons DNA make up is it is. Now unless something new has been invented I am almost 100% sure that a person can not squeeze out their genetic makeup…it sound like to me you did a lot of talking in class and very little learning. Just face it we all including you are mixed with some black genes, now don’t be mistaken not the jeans that we wear but the genes that makes us who we are. My advice to you is study your history and while you have a book open study biology as well. Its a shame you have been blundering around in this world not knowing your history or how you are made…