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
oh yeah he looks somethig like Dany trejo mixed with Oj simpson,his skin color is dark brown,he have mongoloid eyes like all the native americans when i see him i say this man dont looks occidental he may be
from philipiness.
Wow america is a racist country every white person is shocked that depp is part black but not shocked about his native american ancestry .White americans hate black people they look down on blacks because of slavery , every white person said depp is only 1% percent black so he is not really black wellhis grat grandmother was half black half native american so he is more then 1% black ,and yes in america one drop makes you black i know some people who are white and have a black ancestry they will not tell white people they are part black because of that one drop rule , i don’t accept that rule is an american thing .Many whites have black ancestry i think like 30% and depp looks native american and those who thinks he looks white need glasses.
Exactly. Very few people have a problem with his Native American background but are uncomfortable with his black ancestry. And you are right. Up to 30 percent of all whites in this country ( according to DNA test) have African Ancestry ( 30% of whites in this country are 3 percent African). So many whites have MORE African Ancestry in them than Johnny Depp considering that his African ancestor was 9 generations ago. Thanks Ena for bringing up that fact.
Johnny Depp’s Father:
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5099/7af5266de06bvp1.jpg
Another Pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/MadScntst/family/johndeppbestlookingcrop.jpg
Wow, his father had beautiful lush lips, very similar to some of my own racially mixed relatives, I’d better check my family tree and see if I’m related to him, lol.
His dad is a good looking man. And you can see that his is mixed. He has those beautiful full lips. Thanks for the picture.
his N/A heritage shines through him well.
what the hell. I agree with selene,im sick of the same thing,and hardly he can considered black is ridiculous.if we going to consider people like him black we have to consider people like Obama white.
in ages ago the racist laws in U.S.consider black or indian people,who have a little sign of non white ancestry,and they didnt have the same rigths.I think this is a racial predjuice,because if we dont know his back ground we posibly think he is french ,irish or italian.and i say why if we call A mulato like Obama black when he have only the midle.why we dont consider him white, if he is midle white.
Is because he looks black.then we have to aply the same rule, whith
people that looks white.OK.
To ahzyklonb88
I also sick of the same thing,NO ONE HAS CALLED THE MAN BLACK.SAYING he has that heritage is not calling him black.The same way we AA here have Euro blood is not calling us white.You people have really thick skulls.I never thought the word black commanded so much fear,but you guys seem to be scared to death of the word.That’s the only piece of his heritage,that’s bothering you people.Just be man or woman enough to admit you people are racist plain and simple.
You should ask yourself why you think anybody has to choose up sides, America is supposed to be desegregated, so why can’t Barack Obama, Johnny Depp, Cameron Diaz and anybody else of mixed racial heritage just consider themselves exactly what they are “of mixed racial heritage”?
I see clearly the native american side of his face, which is mentioned Cherokee. Even if I knew nothing about his ethnicity, I was sure that he isnot just european.