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
OMG I knew I was right Johnny depp
Is French OMG he is cherike and africain
Wow
You know what is interesting. He mentioned that he is Native american also but very few people seemed to have a problem with his Native american background but when he mentioned that he had black in him, people wanted to insist that his black ancestry is very small, and that he should not be considered mixed. What problem do you people have with him mentioning his African ancestry? His background is quite interesting considering that his female African ancestor went to court to free herself from slavery. It is so obvious that many of you people are racist when it comes to black people. I am glad that Johnny Depp was humble enough to mention his background without any fear or shame. I agree with another person’s comment. People are far more likely to be mixed with black than Native American since there have been way more black people in this country since the 1800’s than Native Americans.
Many white Americans have some African ancestor. They probably don’t know it or are too ashamed (racist) to admit it.
Please provide a quote or a source.
I am an avid fan of Johnnh Depp. I have seen most of his interviews, and I have never heard him say that he was black or mixed with it. He has only spoke of being an 1/8 Cherokee. The news of him having an African ancestor from nearly nine generations ago came from this site. I have never heard this come out of his mouth. I have no problem with him having an African ancestor, but I do not believe he has said this himself.
So please provide a quote, link, or source.
I don’t have the link. But I saw the website. It is a ancestry website that provides information about people’s family trees, sometimes going all the way back to the 1600’s. I saw Johnny Depp’s fathers family tree where it went all the way back to Martha, his black female ancestor. I think the link is at the top of this page. It is highlighted in blue.
No. I realize that it is on family tree. However, he has never claimed this himself; not from his own mouth. That is what I mean. You guys had to go back generations on his family tree to find it, and it is there, yes, but he has never said he has a black ancestor himself. Never. He may not even know, in fact.
I ONLY SEE THE CHEROKEE, THAT’S WHY HE’S SO FAMOUS.
No it’s not stupid. It’s because he’s incredibly talented.
That’s because Americans are so mixed up with multiculturalism; to the extent that many people of all ethnicities have lost their native culture and identity, most particularly Europeans living in diaspora in the ‘united’ states.
..trust me, there’s nothing better than getting together with all your FAMILY who have lived or can trace their lineage back to the same geographical place, they have called home for thousands of years. Who share the same blood. The same religion. The same ideals. The same history…everything.
Americans are so concerned with being politically correct and learning about every other people’s cultures, they have lost their own.
Look at Australia, 92.3% of the population are of European ancestry, compare that to around 40% of Americans who classify themselves as European. And the state censes includes Arabs, who are definitely not European, as they traded Europeans as slaves and invaded our homeland for many years.
At some point, almost everyone will have a black ancestor…but it’s ridiculous that they even mention black on his profile. By now, it is washed away from his DNA…what black feature can he contribute to an offspring…a curly pube?
I do not consider him black in any way, however i do not consider him fully european, as he does have non-european ancestory.
What Science Class did you flunk????
DNA doesn’t wash away with time!! Its what makes us. The ratio of European ancestors to African Ancestors may increase but it will never “wash away”. If that “”African person didn’t exist you wouldn’t exist.
Also it sad that you dont understand adaptation, 60,000 year ago some Africans left Africa, some became European, Some Asian, some Australian. But that’s not the same as a “Black person” and a “White Person” getting together over the last few centuries and making babies.
Dear Craig D, the better question is, what science courses did YOU flunk!! Some of one’s ancestors’ DNA certainly CAN cease to appear in future generations. Now, forgetting the whole picture of DNA–that’s too complex to discuss in this forum—but just to give you an idea how this happens, lets look at a very simple idea to illustrate—-take for example, one trait, eye color. One parent may have alleles for brown eyes and blues eyes–but may happen to pass on just the blue eyed allelle. If the other parent also passed on only a blue eyed allele, its possible the child will not have any brown to pass on to his/her descendants, therefore that trait is forever gone in this child’s line. Also your argument about “adaptation” is interesting. THese 60,000 year old “Africans” were not necessarily the same as current denizens of Africa— and primitive, ancient humans from whom we all evolved , presumably, were’nt necessarily black. What are you saying–that white people evolved from black people–so that would make white people superior since they are more evolved?!! That’s how you sound.
Yes it does wash away. JD cannot have a black child unless he makes one with a black woman. That is my definition of black. It is the real definition. People always want to pretend that they are pure. Listen, many if not most Americans have black and/or Native American ancestor(s)…just like JD…except probably further back. He has a distinctly Native American ‘cast’ to him. How do I know? Because I am mixed European and Native American. My husband is Native American and European as well. We are both ‘mostly’ European. Our daughter is white…as white as all of these other white people’s kids I see walking around…yet we are tan and reflect our ‘dark’ heritage…like Jessica Alba…though she is mostly white. America is in denial. I get it now. It is so racist because the people are mostly mixed. Pure whites usually don’t elevate it as much. They often are attracted to different races and don’t even mind rough features and extremely dark skin. This is a mestizo/mulatto nation…only less so into other categories b/c of an infusion of more European blood.