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
johnny depp looks very exotic, with the age we see that he must have some native american genes or maybe spanish
Basically, he’s creole and white.
People are arguing if hes white or not. #1 it depends how far back that his admixture (everything other than white) goes back to. A biracial child have 50/50 lineage. Obviously he’s not that. It’s hard to call him “white” because of the color of his skin. The way how Americans judge someone is by their physical appearance. They know nothing about phenotype and genes. You think these black americans walking around are pure Africans? Yet, some of them can pass as Africans (and vis versa)!
He is most definitely not white!, native american definitely seen in him.
he is amixture of everything
anna2005 what about argentinians? we are mostly white, it is said we descend from the ships, bc of immigration.
In my case, im the 3rd/4th generation of italians from Piemonte and Friuli Venezia Giulia. I can even tell u the towns where they have been born.
You know I always love coming back to this site because the issue of “race” is fascinating and very sad (because we as humans are ignorant). “White” is only a social distinction. African Americans look “black” but genetics shows <30% Euro ancestry in some cases. Of course, there are white ppl in Latin America but there is still a great admixtures. The most Euro Latin American country has been shown in genetic studies to be 4-7% African ancestry. Italy's African autosamal DNA is low overall( 2% ) but high in Sicily(around 22%) and other parts (also a lot of Arab). All so called Hispanics are genetically more Euro than Native but can have very dark skin. My point is that you may look a certain phenotype but be quite different genetically. In this day and age why is still such an issue?
Like I told before, we look like italians ( specially in mi area) and spaniards. Ppl in US think mexicans and argentinians look the same and we laugh our asses off with such ignorance. I will tell anna2005 to google “la pampa gringa” -in fact, we call gringos NOT to the americans but to north italians, french and germans) and see that argentina is in that point more similar to NZ or australia than our partners from L.A.
“The most Euro Latin American country has been shown in genetic studies to be 4-7% African ancestry” which one, Arg, or Uruguay?
My point is that you may look a certain phenotype but be quite different genetically.–> not If I know my ancestors put a step on this country from a ship!!! We KNOW our grandfathers and great grandfathers . Man, I spent my childhood sundays eating pasta and bagna cauda, with my grandfathers.
In this day and age why is still such an issue?—> dunno, it’s just that ignorance is annoying in many cases, such as this.
Oopps!!! I meant Argentina is the most Euro. Most Argentines I have met have a profound sense of pride of being Argentines first while having a considerable Italian and German ancestry. Your family line may be more recent but I never said that makes someone less Hispanic. Natives, Euro, middle easterners, and Africans (to a lesser degree in Chile) contribute to the genetic makeup of Latin America. I’m sure you know your country’s history, where Spain killed off a lot of Native ppl and imported African slaves and then began a “whitening” process by bringing in Italians and other Europeans to populate. I would say Argentines are far more culturally Italian than Ozzies, yet keeping their Hispanic identity. Argentines are overwhelmingly “white” but genetically their is a diversity like everyone else.
First, we do not have african people, really, most of them were sent to war against Paraguay and the rest died in epidemies like yellow fever, when u cross to uruguay u realise of it. Anyway, genetists found in the Montserrat neighborhood in Bs As a high % of african ppl, the survivors of war and epidemics.
Second, spanish colonists didnt commit genocide against indians. They killed some of them, yes, but they needed indians as a labour force, spain even stablished a special law for indian ppl , the Indian Law ( Derecho Indiano) basing in indian institutions, such as mita and yaconazgo. Spanish were acostumed to other races in their own country – arabs and jews!-
It’s easy to observe this, look at Peru or Bolivia, most of them descend from indians! Look at Australia, NZ, USA … where is the indian element? English killed almost ALL of them and didnt coexist with the aboriginal population.
And in the case of Argentina, the genocide against the indians was carried out by the state, in a historical fact known as “the conquest of the desert” -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest_of_the_Desert – if u go to the north of our country, it looks like a latin american country, with the native element, plus the syrian and lebanese ppl . If u stay in the pampas, where live more than 70% of population, u’ll see european people. That’s why I don’t think the term “Hispanic” apply to us.
History is as exciting as chaotic.
Martin what are tryna say about new zealand??? HUH?? If your saying that white people in new zealand killed off all the natives then you know absolutely nothing about my country new zealand. We are by no means any similar to Argentinians. New Zealand is a diverse country not like you guys and the native people (the polynesian maoris) are still going strong and wont allow euros to put them down. You should actually come visit new zealand one day and see for yourself. and what are you talking about yous shouldnt be called hispanic??? that refers to spanish people from the americas?? i mean obviously your not spanish your italian so of course that would not make you hispanic.
Tyrone I’d really like to go to NZ. I hope I will. But what I mean was that the english conquerors did not mix with the natives, unlike the spanish who did bc they had no spanish women in the americas and they were accustomed to coexist with other races such as the jews and arabs in their own country.
I didn’t understand the last part. So shall I be considered hispanic or not? Why if I do not have a drop of spanish blood shall I be considered hispanic?
I’m sorry but that info about the island of Sicily is so wrong and pathetic
i think you should be quiet because you do not obviously know a damn thing about history..you come off as a ignorant bigot…pick up some history books and do your research..smh..then come back with a valid opinion..because you sound just as ignorant as your ancestors that went about “whitening” society