Kehlani

03/11/2018 – Kehlani – 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards – Arrivals – The Forum – Inglewood, CA, USA – Photo Credit: David Gabber / PRPhotos.com

Birth Name: Kehlani Ashley Parrish

Place of Birth: Oakland, Alameda, California, United States

Date of Birth: April 24, 1995

Ethnicity:
*paternal grandfather – African-American
*paternal grandmother – Scottish, English, German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, distant Cornish and Irish, possibly Choctaw Native American
*mother – Blackfoot and Cherokee Native American, Spanish, Mexican, Filipino

Kehlani is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer.

She was adopted and raised by her maternal aunt, Tanya Marie French. Kehlani’s biological mother is evidently of Blackfoot and Cherokee Native American, and Spanish, Mexican, and Filipino, descent. Her biological father, Elon Thompson Parrish, died when she was a toddler. Kehlani’s paternal grandfather was African-American. Kehlani’s paternal grandmother is of Scottish, English, German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and Welsh, as well as distant Cornish, Irish, and possibly Choctaw Native American, ancestry.

Kehlani stated her ethnic background as “Black, White, Native American and Spanish” in an interview on Hot 97, and specified that “Blackfoot Cherokee” are her Native American tribes. She has also said that she has a small amount of Filipino ancestry (at 0:23 at the link), and, in another interview, Mexican (at 24:14 at the link).

Kehlani has a daughter with her guitarist Javaughn Young-White. Javaughn’s brother is comedian Jaboukie Young-White.

Kehlani’s paternal grandfather is Guy Corwin Parrish (the son of Robert Lawrence Parrish and Jean Andra Thompson). Guy was born in Los Angeles, California, and is African-American. Robert was the son of J. A. Parrish and Belle Way. Jean was the daughter of Jesse Thompson and Kathryn Morris.

Kehlani’s paternal grandmother was Ruth Suzanne Thompson (the daughter of James Buchanan Thompson, Jr. and Ruth Imogene Wallace). Suzanne was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. James was the son of James Buchanan Thompson, Sr., whose own parents were Scottish, and of Barbara Adelaide Brown. Kehlani’s great-grandmother Ruth was the daughter of Baxter Boxbe Wallace and Nancy J. Jones.

Kehlani’s maternal grandfather was named Christopher French.

Kehlani in 2014, photo by Prphotos.com

Sources: Birth record of Kehlani’s father – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Kehlani’s paternal grandparents, Guy Corwin Parrish and Suzanne Ruth Thompson – https://www.familysearch.org

Divorce record of Kehlani’s paternal grandparents, Guy Corwin Parrish and Suzanne Ruth Thompson – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Kehlani’s paternal grandfather, Guy Corwin Parrish – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Kehlani’s paternal great-grandparents, Robert Lawrence Parrish and Jeana Andra Thompson – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Kehlani’s paternal great-grandparents, James Buchanan Thompson, Jr. and Ruth Imogene Wallace – https://www.familysearch.org

Kehlani’s paternal great-grandfather, James Buchannan Thompson, Jr., on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Kehlani’s paternal great-grandfather, James Buchannan Thompson, Jr. – http://www.ralphrobinsonandson.com

Marriage record of Kehlani’s paternal great-great-grandparents, James Buchanan Thompson and Barbara Ade Brown – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Kehlani’s paternal great-grandmother, Ruth Imogene (Wallace) Thompson – http://www.ralphrobinsonandson.com