Mariah Carey

Place of Birth: Huntington, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: March 27, 1970

Ethnicity:
*Cuban/African-Cuban, African-American (father)
*Irish (mother)

Mariah Carey is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She is the daughter of Patricia (Hickey), an opera singer and vocal coach, and Alfred Roy Carey.

Mariah’s paternal grandfather was a Cuban immigrant, with African-Cuban ancestry (he was almost certainly not from Venezuela, as some sources state). Mariah’s paternal grandmother was African-American. Mariah’s mother, who is caucasian, is of Irish heritage. Mariah stated in an interview that her mother is a third generation Irish-American.

Her name is from the song “They Call the Wind Maria,” of the 1951 musical Paint Your Wagon.

Mariah’s biracial family was the target of racial slurs and hostility while Mariah was growing up. Her parents divorced when she was three, and she was raised by her mother.

Mariah has two children with her former husband, actor and television personality Nick Cannon.

Mariah’s paternal grandfather, Roberto Nuñez (later Robert Carey), was the son of Alfred and Margaret. Roberto is sometimes described as being from a family from Venezuela. Mariah stated in an interview with Latina Magazine, “we don’t know if he was Venezuelan and white or Venezuelan and black… We’re confused,” and also, seemingly speaking about Roberto Nuñez’s father, stated, “apparently he had red hair and freckles, but he could’ve been black or white. We just don’t know.” Mariah stated in the same interview that Roberto’s mother was named Margarita Nuñez, and that Robeto took the surname Carey after his own biological father (according to Mariah, Roberto’s parents were not married).

The marriage record of Mariah’s paternal grandparents lists Mariah’s grandfather as having been born in Cuba. The 1930 United States Census also lists Roberto Nuñez (then Robert Carey) as having been born in Cuba, to Cuban parents, and as having moved to the United States in 1907. The family may have covered up their background, as some other Cubans did, due to anti-Cuban sentiment in the U.S. The 1930 United States Census lists Roberto’s race as “Negro” (Black).

A picture of her grandfather can be seen here (near the bottom of the page).

Mariah’s paternal grandmother was Addie Cole (the daughter of Will Cole and Emma McQueen/McQuean). Addie was born in North Carolina, to a North Carolina-born father and an Alabama-born mother. Addie and her parents were African-American.

Mariah’s maternal grandfather was John Wesley Hickey (the son of John Hickey and Mary Mowen). Mariah’s grandfather John was born in Illinois, and was of Irish ancestry.

Mariah’s maternal grandmother was Ann Elizabeth Egan (the daughter of Charles Thomas Egan and Anna Elizabeth Blanchfield). Mariah’s grandmother Ann was born in Illinois. Charles was born in Illinois, to Irish-born parents. Mariah’s great-grandmother Anna was the daughter of James S. Blanchfield, whose own parents were Irish, from Dublin, and of Mary A. Ryan, an Irish immigrant.

Sources: Interview with Mariah Carey, Latina Magazine, 2003 – http://www.mariahjournal.com

Genealogies of Mariah Carey – http://www.wargs.com
https://www.geni.com

Mariah’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Mariah’s paternal grandparents, Roberto Nuñez (later Robert Carey) and Addie Cole – https://www.familysearch.org

Information about Mariah’s paternal grandparents, Roberto Nuñez (later Robert Carey) and Addie Cole – http://www.genealogue.com

Mariah’s maternal grandfather, John Wesley Hickey, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org