Mariah Carey

Carey in 2009

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

Date of Birth: March 27, 1969 (see here)

Ethnicity:
*paternal grandfather – Cuban/African-Cuban
*paternal grandmother – African-American
*mother – Irish

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, an aeronautical engineer.

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 white, is of Irish heritage. Mariah stated in an interview that her mother is a third generation Irish-American. A picture of Mariah with her father can be seen here. A picture of Mariah with her mother can be seen here.

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. She was raised at least partly in Greenlawn, on Long Island.

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

Mariah’s paternal grandfather, Roberto Nuñez (later Robert Edward 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/William 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. Emma was the daughter of William/Bill McQueen and Eliza/Liza. A picture of Mariah’s grandmother Addie can be seen here.

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.

03/24/2018 – Mariah Carey – Nickelodeon’s 2018 Kids’ Choice Awards – Arrivals – The Forum – Inglewood, CA, USA – Photo Credit: David Gabber / PRPhotos.com

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 Edward Carey) and Addie Cole – https://www.familysearch.org

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

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

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

793 Responses

  1. Jyajure says:

    Mariah Carey still has a family in Venezuela today. That time he visited this country, a famous program here in Venezuela investigated and they found his family in Zulia State, there was a cousin of his grandfather, I remember, and there was a girl invited, granddaughter of the lady who claimed to be Mariah Carey’s grandfather, they compared her with a photo of Mariah Carey as a child and they were identical. Forgive my English.

  2. phaedra says:

    She looks Mestizo. I thought she was Latino/Hispanic mix at first.

    But at times, she does look like a light-skinned black woman.

    Strange.

  3. luckystar says:

    Mariah Carey was born in Huntington, New York. Her father, Alfred Roy, was of African American and Afro-Venezuelan descent, while her mother, Patricia (Hickey), is of White Irish descent. The last name Carey was adopted by her Venezuelan grandfather, Francisco Núñez, after immigrating to New York. Patricia was an occasional opera singer and vocal coach before she met Alfred in 1960. As he began earning a living as an aeronautical engineer, the couple wed later that year, and moved into a small suburb in New York. After their elopement, Patricia’s family disowned her due to her marrying a black man. Carey later explained that growing up, she felt a notion of neglect from her maternal family, a mark that affected her greatly. During the years between the births of Carey’s older sister Alison and herself, the Carey family struggled within the community due to their ethnicity.

    • savanna says:

      It says above:
      “Mariah’s paternal grandfather was a Cuban immigrant, with Afro-Cuban ancestry (he was almost certainly not from Venezuela, as some sources state)… 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).”

    • BigMama says:

      Many mulattoes are considered “black” in United States, specially at the 1930 so it doesn’t mean anything… ccording to Cuba’s Oficina Nacional de Estadisticas ONE 2012 Census, the population was including: The racial make-up was 7,160,399 whites, 1,034,044 blacks and 2,972,882 mulattoes (black and white) or mestizos…And her skin is very light… Her that is probably a mulatto or griffe…

  4. sebastianvalladolid says:

    I hate how e black community have “claimed her” when she is not even half Black, of anything she looks more Latina with white in her. I mean wasn’t her father actually of Venezuelan nationality half black? — regardless she’s not your typical “mixed” white and black.

    • malavej45 says:

      You do know that “Latina” is not a race, and Afro-Latino means that he is a black Latino. There are black and white Latinos and then their are ones that are so mixed they only consider themselves Latino (native, African, European). If he’s labeled as Afro-Latino then he is black. Black community claims her? She claimed us! No white person sings like her. Sorry! Try again.

      • Ajaxfan says:

        arrogante aap

      • cimetina says:

        Afro-Latino can also be mixed race. After all, Nicole Ari Parker is considered Afro-American…

      • Jacklyn 224 says:

        She can call herself whatever,but Americans by majority follow social construct and shell always be perceived as white to ambiguous by the public.In Latin america she has to identify as WHITE and in Canada/Europe/Asia/Africa,she has to identify as mixed race whether she likes it or not.She will always be a white-mixed race woman and that is how the world views her.

    • BigMama says:

      Agree with you @sebastianvallaloid … These people are crazy… LTino is not a race but many of them are mixed mestizo, mulatto or multiracial …… There’s white, natives and blacks but many of them are mixed…. And many of these people of the black community are arguing about etnicithies they don’t know. They look ignorants and anxious. So sad.

    • kiwi7777 says:

      Mariah has stated in many interviews that she identifies herself as being black because of the one-drop rule. So she allowed the black community to “claim” her.

      • Jacklyn 224 says:

        She can call herself whatever,but she will always be seen as white especially in Latin america and mixed race in Europe ( Asian/Africa).She more white than black given her dad is a 75/25 biracial which puts her at 60/40 %.she a white mixed race women and that is how she is perceived by society.social construct remember is what matters

    • mayra.santana says:

      Her father is the average african american man. He was raised speaking only english, he is not a mulatto. He is black with a venezuelan grandmother(who is most likely afro venezuelan). Mariah is 1/8 venezuelan. Most of her ancestry is black and white but she prefers her black side. They claim her because she told them she is Black period.

  5. marjanel says:

    In another census and army records , Maryah’s paternal grandfather Roberto is listed as white. Although in 1930 is listed as black.

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