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
Mariah has had at least 1 nose job, maybe 2. Her original nose clearly showed signs of African admixture. Her skin I once described as olive, it’s more of a very tan/light yellowish complexion, so lighter than olive, but darker than white/pale.
She has white skin, and is biracial
Yes, white, slight tan.
I don’t understand why mixed black people like her that claim to proudly identify as black do everything in their power to look less black or more specifically whiter. That makes no sense. You never see her with dark, curly hair or an afro look (even if her real hair doesn’t look like that). She should be going full Dolezal if she wasn’t a hypocrite.
Good point …many people who are predominantly Black do the same thing, though.
Robert Carey’s mother was definately Venezuelean, now his father, that’s up in the air.
I tried to research on Robert Carey’s ancestry. His birth or baptismal record might be likely located at https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/633168?availability=Family%20History%20Library
However, the entire set is not available online. Cuban baptismal and birth records almost always list grandparents’ names.
Also, I possibly found his own father Alfred Carey’s Florida state census record. However, I cannot verify this, owing that he was born about 1891 in Florida, while Robert was born in 1905. Moreover, it is spelled as “Kerry” on a state census record. I’m not sure if this spelling is erroneous. For a state census record, see here: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNVL-MBX
Meanwhile on Robert’s mother, Margarita Núñez, I possibly found her death record in Key West, Florida. Although I cannot verify this until someone can see the image of her death certificate. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVFW-G2N (Death index) / https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/168912576/_ (Burial)
The Cuban ancestry makes more sense than Venezuelan since Cuban migration to New York was big in the 60s. Puerto Ricans and Cubans were the main Hispanic populations during that time. However Dominicans are now the largest Latino population in New York while Puerto Ricans are now 2nd. Including now large Mexican, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Peruvian, Honduran, and Salvadorian communities. Wonder why Mariah didn’t take her father’s surname.
Cubans and Dominicans fancied about being Venezuelans in the past. They were poor while Venezuela was the richest country in Latin America because of oil industry (now is a mess) That is what I knew through a friend of mine from DR.
Mariah has Cuban ancestry. Little doubt about that.
Clearly mulatto.