Marisa Ramirez
Ramirez in 2006, photo by s_bukley/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Marisa Maguire Ramirez
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: September 15, 1977
Ethnicity: Mexican (five eighths), along with Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, possibly English, Irish, French, and Native American
Marisa Ramirez is an American actress.
She is the daughter of Francine and Raymond Ramirez. She has a daughter.
Her father is of Mexican descent. One of her maternal great-grandfathers was also of Mexican origin; her mother’s other ancestry is Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, and possibly or likely English, Irish, and French. Marisa has also mentioned having Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented, although Marisa may certainly have Indigenous American roots through her Mexican lineage.
Marisa has said:
I am Mexican, American Indian, and Irish. I was born and raised in East LA… I think there could be some improvements [in roles offered to Latina actresses]. A lot of roles are still the typical Latina with an accent who has three kids at home. I’m a woman of color. You don’t need to know what color it is or pigeonhole it. We need more Latinas being portrayed as leading women, not just Jennifer Lopez. I can be Mrs. Smith, not just Mrs. Ramirez. I want to be able to audition for everything.
Marisa’s maternal grandfather was Harold Hugh Maguire (the son of Clyde Jefferson Maguire/McGuire and Mary Emma Cruse). Harold was born in Arkansas. Clyde was the son of William A. McGuire and Rena G. Gollaher. Rena’s mother, Eliza Jane Dunlap, may have been a Cherokee Native American; though census records list her as “white.” Marisa’s great-grandmother Mary Emma was the daughter of Alexander C. Cruse and Lucy Crawford.
Marisa’s maternal grandmother was Stella Alice Raleigh Mellado (the daughter of Peter Mellado and Hortense Raleigh). Stella was born in California. Peter was born in Texas, to a Texas-born father and a New Mexico-born mother, and was likely of Mexican descent. Hortense was born in California, to a father from New England (New York or Delaware) and a California-born mother.
Sources: Marriage record of Marisa’s maternal grandparents, Harold Hugh Maguire and Stella Raleigh Mellado – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Marisa’s maternal great-grandfather, Clyde Jefferson Maguire/McGuire – http://www.genealogy.com
Information about Marisa’s maternal great-great-great-grandmother, Eliza Jane Dunlap – https://www.findagrave.com
Genealogies of Marisa’s maternal great-grandmother, Mary Emma Cruse – https://www.geni.com
http://www.werelate.org
Genealogy of Marisa’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Lucy Crawford – http://www.genealogy.com
Marisa’s maternal grandmother, Stella Alice Raleigh Mellado, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Stella Alice Raleigh Mellado on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
It says in the bio she may have Native through her Mexican roots. Well the same can be said for her to have African through her Mexican heritage, seeing how the avg Mexican has it. Cherokee , everyone and their grandma says their Cherokee . It’s said that in the 1900’s, there were only 47,000 Cherokee left. Of that only 2000 were pure-blood, the rest were mixed and about 7000 blacks and Whites were adopted into the tribe
Why isn’t the Africa left as a possibility then? The avg Mexican has it, even if they do not want to claim it, or may not know about it. Eliza Jane Dunlap is listed as white, so The Native ancestry hasn’t been verified , yet it’s left up there. Come on now, be fair
Ramirez mentioned Native American ancestry, and a specific ancestor was said to be Native American, so I left it up there.
As far as I know, Ramirez has never mentioned black ancestry, and there isn’t a specific ancestor who is known to have been said to be black.
But isn’t that ancestor listed as white? Also all Mexican mention Native ancestry, because that’s what they are taught(Spanish /Native), and that’s all they are taught . As far as the African goes , most Mexicans don’t know they have that Ancestry, because they are not taught that. Also any black ancestor would have had a latin name, since for a long time, even the black ones called themselves simply Mestizo .Have you ever looked at Mexican Dna results, and the surprise on their faces when they find out? However no problem.
Are you in favour of adding “possibly European” to every African-American on this site then?
The reason why African isn’t mentioned is because she hasn’t claimed to have African ancestry, and there is no other evidence of it.
@madman
Quote(Are you in favour of adding “possibly European” to every African-American on this site then?)
It wouldn’t bother me at all, especially since it’s usually true. African American is just our cultural Identity. Everyone knows the avg AA is of mixed blood, European being the other main contributor . So I would have no objection to it.
Quote(The reason why African isn’t mentioned is because she hasn’t claimed to have African ancestry, and there is no other evidence of it.)
What Mexicans you know do? I live around plenty of Mexicans, who didn’t even know black people were ever in Mexico, yet alone mixed with them. Carlos Santana, Oscar De La Hoya, as well as countless others didn’t even know of their African Ancestry, nor do they mention it. While others get offended by the mere suggestion. Mexican descendants of the Los Pobladores that were in charge of the committee for promoting the L.A subway, were outrage and walked off the committee when the people wanted to mention their African bloodline. That’s how real it is with these people.
However as you said, there is no other evidence, other than my “usually correct” suspicions, so I will drop it
I think a good rule of thumb is to add the ancestries that are confirmed or likely (for another reason than probability).
I only know one Mexican, although that’s irrelevant, as is the fact that many Mexicans are unaware of their African ancestry. I have ancestors from Northern Sweden, but I’m unaware of any potential Sami ancestors (additionally, it wouldn’t bother me if I found any).
I do agree with you that, as someone of Mexican descent, she probably has African ancestry. But I wouldn’t say it is “unfair” to not include it. If we’re gonna go by probability, there’s many other ethnicities we could add to other celebrities on this site.
Her middle name is “Maguire”.
She is the daughter of Francine Elaine (Maguire) and Raymond Trinidad Ramirez.
Marisa’s maternal grandfather was Harold Hugh Maguire (the son of Clyde Jefferson Maguire/McGuire and Mary Emma Cruse). Clyde was the son of William A. McGuire and Rena G. Gollaher. Mary was the daughter of Alexander C. Cruse and Lucy Crawford.
Marisa’s maternal grandmother was Stella Raleigh Mellado (the daughter of Peter Mellado and Hortense Raleigh).
According to her descendant, Rena Gollaher’s mother, Eliza Jane Dunlap, was a Cherokee Native American.
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.arkansas.counties.carroll/145.1.1/mb.ashx
I haven’t been able to found any additional information of her, however. Censuses lists her as white, and this overview of her life (which is derived from an old news article) makes no mention of it:
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=37627093
Marriage record of maternal grandparents – https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8KD-SP8
Genealogies of:
Clyde Jefferson Maguire/McGuire – http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/j/o/h/Virginia-Mae-Johnson-Oregon/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0604.html
http://www.ancestry.ca/genealogy/records/clyde-j-mcguire_133821001
Mary Emma Cruse – https://www.geni.com/people/Mary-Maguire/6000000028766856585
http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Mary_Cruse_%282%29
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/genealogy/records/mary-emma-cruse_11589782
Rena G. Gollaher – http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=willyeye&id=I29737
Lucy Crawford – http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/l/e/a/Floretta-L-Leatherman/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0637.html
Assuming Eliza wasn’t Native American, Marisa’s maternal grandfather was of Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, and possiby English, ancestry.
This is her grandmother Stella on censuses:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC8F-J8Q
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9C9-FW7
Peter Mellado was born in Texas, to a Texas-born father and a New Mexico-born mother. Given his surname and birthplace, he was likely of Mexican descent. Additionally, if this is his death record, his mother’s surname was “Ribera”:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP4V-C36
Hortense was born in California, to a father from New England (New York or Delaware) and a California-born mother. I suspect this is her on the 1920 census:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQF-67D
If it is, she is the daughter of Josephine Penberthy, who was born in California, to a French father and a Massachusetts-born mother. The surname “Riley” or “Raleigh” suggest Irish ancestry as well.
So Marisa’s maternal grandmother was of Mexican, Irish, French, and possibly other, ancestry.
Since there’s no real proof of Marisa’s African ancestry, maybe it should just say Mexican.
Ok , but that still doesn’t solve anything. Saying she’s Mexican, is like me saying I’m American. Mexico has had a variety of different European, African, Native American, Middle Eastern , pacific islander and Asian running up in there. She could be all those ethnicities and not know it.
But it’s not our place to assume. There are Mexicans on this site with verified ancestry, she’s just not one of them.
lol, that’s what 90% of the people on the site do, make assumptions, However point taken. Has her other Ethnicities been verified? She says her mother is native American, any proof?
>that’s what 90% of the people on the site do, make assumptions
Well, as much as I’m annoyed by neiltennant’s ”everybody’s polish, germans don’t exist” comments, his ”observations” don’t get included in the profile, so I don’t really care that much.
>Has her other Ethnicities been verified? She says her mother is native American, any proof?
Not yet, but at least she claims that one, and for now, we only have her word to go by (not that I trust these celebs much). I only know her mother’s last name is Maguire.
Why are you calling several Mexican American actors Afro-Mexican. There were only about 400,000 slaves that were taken to the Yucatan between the borderof Mexico and Costa Rica. Puerto Rico and Cuba have a huge African influence, your not calling JLO African Puerto Rican.
@mdflo73
(Why are you calling several Mexican American actors Afro-Mexican)
What are the names of these other actors/actresses that you are referring to?
Also I believe there were more than 400,000 brought there,however this is not the point.The point is,they weren’t all brought there at the same time,they came in over multiple generations.Plus you had black people coming in from the south,and the other islands to the west.Then you had the black people coming in from the North.The only reason Mexicans are like they are,is because of Europeans flooding(they were invited ) into the country.This was done on purpose to whiten the people.
Thanks for the history lesson that made no sense. Barking up the wrong tree when it comes to history, especially the history of Mexico. But once again my question was not answered as usual on these websites.
@mdflo73
Well first,you never gave names of the other celebs you were speaking of.Next your question made no sense.I mean look who’s talking about barking up the wrong tree.This is a ethnic blog site,no one here,made that name up for them.The people on this site simply study a particular celebrity,and then report back what they find,and if that celeb is called(whatever they are called),that’s what the people here write down.If you truly want to know why those mexicans are called that,maybe you should go asked the mexican government.Maybe you can speak to a few of those mexicans in question,and found out what they want to be called,then come and tell us.BTW my information on mexico is correct,if you or whomever else can’t deal with it,that’s not my problem
correction:you never gave the names of the other celebs you were speaking of
Why Afro-Latina, just call it Afro-Mexican -.-
How about just Mexican