Marty Robbins

publicity photo of Marty Robbins c. 1966, AMD Inc.-management

Birth Name: Martin David Robinson

Date of Birth: September 26, 1925

Place of Birth: Glendale, Arizona, U.S.

Date of Death: December 8, 1982

Place of Death: Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – Polish
*mother – Scottish, German, English, Irish

Marty Robbins was an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver.

He was the son of Emma (Heckle) and John Joseph “Jack” MacKinzie Robinson. His father was of Polish descent. His mother was of approximately three eighths Scottish, one quarter German, one eighth English, and likely one quarter Irish, ancestry. He was married to Mari Baldwin, until his death, with whom he had two children.

In Barbara J. Pruett’s book Marty Robbins: Fast Cars and Country Music, 1990, she writes:

His grandmother had coal black hair. She had quite a bit of Paiute Indian in her. Marty is part Indian; she was almost full-blooded. His mother was mostly Indian, with a little Mexican. His father was Polish.

It does not appear that Marty’s mother had any (recent) Native American and/or Mexican ancestry from either parent.

Marty’s parents, and grandparents, are all listed as “White” on U.S. Censuses.

In Diane Diekman’s book, Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins, 1985, she states that Marty’s father, Joe Jack Maczinski, was born of Polish immigrants in 1890, and changed his name to “Robinson” after moving to Arizona.

Marty’s paternal grandfather was named Charles Maczinski.

Marty’s paternal grandmother was Josephine Kusniak (the daughter of Michael Krusniak and Victoria Obrynkiewicz).

Several online genealogies incorrectly list Marty’s paternal grandparents as George MacKenzie and Ernestine Klann.

Marty’s maternal grandfather was Robert Mathew “Texas Bob” Heckle (the son of Robert L. Heckle and Mary Elizabeth K. Millican). Marty’s grandfather Robert was born in Alabama. Marty’s great-grandfather Robert was the son of David Heckle, who was born in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, and of Lydia Lockwood, who had English ancestry. The surname Millican is Irish.

Marty’s maternal grandmother was Anna Helm (the daughter of Joseph Helm and Emma Anderson Smith). Anna was born in Utah. Joseph was the son of Abraham Helm, who had German ancestry, and of Mary Elizabeth Richards/Richert, who was German, from Uherweiler. Emma was born in Missouri, to Scottish parents, John Anderson Smith, from Glasgow, and Ann/Annie Campbell Anderson, from Johnstone.

Sources: Genealogies of Marty Robbins – https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Marty Robbins on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Marty Robbins on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marty’s father on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org