Orson Chaplin

Birth Name: Orson Belisario M. Chaplin Salkind

Place of Birth: Westminster, London, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: c. February 1987

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish, Mexican
*mother – English, Irish, 1/16th Scottish

Orson Chaplin is a British-born actor and rapper.

Orson is the son of Jane Cecil Chaplin and Ilya Salkind (born Ilya Juan Salkind Dominguez), a film and television producer, who is known for producing the live-action Superman films. His father was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to an Ashkenazi Jewish father and a Mexican mother. His mother has English, Irish, and one sixteenth Scottish, ancestry. Orson’s father, paternal grandfather, and paternal great-grandfather were all successful film producers. He was raised partly in Florida, Switzerland, and California.

Among his first cousins are actresses Dolores Chaplin, Carmen Chaplin, Kiera Chaplin, Oona Chaplin, and circus performer and actor James Thiérrée. He is the nephew of actors Geraldine Chaplin and Sydney Chaplin.

Orson’s paternal grandfather was Alexander Salkind (the son of Mikhail Salkind and Maria Gerschikov). Alexander was born in Danzig, Poland, to Jewish parents from Kiev, Ukraine, who left because of the Russian revolution. The family lived in Leningrad, Berlin, and Paris, before fleeing to Cuba in 1939, and later Mexico.

Orson’s paternal grandmother was named Berta Domínguez. Berta was Mexican.

Orson’s maternal grandfather was actor Charlie Chaplin (born Charles Spencer Chaplin, the son of Charles Chaplin and Hannah Harriet Pedlingham Hill, who were entertainers). Charlie was born in England. His documented ancestry was English and some Irish. Orson’s great-grandfather Charles was the son of Spencer Chaplin and Ellen Elizabeth Smith. Hannah was the daughter of Charles Frederick Hill and Mary Ann Terry.

Orson’s maternal grandmother was Oona O’Neill, an actress (the daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill [Eugene Gladstone O’Neill] and writer Agnes Boulton). Oona was born in Warwick Parish, Bermuda. Eugene was born in New York City, New York, the son of actor James O’Neill, who was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, and of Ella O’Neill (born Mary Ellen Quinlan), who was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to Irish parents, Thomas Joseph Quinlan and Bridget Lundigan. Orson’s great-grandmother Agnes was born in Chelsea, London, England, the daughter of Edward William Boulton, an artist, who was American, of English and Scottish descent, and of Cecil/Cecille Maud/Maude Williams.

Charlie Chaplin is often stated to have had some degree of Romani (Gypsy) ancestry. It does not appear that this ancestral claim has ever been verified/documented. Charlie was sometimes believed to have been Jewish (especially during his lifetime), but his parents were not of Jewish heritage.

Sources: Genealogy of Orson Chaplin – https://www.geni.com

Histories of Orson’s father’s family – http://www.americancinemapapers.com
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com

Obituary of Orson’s paternal grandfather, Alexander Salkind – http://www.independent.co.uk

Genealogy of Orson’s mother – https://www.wikitree.com

Genealogies of Orson’s maternal grandparents, Charlie Chaplin (Charles Spencer Chaplin) and Oona O’Neill – https://www.findagrave.com

Genealogy of Orson’s maternal grandfather, Charlie Chaplin (Charles Spencer Chaplin) – http://www.wargs.com

Draft card of Orson’s maternal grandfather, Charlie Chaplin (Charles Spencer Chaplin) – https://www.archives.gov