Rachel McAdams

McAdams in 2010, image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Rachel Anne McAdams

Place of Birth: London, Ontario, Canada

Date of Birth: November 17, 1978

Ethnicity: English, Irish, some Cornish, Welsh, Scottish, and Dutch, distant German and French

Rachel McAdams is a Canadian actress. She has starred in the films My Name Is Tanino, Perfect Pie, The Hot Chick, Mean Girls, The Notebook, Wedding Crashers, Red Eye, The Family Stone, Married Life, The Lucky Ones, State of Play, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Sherlock Holmes, and its sequel; Morning Glory, Midnight in Paris, The Vow, Passion (2012), To the Wonder, About Time, A Most Wanted Man, Every Thing Will Be Fine, The Little Prince (2015), Aloha, Southpaw, Spotlight, Doctor Strange, and its sequel; Disobedience, Game Night, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. She has also appeared on the shows Slings & Arrows and True Detective.

Rachel is the daughter of Sandra, a nurse, and Lance McAdams, a truck driver. Some of her forebears were American-born. Her sister, Kayleen, is a celebrity make-up artist. Rachel was raised in St. Thomas. She has two children with her partner, American screenwriter Jamie Linden.

Rachel’s patrilineal line can be traced to David McAdam, who was born, c. 1824, in Ireland, and to his wife, Sarah Jane Cross, who was born, c. 1828, in County Limerick, Ireland.

Rachel’s paternal grandfather was Cecil Leslie McAdams (the son of Christopher Henry Brown McAdam/McAdams and Alice Etta Alfreda/Elfreda Daniels). Cecil was born in Ontario. Christopher was the son of Frederick/Fred B. McAdam/McAdams, whose parents were Irish, and of Eliza/Elisa Ellen Crowe, who was of English, Irish, and Cornish descent. Alice was the daughter of William Edward Daniels and Susannah/Susanna Annie Hubble.

Rachel’s paternal grandmother was Florence June Williams (the daughter of Joseph Milton Williams and Florence Olive Ketcheson). Rachel’s grandmother Florence was born in Hastings County, Ontario. Joseph was born in Wales, the son of William Williams and Anne Roberts. Rachel’s great-grandmother Florence was the daughter of Tobias Bleecker/Blake Ketcheson and Catherine/Katie Theresa/Garrison Hollinger.

Rachel’s maternal grandfather was Harold Gowan Gale (the son of William Henry Gale and Beatrice Maud Sedgemore/Sedgmore). Harold was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, to an English father, from Plymouth, and a Scottish mother. William was the son of William Henry Creber Gale and Elizabeth Ann Jasper, who was Cornish. Beatrice was the daughter of Arthur Edward Sedgmore.

Rachel’s maternal grandmother was Eileen Maude Bell (the daughter of Andrew Harvey Bell and Josephine Ethel Foote). Eileen was born in Pincher Creek, Alberta. Andrew was the son of William Thomas Bell, who was of English descent, and of Mary Ann Laing, whose parents were Scottish. Josephine was the daughter of William Alexander Foote, whose parents were also from Scotland, and of Carmina/Carmin Maude/Maud McDonald.

Sources: Genealogies of Rachel McAdams – http://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com
http://gw.geneanet.org

Genealogy of Rachel McAdams (focusing on her father’s side) – http://humphrysfamilytree.com

Rachel’s paternal great-great-grandfather, Frederick/Fred B. McAdam/McAdams, on the 1881 Canadian Census – https://familysearch.org

Rachel mentions her Welsh ancestry – http://metro.co.uk