Rebecca Hall

Birth Name: Rebecca Maria Hall

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

Date of Birth: 3 May, 1982

Ethnicity:
*father – English
*mother – African-American, Dutch, English, distant German

Rebecca Hall is a British-American actress. She is known for her roles in the films Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Gift, The Night House, and Godzilla Vs. Kong.

Her father, Peter Hall, was English-born, and was a director, of theatre, opera, and film, who founded the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her mother, Maria Ewing, was American-born, and was an opera singer and actress. Rebecca is married to American actor Morgan Spector, with whom she has a daughter.

A picture of Rebecca with her parents can be seen here. Rebecca’s father was of English descent. Rebecca’s maternal grandfather, from Virginia, was African-American, with European (likely English) ancestry, and Rebecca’s great-grandfather had been born into slavery. Rebecca’s maternal grandmother, who was caucasian, was Dutch, from Amsterdam, and also had a small amount of German ancestry.

Rebecca’s half-siblings are producer Christopher Hall, actress, musician, and journalist Jennifer Caron Hall, stage director Edward Hall, set designer Lucy Hall, and actress Emma Hall. Christopher and Jennifer’s mother is actress Leslie Caron.

A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2022) stated that Rebecca’s genetic ancestry is:

*91% European
*9% African

Rebecca’s paternal grandfather was Reginald Edward Arthur Hall (the son of George Hall and Edith Kate Mitchell). Reginald was born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. George was the son of John Hall and Mahala Vincent. Edith was the daughter of John Mitchell and Elizabeth Ann Tindall.

Rebecca’s paternal grandmother was Grace Florence Pamment (the daughter of Frederick William Pamment and Phyllis Louisa Wilson). Grace was born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Frederick was the son of Charles Edwin Pamment, Jr. and Jane Linsey. Phyllis was the daughter of Henry Wilson and Elizabeth.

Rebecca’s maternal grandfather, Norman Isaac Ewing, was born, c. 1892-1894 (most likely in 1894), probably in Falls Church, Fairfax, Virginia. Norman was the son of John William Ewing and Hattie/Harriet Norman, who married on July 16, 1885 in Washington, D.C. Both of Norman’s parents were of at least part African ancestry. John was born into slavery in Lincoln County, Tennessee, the son of Violet Ewing, and of a father who was likely white. John worked for the Treasury Department in D.C., and was prominent in the city’s African-American community. Harriet was born in Marietta, Washington, Ohio, the daughter of Isaac Franklin Norman and Amanda Jane Myers. She was from a long line of free black people. Her great-grandfather, Bazabeel “Basil” Norman, a black/mixed-race man, was born, c. 1760, likely in Maryland, and fought in the American Revolution.

During part of his lifetime, Rebecca’s grandfather Norman I. Ewing was said to have been a Sioux Native American, and was a musician, who gave lectures and performances centered around his would-be Native American ancestry. The DNA test taken by Finding Your Roots found that Rebecca has no Native American genetic ancestry.

On the 1910 U.S. Census, Norman’s “race” is listed as “Mulatto” (mixed race), and so is the “race” of both of his parents. At this time, Norman’s birth place is listed as Virginia, and his residence place is listed as Washington, D.C., with his father’s birthplace listed as Tennessee and his mother’s as Ohio. On the 1915 South Dakota State Census, Norman’s race is listed as “Indian” (Native American), and on the 1920 U.S. Census, his “race” is again listed as “Indian.” On the 1920 U.S. Census, his birthplace is listed as Washington, D.C., while his father’s birthplace is listed as Oregon and his mother’s birthplace is listed as Washington, D.C. It is perhaps notable that the woman he was married to at this time, Margaret “Maggie” Culbertson (who was not Rebecca’s maternal grandmother), is listed as “Indian” on the 1920 Census also. Some African-Americans told census takers that their race was “Indian.”

Rebecca’s maternal grandmother was Hermina Maria Veraar (the daughter of Robertus Veraar and Hermina Maria Vermeulen). Rebecca’s grandmother Hermina was Dutch, and was born in Amsterdam. She was white. Robertus was born in Sloten, North Holland, the son of Robertus Veraar and Jannetje van der Steen. Rebecca’s great-grandmother Hermina was the daughter of Willem Vermeulen and Hermina Maria Schoemaker, and was of part German descent.

Rebecca’s matrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her fifth great-grandmother, Antje Roos.

Sources: Genealogy of Rebecca Hall – https://www.geni.com

Rebecca’s maternal grandfather, Norman Isaac Ewing, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Norman Isaac Ewing on the 1915 South Dakota State Census – https://familysearch.org
Norman Isaac Ewing on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Rebecca’s maternal great-grandparents, John William Ewing and Hattie/Harriet Norman, in the District of Columbia, Marriages, 1830-1921 – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Rebecca’s mother (focusing on her own mother’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com

Marriage records of Rebecca’s maternal great-grandparents, Robertus Veraar and Hermina Maria Vermeulen – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-grandfather, Robertus Veraar – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Robertus Veraar and Jannetje van der Steen – https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Robertus Veraar – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandparents, Jan Veraar and Maria van Leersum – https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Jan Veraar – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandmother, Maria van Leersum – https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Jannetje van der Steen – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandparents, Hijmen van der Steen and Maria Elisabeth van ‘t Kruijs – https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Hijmen van der Steen – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandmother, Maria Elisabeth van ‘t Kruijs – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-grandmother, Hermina Maria Vermeulen – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Willem Vermeulen and Hermina Maria Schoemaker – https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Willem Vermeulen – https://archief.amsterdam

Marriage record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandparents, Johannes Jacobus Vermeulen and Petronella Wilhelmina Jubels – https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Johannes Jacobus Vermeulen – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandmother, Petronella Wilhelmina Jubels – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Hermina Maria Schoemaker – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandparents, Hendrik Schoemaker and Adriana Blekkenhorst – https://www.openarch.nl

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Hendrik Schoemaker – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Rebecca’s maternal great-great-great-grandmother, Adriana Blekkenhorst – https://www.familysearch.org