Ryan Reynolds

Reynolds in 2011, photo by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Ryan Rodney Reynolds

Place of Birth: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Date of Birth: October 23, 1976

Ethnicity: Irish (over three eighths), Scottish, Northern Irish, one eighth Luxembourgish, English, Cornish, at least 1/32 Dutch and 1/32 German

Ryan Reynolds is a Canadian actor, film producer, and businessperson. He plays Wade Wilson / Deadpool across all media. He is also known for his roles in the films Ordinary Magic, Coming Soon, Dick (1999), Finder’s Fee, National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, Buying the Cow, The In-Laws, Foolproof (both 2003), Blade: Trinity, The Amityville Horror (2005), Waiting…, Just Friends, Smokin’ Aces, The Nines, Chaos Theory, Definitely, Maybe; Fireflies in the Garden, Adventureland, The Proposal, Paper Man, Buried, Green Lantern, The Change-Up, Safe House, The Croods, and its sequel; Turbo, R.I.P.D., The Voices, The Captive (2014), Mississippi Grind, Woman in Gold, Self/less, Criminal (2016), Life (2017), The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and its sequel; Pokémon Detective Pikachu, 6 Underground, Free Guy, Red Notice, The Adam Project, and Spirited, and on the shows Hillside, The Odyssey, The Outer Limits, Two Guys and a Girl, and Welcome to Wrexham. Ryan was selected People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2010. He is thus far the only Canadian-born man to have been given this title by the magazine. He has an ownership stake in Mint Mobile, sits on the board of internet and technology company Match Group, and co-owns Welsh football club Wrexham A.F.C.

Ryan is the son of Tamara Lee, who worked in retail sales, and James Chester Reynolds, a Mountie who was also a food wholesaler. He was raised Catholic. His ancestry is Irish (over three eighths), Scottish, Northern Irish, one eighth Luxembourgish, English, Cornish, 1/32 Dutch, and 1/32 German. The Luxembourgers are a Germanic ethnic group. Ryan became a U.S. citizen c. 2018.

Ryan is married to American actress Blake Lively, with whom he has four children.

Ryan’s paternal grandfather was Chester Ambrose “Ches” Reynolds (the son of William Francis Reynolds and Elizabeth Frances Crowe). Chester was born in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. He was a politician, and member of the Social Credit Party of Alberta, who was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, from 1940 to 1944. William was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, the son of George Edward Reynolds, who was born in Belturbet, Cavan, Cavan, Ireland, and of Sarah Nesbit Coad, who was Irish. Ryan’s great-grandmother Elizabeth was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., to Irish parents, with her father’s name being John Crowe, and her mother’s name possibly being Margaret McEnerny.

Ryan’s paternal grandmother was Helen Mary Long (the daughter of Thomas Charles Long and Katherine/Catherine/Catharine Cecelia/Cecilia “Kate” George). Helen was born in Kansas, U.S., to a father from Huron County, Ontario, Canada and a mother from Kansas. Ryan’s great-grandfather Thomas was the son of Thomas Charles Long, who was born in Inchigeelagh, County Cork, Ireland, and of Elizabeth Ann “Elisa”/Eliza Foley/Kavanaugh, whose parents were from County Wexford, Ireland. Ryan’s great-grandmother Katherine was the daughter of parents of Luxembourger origin, Nicholas Amos George and Johanna/Joanna Jane George. Ryan’s Luxembourger ancestors had lived in Attert, in the province Luxembourg, Wallonia, Belgium, as well as in the country Luxembourg.

Ryan’s maternal grandfather was Dr. Neil Alexander Stewart (the son of Alexander Maclean/Mclean Stewart and Edith Annie/Ann Lyon). Ryan’s grandfather Neil was born in Calgary, Alberta, and was of Scottish and Northern Irish descent. Ryan’s great-grandfather Alexander was the son of William Stewart and Agnes Mclean, who were Scottish, with William having been from Moral, Comrie, Perthshire. Ryan’s great-grandmother Edith was the daughter of Robinson Ernest Lyon, whose father was from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and of Sarah Marion/Maria Maxwell, whose parents were from Ireland, and were likely Protestant.

Ryan’s maternal grandmother was Verna Margaret “Peggy” Vandervoort/Van der Vert (the daughter of Earnest/Ernest Stanley Vandervoort and Emma Margaret Smith). Ryan’s grandmother Peggy was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her ancestry was a combination of Irish, English, Scottish, and Dutch, as well as Cornish and German. Earnest was the son of William Earnest Vandervoort, whose father was of Dutch descent, and of Elizabeth Woodhouse Wicher/Wicker/Witcher, who had English, Cornish, and Irish ancestry. Emma was born in Toronto, Ontario, the daughter of John Smith and Adeline Nixon, and had Irish, German, and English ancestry.

Sources: Genealogy of Ryan Reynolds – https://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Ryan Reynolds (focusing on his father’s side) – http://laurenandtristan.net

Genealogies of Ryan’s paternal grandparents, Chester Ambrose “Ches” Reynolds and Helen Mary Long – https://www.findagrave.com

Death record of Ryan’s paternal grandfather, Chester Ambrose “Ches” Reynolds – https://www.familysearch.org

Ryan’s paternal great-grandparents, William Francis Reynolds and Elizabeth Frances Crowe, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Ryan’s paternal grandmother, Helen Mary Long, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Ryan’s paternal grandmother, Helen Mary (Long) Reynolds – http://www.legacy.com

Marriage announcement of Ryan’s maternal grandparents, Dr. Neil Alexander Stewart and Verna Margaret “Peggy” Vandervoort/Van der Vert – https://www.newspapers.com

Genealogy of Ryan’s maternal grandfather, Dr. Neil Alexander Stewart (focusing on his own mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Marriage record of Ryan’s maternal great-grandparents, Alexander Maclean/Mclean Stewart and Edith Annie/Ann Lyon – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Ryan’s maternal grandmother, Verna Margaret “Peggy” (Vandervoort/Van der Vert) Stewart – https://www.newspapers.com

Marriage record of Ryan’s maternal great-grandparents, Earnest/Ernest Stanley Vandervoort and Emma Margaret Smith – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ryan’s maternal great-grandfather, Earnest/Ernest Stanley Vandervoort – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Ryan’s maternal great-great-grandparents, William Earnest Vandervoort and Elizabeth Woodhouse Wicher/Wicker/Witcher – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Ryan’s maternal great-grandmother, Emma Margaret (Smith) Vandervoort – https://www.familysearch.org