Tilda Swinton

Swinton in 2012, photo by kathclick/Bigstock

Birth Name: Katherine Matilda Swinton

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

Date of Birth: 5 November, 1960

Ethnicity: Scottish, English, Northern Irish

Tilda Swinton is a British actress, performance artist, model, and fashion industry figure. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Michael Clayton (2007). Her roles also include the films Caravaggio, The Last of England, War Requiem, The Garden, Edward II (1991), Orlando, The Beach, The Deep End, Vanilla Sky, Adaptation., Young Adam, Constantine, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Julia (2008), Burn After Reading, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I Am Love, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Moonrise Kingdom, Snowpiercer, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Hail, Caesar!, Okja, Isle of Dogs, Suspiria (2018), and Three Thousand Years of Longing, among many others.

Tilda’s father, Major-General Sir John Swinton, was British, born in St. George Hanover Square, London, England, and had Scottish, English, and Northern Irish ancestry. Her mother, Judith Balfour, Lady Swinton (née Killen), was born in Merribee, Barellan, New South Wales, Australia, and also was of Northern Irish, Scottish, and English ancestry. Tilda’s paternal great-grandfather was Scottish politician and officer-of-arms George Swinton, and Tilda’s maternal great-great-grandfather was Scottish botanist John Hutton Balfour. The Swinton family is an ancient Anglo-Scots family that can trace its lineage to the Middle Ages. They are said to be one of three British Isles families that can trace their unbroken land ownership and lineage to before the Norman Conquest. Tilda has also been credited as Lutz Ebersdorf.

Tilda has two children, including actress Honor Swinton Byrne, with her former partner, Scottish playwright, artist, and designer John Byrne. She is related to American actress Alexa Swinton.

Tilda’s paternal grandfather was Alan Henry Campbell Swinton (the son of George Sitwell Campbell Swinton and Elizabeth “Elsie” Ebsworth). Alan was born in Chelsea, London, England. George, a politician and herald, was born in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, the son of Archibald Campbell Swinton, an author, politician, and officer-of-arms, from Kimmerghame, Scotland; and of Georgiana Caroline Sitwell, from Derbyshire, England, whose own father was George Sitwell, 2nd Baron of Renishaw. Elizabeth was born in Russia, and was the daughter of Edward Henry Ebsworth, from Derbyshire, England, and of Josephine Mary Zoe Miller, from Midlothian, Scotland.

Tilda’s paternal grandmother was Marie/Mariora Beatrice Evelyn Rochfort Alers-Hankey (the daughter of Cecil George Herbert Alers-Hankey and Gertrude Clare Fetherstonhaugh). Marie/Mariora was born in Westhampnett, Sussex, England. Cecil was the son of Walter Childe Alers-Hankey, from Middlesex, England, and of Caroline Jane Anne Rochfort, from Hampshire, England. Gertrude was the daughter of Albany Fetherstonhaugh, from Penrith, Cumberland, England, and of Evelyn Gertrude Astell, from Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England.

Tilda’s maternal grandfather was Harold Charles Killen (the son of William Wilson Killen and Marion/Marian Young). Harold was born in Prahran, Victoria, Australia. William was the son of Edward Killen, from Ireland, and of Isabella Wilson, from Donegal, Ireland. Marion was the daughter of Charles Young, from Antrim, Ireland, and of Annabella/Anne Lyle, from Down, Ireland.

Tilda’s maternal grandmother was Marion Spottiswood Balfour (the daughter of Andrew Francis Balfour and Mabel/Mabelle Alice Truman). Marion was born in Hoiles Cottages, Colinton, Edinburgh, Scotland. Andrew was a Captain in the Royal Navy, and was the son of John Hutton Balfour, a prominent botanist and professor of botany, who was President of the Berwickshire Naturalists Club; and of Marion Spottiswood/Spotiswood Bayley, both from Midlothian, Scotland. Tilda’s great-grandmother Mabel was born in Hastings, Sussex, England, the daughter of Isaac Hodges Truman, from Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, and of Mary Ann Musson, from Lenton, Bedfordshire, England.

Sources: Genealogies of Tilda Swinton – http://www.wikitree.com
https://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com

Genealogy of Tilda Swinton (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://www.red1st.com