Vin Diesel

Diesel in 2005, photo by PR Photos

Birth Name: Mark Sinclair

Place of Birth: Alameda, California, United States

Date of Birth: July 18, 1967

Ethnicity:
*biological father – African-American, possibly other
*mother – Scottish, English, German, Irish, Austrian

Vin Diesel is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He is the star of The Fast and the Furious films, to which he has mostly devoted himself to since 2009. He has also had leading roles in the films Saving Private Ryan, The Iron Giant, voicing the title character; Boiler Room, Pitch Black, and its sequels The Chronicles of Riddick and Riddick; Knockaround Guys, xXx, and its sequel xXx: Return of Xander Cage; A Man Apart, The Pacifier, Find Me Guilty, Babylon A.D., The Last Witch Hunter, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, and Bloodshot, and as the voice of Groot in the MCU. He has played characters of various ethnic backgrounds. He wrote and directed the short film Multi-Facial and the film Strays (1997).

Vin was born in Alameda County, California, as was his mother, and was raised in New York City, New York. Vin’s mother, Delora Shirlene (Sinclair), an astrologer, is white, and has Scottish, English, German, Irish, and Austrian ancestry. The identity of Vin’s biological father is not publicly known. Vin has described himself as “definitely a person of colour.” In a speech in 2013, Vin stated that his biological parents’ relationship, as it was interracial, was illegal in much of the United States while his mother was pregnant with Vin in 1967; in the speech, he appeared to verify that his biological father was of African-American heritage.

Vin’s stepfather from a young age, Irving H. Vincent, is African-American, and Vin frequently refers to him as his father. Irving is an acting instructor and theatre manager.

Vin has three children with his partner, Mexican model Paloma Jimenez. A picture of Vin’s mother, stepfather, and partner Paloma (from left to right), can be seen here.

Vin’s maternal grandfather likely was Angus McBain Sinclair (the son of Ewart Gladstone Sinclair and Marcia Brucker/Brucher Lever). Angus was born in Montana. Ernest was the son of Canadian parents, James Bruce Sinclaire/Sinclair and Maria/Mary Ann McBain, who were of Scottish descent. Marcia was the daughter of William Henry/J. Lever, whose parents were English, and of Anna Brucker, whose own parents, Ferdinand Brucker and Margaretta/Margaret Zechmeister, were German and/or Austrian.

Vin’s maternal grandmother was Carmen Lucile/Lucille Wells (the daughter of Tobin Borden “Tobie” Wells and Hazel Dolly “Nana” Hewitt). Carmen was born in Oklahoma, and had English, German, and Irish ancestry. Tobin was from Farmerville, Union Parish, Louisiana, and was the son of Thomas Frederick Wells and Nancy Jane Hodges. Hazel was from Fort Cobb, Caddo County, Oklahoma, and was the daughter of Thomas R. Hewitt and Margaret “Maggie” Haffey.

Diesel in 2011, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Sources: Vin’s 2013 speech about his parents, while accepting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – http://www.youtube.com

Vin mentions his mother’s Scottish ancestry – http://entertainment.stv.tv

Vin’s maternal grandfather, Angus McBain Sinclair, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Angus McBain Sinclair on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Vin’s maternal great-grandfather, Ewart Gladstone Sinclair, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Vin’s maternal great-grandmother, Marcia Brucker/Brucher Lever, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Vin’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Anna Brucker, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Vin’s maternal grandmother, Carmen Lucile/Lucille (Wells) Gay, with pictures of many of Vin’s ancestors – http://www.findagrave.com

Vin’s maternal grandmother, Carmen Lucile/Lucille Wells, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Carmen Lucile/Lucille Wells on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Vin’s maternal great-grandmother, Hazel Dolly “Nana” Hewitt, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org