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.

Vin Diesel ethnicity ancestry

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

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

457 Responses

  1. Fuzzybear says:

    Most of the Moroccans I know, will tell you in a second that they are mixed blooded.Also that their ancestors started off as what we call black people,but over time have mixed

  2. Anonymous says:

    to bet: you keep saying to some1 who dont agree with you to study geography, but you dont seem to know really africa lol
    In northern africa (morrocos algeria tunisia) there is black people too even if they´re less numerous,i know black people from each of these countries. In egypt there were black people 5000 years ago but they move to sub saharian africa. In east africa(ethiopia erythree somalia soudan), there is black people called “semi bantous”(sorry it´s the french term i cant say it in english) there is nubians too

    • Fuzzybear says:

      To Anonymous

      The only reasons their less numerous is in (Morocco Algeria Tunisia)is because they have force out since colonial times and by breeding.However in Egypt why do they keep teaching that black stop being in that place 5000yrs ago ,there are still black people there,however they are push to the south.The change that is in the country now took a long time to happen.Another thing Sub Saharan Africa is where they came from.They say it themselves that they came from the source of the nile

  3. Rio says:

    For all you caucasians he does not look WHITE okay! he looks mixed and plus most african guys shave their hair. Another thing to miss nappy-non-black-hair-girl you don’t know what nappy hair is maybe you should show us a picture to prove your point coz I’ve never seen a european have nappy hair before lol.

  4. Fuzzybear says:

    this is to Dean,if you visit the Southern part next time,you’ll see the black people.Also they were badly treated by foreigner(aka the French) and push toward the south,during Colonial Times.There are still black people up there,I doubt you when all over the place.Also you don’t have to have black skin to be part of the black culture,Black is simply an umbrella term.I can show you,a few black people who lived there life as white people.

  5. Lauren says:

    I agree fuzzy bear. They are not white

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