Whitney Houston

Houston in 2008, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Whitney Elizabeth Houston

Date of Birth: August 9, 1963

Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.

Date of Death: February 11, 2012

Place of Death: Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: African-American, with small amounts of English, Irish, and Scottish

Whitney Houston was an American singer, actress, model, and producer. Known for her incomparable voice, she recorded numerous classic tracks, and was also a talented actress.

Whitney was the daughter of soul and gospel singer Cissy Houston (born Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr. Her maternal half-brother is professional basketball player Gary Garland. Whitney was a first cousin of singer, actress, and television show host Dionne Warwick and singer Dee Dee Warwick, and a cousin of spinto soprano Leontyne Price (Mary Violet Leontyne Price). Her mother’s family formed a family gospel group, The Drinkard Jubilairs, later The Drinkard Singers, who recorded the first gospel album on a major label. She was previously married to singer Bobby Brown. The couple had a daughter, reality television personality and singer Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was born in 1993 and died in 2015.

Whitney’s parents were both black. She also had a small amount of English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Whitney’s mother had stated in an interview that she had Dutch and Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.

Whitney’s paternal grandfather was John Russell Houston (the son of John Huston/Houston and Hannah M. Davis). Whitney’s grandfather John was born in Neshanic, Somerset, New Jersey. Whitney’s great-grandfather John was the son of Nathaniel Houston and Sarah Ann. Hannah was the daughter of James Davis and Eleanor.

Whitney’s paternal grandmother was Sarah Elizabeth/Elisabeth Collins (the daughter of The Rev. Abraham Augustus Collins and Sarah E. Sanderson). Whitney’s grandmother Sarah was born in Oakland, Alameda, California. Augustus was the son of Henry M. Collins and Elizabeth G. Spears. Whitney’s great-grandmother Sarah was the daughter of Jeremiah Burke Sanderson and Catherine Elizabeth Gibson Molyneaux.

Whitney’s maternal grandfather was Nitcholas/Nicholas “Nitch” Drinkard (the son of John Drinkard, Jr. and Susie/Susan Belle/Bell “Delia” Fuller). Nitcholas was born in Hilton, Early, Georgia. John was the son of John Drinkard, Sr., who was born in Mississippi, and was a landowner near the border of Georgia and Alabama; and of Victoria Hansom.

Whitney’s maternal grandmother was Adelia/Delia Mae McCaskill (the daughter of Stephen McCaskill and Emma L. Houston). Adelia was born in Florida. Stephen was the son of Annie/Ann Hogan, who was black, and likely of John Jett McCaskill, who was white. Emma was the daughter of Oliver Houston and Rachel/Rachael Hill.

A DNA test of Whitney’s cousin Dionne whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2024) stated that Dionne ‘s genetic ancestry consists of:

*80% African
——–*24% Nigeria
——–*23% Benin & Togo
——–*14% Cameroon, Congo & Western Bantu Peoples
——–*9% Mali
——–*6% Ivory Coast & Ghana
——–*4% Senegal
*19% European
——–*9% England & NW Europe
——–*5% Ireland
——–*3% Scotland
——–*2% Germanic Europe
*1% Asian
——–*1% Southern Philippines

Sources: Genealogies of Whitney Houston – http://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com

Genealogy of Whitney Houston (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.findagrave.com

Whitney’s mother speaks of their ancestors – http://www.youtube.com

Whitney’s maternal great-grandparents, John Drinkard, Jr. and Susie/Susan Belle/Bell Fuller, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Whitney’s maternal grandmother, Adelia/Delia Mae McCaskill, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Whitney’s maternal great-grandparents, Stephen McCaskill and Emma L. Houston, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Whitney’s maternal great-grandfather, Stephen McCaskill, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org