Date of Birth: June 6, 1995
Ethnicity: Swedish (paternal grandmother), English, Irish, German, Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant French Huguenot
Jack Kilmer is an American actor. He is the son of actors Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley. His father is American, and was born in California. His mother was English, and was born in Manchester, Lancashire.
Jack’s paternal grandfather was Eugene Dorris Kilmer (the son of Thomas/Tom Walker Kilmer and Nora/Norah Elizabeth Jones). Eugene was born in Texas, and was of German, English, Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and French Huguenot ancestry. Thomas was the son of Jeremiah Early Kilmer and Nancy Williams. Nora was the daughter of Stephen T. Jones and Sarah Elizabeth Webb.
Jack’s paternal grandmother is Gladys Swanette Ekstadt (the daughter of John Edward Ekstadt and Hilma Charlotte Swanson). Gladys was born in Indiana. John was born in Martin, Minnesota, to Swedish parents, John August Ekstadt and Anna Elizabeth Wester. Hilma was born in Sweden, the daughter of Bror Swanson and Karna Elizabeth Nilsdotter.
Jack’s maternal grandfather was named John Whalley. John likely had Irish ancestry.
Jack’s maternal grandmother was Avril D. Quinn/Bernard (the daughter of Thomas A. Quinn and Muriel Bernard). Avril was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England. Muriel was the daughter of Alexander Bernard and Doris Matz.
During Jack’s father Val’s interview on Inside the Actors Studio (2000), Val stated that he has Sephardi Jewish, Cherokee Native American, and Mongolian ancestry, perhaps jokingly, perhaps not. Val has often referenced having Cherokee ancestry, usually from a paternal great-grandmother. However, no Sephardi Jewish, Cherokee Native American, or Mongolian ancestry has been documented in publicly available family trees of Val Kilmer. Both of Val’s paternal great-grandmothers, Nancy Williams and Sarah Elizabeth Webb were born to non-Cherokee families with fairly well-documented recent ancestors.
Sources: Genealogy of Jack Kilmer (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
History of the Kilmer family – http://www.geocities.ws
Jack’s paternal grandfather, Eugene Dorris Kilmer, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Jack’s paternal great-grandfather, Thomas/Tom Walker Kilmer (focusing on his own father’s side) – http://www.findagrave.com
Information about Jack’s paternal great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah Early Kilmer – http://objgenealogy.com
Jack’s paternal grandmother, Gladys Swanette Ekstadt, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Birth record of Jack’s maternal great-grandfather, John Edward Ekstadt – https://familysearch.org
Jack’s maternal great-grandfather, John Edward Ekstadt, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Photo by Prphotos