Eminem

Eminem in 2002, Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Marshall Bruce Mathers III

Place of Birth: St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S.

Date of Birth: October 17, 1972

Ethnicity: English, German, Swiss-German, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, distant Polish

Eminem or EMINƎM is an American, Detroit-based rapper, songwriter, record producer, music and record executive, film producer, and actor. One of the most prominent hip hop personalities of his time, he was the best-selling musician in the U.S. in the 2000s decade. He is known for his transgressive, often controversial, and racial boundary-crossing work; sometimes representing popular American angst. His songs include “My Name Is,” “The Real Slim Shady,” “The Way I Am,” “Stan,” “Without Me,” “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” “Lose Yourself,” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song; “Superman,” “Sing for the Moment,” “Just Lose It,” “Mockingbird,” “When I’m Gone,” “Shake That,” “You Don’t Know,” “Crack a Bottle,” “We Made You,” “Forever,” “Not Afraid,” “Love the Way You Lie,” “Berzerk,” “Rap God,” “The Monster,” “River,” “Fall,” “Killshot,” “Venom,” “Lucky You,” “Godzilla,” “Houdini,” and, in a featured role, “Smack That,” “I Need a Doctor,” and “Homicide.” He has been a member of hip hop groups D12, Outsidaz, Soul Intent, and New Jacks, and hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil, the latter with Royce da 5’9″. He starred in the autobiographical film 8 Mile, co-founded Shady Records, and established Sirius XM Radio channel Shade 45. He has also gone under the names Slim Shady, Slim, Marshall Mathers, M&M, MC Double M, Em, Shady, and Evil.

Eminem is the son of Deborah Rae “Debbie” (Nelson) and Marshall Bruce Mathers, Jr. His parents were in a band, Daddy Warbucks, and played in Ramada Inns along the Dakotas-Montana border. He was raised mostly by his mother, growing up in St. Joseph, Savannah, and Kansas City in Missouri; and Warren, Roseville, and then Detroit, in Michigan. His ancestry includes English, German, Swiss-German, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and between 1/32 and 1/64th Polish.

Eminem has a daughter, fashion and beauty social media influencer, and podcaster Hailie Jade, with his former wife Kimberly Anne Scott. He has also adopted Kimberly’s other child, and his niece.

Eminem’s patrilineal line can be traced to Samuel William Mather/Mathers, who was born, c. 1716, in Wales.

Eminem’s paternal grandfather was Marshall Bruce Mathers (the son of Chester William Mathers and Myrtle Ivy Parrish). Marshall’s grandfather Marshall was born in Barnard, Nodaway County, Missouri. Chester was born in Nodaway County, the son of Samuel Mathers and Josephine Graves. Myrtle was born in Maryville, Nodaway County, the daughter of William Chauncy/Chauncey Parrish and Mary C. Staggs.

Eminem’s paternal grandmother was Rae Waverly Drowns (the daughter of Grover Cleveland Drowns and Ella/Elle Elizabeth Dennie). Rae was born in Saint Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. Grover was born in Saint Joseph, the son of William Henry Drowns and Mary Catherine Glockler/Gloeker, whose father was German. Eminem’s great-grandmother Ella was born in Sharon Springs, Wallace County, Kansas, the daughter of Arthur Daggert/Daggett Dennie and Catherine/Katherine Bell “Katie” Heffley.

Eminem’s maternal grandfather was Robert Ray “Bob” Nelson (the son of Charles Roscoe Nelson and Mary Jane Ogara). Robert was born in Saint Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. Charles was the son of Oscar Zau/Auz Nelson and Georgia A. Caldwell. Mary Jane was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, the daughter of Michael Duneven Ogara, whose father was Irish; and of Nancy America Hildebrand/Helterbrand.

Eminem’s maternal grandmother was Betty Joy Hixson (the daughter of William A. Hixson, Jr. and Georgia Anna/Ann Roesch). Betty was born in Missouri. William was born in Kansas, the son of William A. Hixson and Nora A. Machmer. Eminem’s great-grandmother Georgia was born in Missouri, the daughter of Henry P. Roesch, whose father was Swiss, of Swiss-German descent, and whose mother was also of German ancestry; and of Martha Jane Scheinert. Martha’s father, George A. Scheinert, was born in Poland, the son of Joseph Scheinert and Eva Wazuski.

Sources: Genealogies of Eminem – http://www.wargs.com
https://www.geni.com

Genealogies of Eminem’s parents – https://www.findagrave.com