Jimmy Kimmel

Kimmel in 2014, photo by Joe Seer/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: James Christian Kimmel

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: November 13, 1967

Ethnicity
*father – Irish, German, Welsh
*mother – Italian

Jimmy Kimmel is an American television and radio personality, actor, writer, producer, comedian, and musician. He has hosted the show Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003.

His father, James John Kimmel, is of approximately five eighths Irish, one quarter German, and one eighth Welsh, ancestry. His mother, Joan (Iacono), is of Italian descent. Some of Jimmy’s maternal ancestors lived on Ischia island, located 19 miles from Naples. His family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, when Jimmy was nine. Jimmy is married to writer Molly McNearney. He has two children with his former wife Gina Maddy; and two children with Molly.

His uncle, police officer Frank Potenza, known as “Uncle Frank,” appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as a regular, his Aunt Chippy, Concetta Potenza, was also a featured part of the show, and his cousin, attorney, comedian, and writer Sal Iacono, has appeared on some of Jimmy’s series. His brother, Jonathan Kimmel, is a director, writer, producer, actor, and composer, and his sister Jill is a comedian. His nephew, Jonathan’s son, is actor Wesley Kimmel.

Jimmy’s patrilineal line can be traced to Johannes Kümmel, who was born, c. 1608, in Germany.

Jimmy’s paternal grandfather was Charles Jacob Kimmel (the son of Frank Kimmel and Catherine Reynolds). Charles was born in New York. Frank was the son of a German immigrant, Konrad Heinrich Christian Kimmel (originally spelled Kümmel). Catherine was of Irish descent, and was the daughter of Charles A. Reynolds and Catherine “Katie” Miller.

Jimmy’s paternal grandmother was Jane Elizabeth Davies/Davis (the daughter of John William Davies/Davis and Honora/Nora Margaret McTeague/McTigue). Jane was born in Pennsylvania. John was born in England, the son of Ellis Davies, whose parents were Welsh, and of Mariah/Maria Burns, who was of Irish origin. Honora was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of John James Francis McTigue, who was from Mayo, Ireland, and of Mary Ann Meehan, who was born in Staffordshire, England, and was also of Irish origin.

Jimmy’s maternal grandfather was Savino/Sal Jack Iacono (the son of Vincenzo Iacono and Maria Giuseppa Lombardi). Savino was born in New York, to Italian parents. Vincenzo was born in Naples, Campania, the son of Giuseppe Filippo Antonio Stanislao Iacono and Restituta D’Orio. Maria Giuseppa was born, c. 1859, in Casamicciola, Ischia, Campania, the daughter of Luigi Francesco Lombardi and Cecilia Capuano.

Jimmy’s maternal grandmother was Edith Cioffi (the daughter of Pasquale Cioffi and Concetta Guarino). Edith was born in New Hampshire. Pasquale was born in Candida, Avellino, Campania, Italy, the son of Pelligrino Domenico Cioffi and Gaetana Vitagliana. Concetta was born in Manocalzati, Avellino, Campania, Italy, the daughter of Sabino Gaetano Guiseppe Guarino and Carolina Frezza.

A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2016) stated that Jimmy’s genetic ancestry is:

*87% European
*11% West Asian
*2% African

The “West Asian” and “African” results evidently refer to North African ancestry through Jimmy’s southern Italian or Sicilian lines.

Sources: Segment on Jimmy’s family history – http://www.youtube.com

Genealogies of Jimmy Kimmel – http://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com

Jimmy’s paternal great-grandmother, Catherine Reynolds, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Jimmy’s paternal grandmother, Jane Elizabeth Davies/Davis, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Jimmy’s paternal great-grandparents, John William Davies/Davis and Honora/Nora Margaret McTeague/McTigue, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Information on Jimmy’s Italian ancestry – http://napoli.repubblica.it
https://www.youtube.com

Obituary of Jimmy’s maternal grandfather, Savino/Sal Jack Iacono – http://www.lasvegassun.com

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