Profile Text
Howard in 2011, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: March 2, 1981
Ethnicity: German, English, Scottish, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Swiss-German, French-Canadian/French, Welsh, and Dutch
Bryce Dallas Howard is an American actress, director, producer, model, and writer.
She is the daughter of actor, director, and producer Ron Howard (Ronald William Howard) and writer Cheryl Howard Crew (née Alley), the niece of actor Clint Howard , and the sister of actress Paige Howard. Bryce is married to actor Seth Gabel , with whom she has two children.
Bryce’s paternal grandfather was Rance Howard (born Harold Rance Beckenholdt, the son of Engel/Engle E. Beckenholdt and Ethel Cleo Tomlin). Rance was born in Oklahoma, and changed his surname to Howard when he became an actor. Engel was the son of J. Heinrich/Henry Beckenholdt and Caroline Engelking, who were of German descent. Bryce’s great-grandmother Ethel was the daughter of Ralph Jedediah Tomlin and Carrie Melissa Freeman.
Bryce’s paternal grandmother was Jean Frances Speegle (the daughter of William Allen Speegle and Louise Dewey). Jean was born in Oklahoma, and was also an actress. William was the son of William T. Speegle and Lela Allen. Bryce’s great-grandmother Louise was the daughter of Edward Chancy Dewey and Sallie Ballard Johnston.
Bryce’s maternal grandfather was Charles Enos Alley, Jr. (the son of Charles Enos Alley and Maude Crew). Bryce’s grandfather Charles was born in Meridian, Lauderdale, Mississippi. Bryce’s great-grandfather Charles was born in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, the son of Canadian parents, from Ontario, Jeremiah Alley, who was from Northumberland; and Catherine B. Gifford, whose parents were from Vermont. Bryce’s great-grandmother Maude was born in Wheeling, Winn, Louisiana, the daughter of Robert H. Crew and Elizabeth Ann “Bettie” Gilcrease.
Bryce’s maternal grandmother was Vivian Joyce Schmid (the daughter of Lester Simmons Schmid and Lillian Bertha Schulz). Vivian was born in Elkhorn, Walworth, Wisconsin, and was of German or mostly German descent. Lester was born in Albany, Green, Wisconsin, the son of Fridolin Fredrick Wilhelm Schmid, whose paternal grandparents were from Glarus, Switzerland, and whose mother was also Swiss; and of Avis Mary Simmons. Bryce’s great-grandmother Lillian was born in Rockland, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the daughter of Joao Henrique/Heinrich Augusto/August “Henry” Schultz, who was born in Nova Petrópolis, Rio Grande do Sul, Empire of Brazil, to German parents, from Pomerania, Prussia; and of Clara H. Haelfrisch, whose grandparents were also German, from Württemberg on her father’s side, and from Pomerania on her mother’s.
Sources: Genealogy of Bryce Dallas Howard – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Bryce’s paternal grandparents, Rance Howard and Jean Frances (Speegle) Howard – https://www.findagrave.com
Obituary of Bryce’s paternal grandfather, Rance Howard – http://www.legacy.com
Bryce’s maternal grandfather, Charles Enos Alley, Jr., on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org