Profile Text
Welch in 2010, photo by Harveys Art /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Florence Leontine Mary Welch
Place of Birth: Lambeth, London, England, U.K.
Date of Birth: 28 August, 1986
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, 1/16th Ashkenazi Jewish, 1/16th Lithuanian, Welsh
Florence Welch is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She is the lead singer of indie rock band Florence + the Machine, or Florence and the Machine. She has dual U.S. and U.K. citizenship.
Florence’s father, James Nicholas “Nick” Russell Welch, is an English advertising executive. Her mother, Evelyn Welch (born Evelyn Kathleen Samuels), is an American-born historian, who is a scholar of the Renaissance and Early Modern Period. Her mother has been Principal of King’s College London, from 1 February, 2021 to 1 June, 2021, and Vice Chancellor of the University of Bristol, since September 2022. Her stepfather is immunologist and scientist Peter Openshaw. Her uncle, mother’s brother, is actor, model, and director John Stockwell (born John Stockwell Samuels IV). Another uncle is critic and satirist Craig Brown, who is married to her paternal aunt Frances Welch.
Florence was raised Catholic.
Florence’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her sixth great-grandfather, Matthew Welch.
Florence’s paternal grandfather was political journalist Colin Welch (James Colin Ross Welch, the son of James William Welch and Irene Margherita Paton). Colin was born in Linton, Cambridgeshire, and wrote for the Glasgow Herald and the Daily Telegraph. Florence’s great-grandfather James was the son of James Welch and Sarah Dandy. James had owned Benedictine priory of nuns Ickleton Priory; the Welch family bred Shire horses. Florence’s great-grandmother Irene was the daughter of Frederick Paton and Ada Sarah Kinipple.
Florence’s paternal grandmother was named Sybil/Cybil Russell. Sybil was a Scottish singer, from Hillhead, Glasgow.
Florence’s maternal grandfather was John Stockwell Samuels III (the son of John Stockwell Samuels, Jr. and Helen Yvonne Poole). Florence’s grandfather John was born in Galveston, Texas, and was a lawyer and coal magnate. Florence’s great-grandfather John was born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, the son of John Stockwell Samuels, Sr. and Emma Weedon. Florence’s great-grandmother Helen was born in Galveston, the daughter of Thomas Andrew Poole, whose parents were from England, his father from London and his mother from Liverpool, with both being of Irish descent; and of Emma Caroline Hayes.
Florence’s maternal grandmother was Ellen Kathleen Richards (the daughter of John Samuel Richards and Leontine Marie Subatch). Ellen was born in Methuen, Essex, Massachusetts. John was born in Farnam, Nebraska, the son of a Belarusian Jewish emigrant, Herman Grejcer, later Richards, of Rechki, Vileyka; and of Effie C. Ainlay, who was of English and Irish descent, with parents from Ontario, Canada. Florence’s great-grandmother Leontine was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the daughter of Anthony John Subatch, born Antanas Jonas Subačius, who was Lithuanian, from Ricieliai, Alytus; and of Leontine Cecelia Maney, who was born in Massachusetts, to Irish parents.
Sources: Birth record of Florence’s paternal grandfather, James Colin Ross Welch – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Florence’s paternal great-grandparents, James William Welch and Irene Margherita Paton – https://www.familysearch.org
Baptismal record of Florence’s paternal great-grandfather, James William Welch – https://www.familysearch.org
Florence’s paternal great-grandmother, Irene Margherita Paton, on the 1891 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Florence’s paternal great-great-grandparents, of Frederick Paton and Ada Sarah Kinipple – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogies of Florence’s maternal grandparents, John Stockwell Samuels III and Ellen Kathleen Richards – https://www.familysearch.org
Florence’s maternal great-grandfather, John Stockwell Samuels, Jr., on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Florence’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Emma (Weedon) Samuels – https://www.familysearch.org
Birth record of Florence’s maternal great-grandmother, Helen Yvonne Poole – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Florence’s maternal great-grandfather, John Samuel Richards – http://www.sfgate.com
Florence’s maternal great-grandmother, Leontine Marie Subatch, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org