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Knightley in 2011, photo by Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Keira Christina Knightley
Place of Birth: Richmond Upon Thames, Surrey, England, U.K.
Date of Birth: 26 March, 1985
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish
Keira Knightley is a British actress, and singer. Her roles include the films Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , The Hole (2001), Pure , Bend It Like Beckham , New Year’s Eve (2002), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl , and its sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest , Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End , and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ; Love Actually , King Arthur (2004), The Jacket , Pride & Prejudice , Domino (2005), Atonement , Silk (2007), The Edge of Love , The Duchess (2008), Never Let Me Go , Last Night , London Boulevard (2010), A Dangerous Method , Seeking a Friend for the End of the World , Anna Karenina (2012), Begin Again , Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit , Laggies , The Imitation Game , Everest (2015), Collateral Beauty , Colette (2018), The Nutcracker and the Four Realms , Official Secrets , Berlin, I Love You ; The Aftermath (2019), Misbehaviour , Charlotte , Silent Night (2021), Boston Strangler (2023), and The Woman in Cabin 10 ; the made-for-tv movies A Village Affair , The Treasure Seekers , Coming Home (1998), and Princess of Thieves ; the mini-series Oliver Twist , Doctor Zhivago , and Neverland ; the series Black Doves ; and radio’s Villette ; as well as works on stage.
Keira is the daughter of actress and playwright Sharman MacDonald and actor Will Knightley (Kevin William Knightley). Her father was born in England. Her mother was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Her brother, Caleb Knightley, has also worked in film. Keira is married to musician James Righton , with whom she has two children. She has also been known as Keira Christina Righton.
She was meant to be named Kiera, after Russian figure skater Kira Ivanova. Her mother misspelt the name when registering her birth.
Keira’s paternal grandfather was William Knightley (the son of Frederick William Knightley and Caroline Margaret Pepper). Keira’s grandfather William was born in West Ham, Essex. Frederick was born in Leytonstone, Essex, the son of Charles Knightley and Sarah Ann/Anne Astle. Keira’s great-grandmother Caroline was born in Stratford, Essex, the daughter of John Pepper and Bridget Flynn, who was from Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland.
Keira’s paternal grandmother was named Violet Grace Jones.
Keira’s maternal grandfather was Joseph Henry Hosgood MacDonald (the son of William Hearson Hosgood and Lilly Ellen McDonald). Joseph was born in Chorlton, Lancashire, England. William was born in Neath, Glamorgan, Wales, the son of Sebastian Hosgood, whose paternal roots were from Devon, England; and of Margaret Jane Beale. Keira’s great-grandmother Lilly was born in Salford, Lancashire, the daughter of Irish-born parents, William McDonald, who was from Lurgan, County Westmeath; and Jane Dignam, who was from Dublin.
Keira’s maternal grandmother was Janet Rowat/Rewat “Janet” Williams (the daughter of William Williams and Jeanie Stewart Dewar). Janet was born in Calton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. William was born in Hutchesontown, Lanarkshire, the son of William Williams, whose father was born in Anglesey, Wales; and of Margaret Watson Logan, whose father was Irish. Keira’s great-grandmother Jeanie was born in Shawlands, Renfrewshire, the daughter of John Dewar and Janet Rowat.
Sources: https://www.telegraph.co.uk
Genealogies of Keira Knightley – http://www.geni.com http://gw.geneanet.org
Marriage record of Keira’s paternal grandparents, William Knightley and Violet Grace Jones – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Keira’s paternal grandmother, Violet Grace (Jones) Knightley – https://www.familysearch.org
Article about Keira’s mother’s family – http://www.dailymail.co.uk