Profile Text
Culkin in 2005, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Macaulay Carson Culkin
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 26, 1980
Ethnicity: German, one quarter Norwegian, one eighth Irish, smaller amounts of Swiss-German, Swiss-French/French, and English, remote Belgian
Macaulay Culkin is an American actor, musician, and podcaster. He came to fame as a child actor in 1990, after starring as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone . His roles also include the films Rocket Gibraltar , See You in the Morning , Uncle Buck , Jacob’s Ladder (1990), Only the Lonely , My Girl , Home Alone 2: Lost in New York , The Good Son , George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (1993), Getting Even with Dad , The Pagemaster , Ri¢hie Ri¢h (1994), Party Monster , Saved! , Sex and Breakfast , Adam Green’s Aladdin , Changeland , and Zootopia 2 ; the series Wish Kid , Robot Chicken , Kings , The Jim Gaffigan Show , American Horror Story: Double Feature , The Righteous Gemstones , and Fallout ; the tv special Entergalactic ; and the music videos for “Black or White,” “My Girl,” “All Alone on Christmas,” “Sunday,” and “Santa Baby.”
Macaulay is the son of Patricia Brentrup, a road traffic controller, and actor Kit Culkin (Christopher Cornelius Culkin). Among his siblings are actors Kieran Culkin and Rory Culkin . His aunt, father’s sister, is actress Bonnie Bedelia (Bonnie Bedelia Culkin). Macaulay has two children with his partner, actress, singer, and producer Brenda Song .
Macaulay’s father has German and one quarter Irish ancestry, with smaller amounts of Swiss-German, Swiss-French/French, and English, and remote Belgian. Macaulay’s mother is of half German and half Norwegian descent.
His father gave most of his children Irish first names.
He has evidently changed his legal name to Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin.
Macaulay’s paternal grandfather was Philip Harley/Henry Culkin (the son of Philip Joseph Culkin and Amanda Juliette/Juliet Ferrier). Macaulay’s grandfather Philip was born in Manhattan, New York City, New York. Macaulay’s great-grandfather Philip was born in Michigan, the son of Irish parents, Philip Clemens Culkin and Margaret Ann Doyle. Macaulay’s great-grandfather Amanda was born in Neuchâtel, Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, the daughter of Henri/Henry Ferrier and Rosine/Rosina Loeffel. Given the surnames Ferrier and Loeffel, it is likely that Amanda had Swiss-French and Swiss-German ancestry.
Macaulay’s paternal grandmother was Marian Ethel Wagner (the daughter of Joseph Franklin Wagner and Ethel Lula Herrold). Marian was born in South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana, and had German, including Alsatian German, and some English and Swiss-German, ancestry. Some of her family had lived in the U.S. since the 1600s. Joseph was born in La Belle, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the son of John Merritt Wagner, who was born in Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; and of Rebecca Shellhammer/Shellhamer. Macaulay’s great-grandmother Ethel was born in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, the daughter of Matthew Henry Herrold and Rosella/Rose Elizabeth Lusher.
Macaulay’s maternal grandfather was Hubert Mathias Brentrup (the son of Johannes/John Maria Brentrup and Kathryn/Catherine Ann “Katie” Kirchen). Hubert was born in Amidon, Slope County, North Dakota. John was born in Rheda Wiedenbrück, Detmold, Germany, the son of Johannes/John Stephan Brentrup and Maria Elisabeth/Elizabeth Schalk. Macaulay’s great-grandmother Katie was born in Garrison, McLean County, North Dakota, to a German-born father, Mathias/Matthias Kirchen, from Philippsheim, Bitburg-Prumer Landkreis, Rheinland-Pfalz; and to a mother, Grace Wadenspanner, who was either born in Bavaria, Germany, or in the U.S., to German parents.
Macaulay’s maternal grandmother was Mildred Doris “Millie” Narum (the daughter of Julius Olaf Narum and Inga Christine Jordet). Mildred was born in Amidon, Slope County, North Dakota. Julius was born in Twin Valley, Norman County, Minnesota, to Norwegian parents, Johan/Johannes Christiansen Narum, from Narum, Kolbu, Østre Toten, Oppland; and Eli Karine Hansdatter Teterud/Morterudhaugen, who was born in Morterudhaugen, Vestre Toten, Oppland. Macaulay’s great-grandmother Inga was born in North Dakota, also to Norwegian parents, Ole Iversen Rotnem Jordet, from Jordet/Martegarden, Rotneim, Gol, Buskerud; and Mary/Margaret/Margit Farseth/Aslaksdatter, who was also from Gol.
Macaulay’s matrilineal line can be traced to Birgit Pedersdatter, who was born, c. 1730, in Nes, Buskerud, Norway.
Sources: Genealogy of Macaulay Culkin – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Macaulay’s maternal grandparents, Hubert Mathias Brentrup and Mildred Doris “Millie” (Narum) Brentrup – https://www.findagrave.com
Macaulay’s maternal grandmother, Mildred Doris “Millie” Narum, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org