Profile Text
Houston in 2008, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Whitney Elizabeth Houston
Date of Birth: August 9, 1963
Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Death: February 11, 2012
Place of Death: Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American, with small amounts of English, Irish, and Scottish
Whitney Houston was an American singer, actress, model, and producer. Known for her incomparable voice, she recorded numerous classic tracks, and was also a talented actress.
Whitney was the daughter of soul and gospel singer Cissy Houston (born Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr. Her maternal half-brother is professional basketball player Gary Garland. Whitney was a first cousin of singer, actress, and television show host Dionne Warwick and singer Dee Dee Warwick, and a cousin of spinto soprano Leontyne Price (Mary Violet Leontyne Price). Her mother’s family formed a family gospel group, The Drinkard Jubilairs, later The Drinkard Singers, who recorded the first gospel album on a major label. She was previously married to singer Bobby Brown . The couple had a daughter, reality television personality and singer Bobbi Kristina Brown , who was born in 1993 and died in 2015.
Whitney’s parents were both black. She also had a small amount of English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Whitney’s mother had stated in an interview that she had Dutch and Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.
Whitney’s paternal grandfather was John Russell Houston (the son of John Emmanuel Huston/Houston and Hannah M. Davis). Whitney’s grandfather John was born in Neshanic, Somerset, New Jersey. Whitney’s great-grandfather John was born in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey, the son of Nathaniel Houston and Sarah Ann. Whitney’s great-grandmother Hannah was born in New Jersey, the daughter of James Davis and Eleanor.
Whitney’s paternal grandmother was Sarah Elizabeth/Elisabeth Collins (the daughter of The Rev. Abraham Augustus Collins and Sarah Elizabeth Sanderson). Whitney’s grandmother Sarah was born in Oakland, Alameda, California. Augustus was the son of Henry M. Collins and Elizabeth G. Spears. Whitney’s great-grandmother Sarah was born in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, the daughter of The Rev. Jeremiah Burke Sanderson, who was from New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts; and of Catherine Elizabeth Gibson Molyneaux, who was from Georgia.
Whitney’s maternal grandfather was Nitcholas/Nicholas Arthur “Nitch” Drinkard (the son of John Drinkard, Jr. and Susie/Susan Belle/Bell “Delia” Fuller). Nitcholas was born in Hilton, Early, Georgia. John was born in Blakely, Early County, the son of John Drinkard, Sr., who was born in Mississippi, and was a landowner near the border of Georgia and Alabama; and of Victoria Hansom. Whitney’s great-grandmother Susan was born in Talbotton, Talbot County, Georgia.
Whitney’s maternal grandmother was Adelia/Delia Mae McCaskill (the daughter of Stephen McCaskill and Emma L. Houston). Adelia was born in Freeport, Walton County, Florida. Stephen was the son of Annie/Ann Hogan, who was black, and likely of John Jett McCaskill, who was white. Emma was the daughter of Oliver Houston and Rachel/Rachael Hill.
A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2024) stated that Whitney’s cousin Dionne’s genetic ancestry consists of:
*80% African ——–*24% Nigeria ——–*23% Benin & Togo ——–*14% Cameroon, Congo & Western Bantu Peoples ——–*9% Mali ——–*6% Ivory Coast & Ghana ——–*4% Senegal *19% European ——–*9% England & NW Europe ——–*5% Ireland ——–*3% Scotland ——–*2% Germanic Europe *1% Asian ——–*1% Southern Philippines
*80% African ——–*24% Nigeria ——–*23% Benin & Togo ——–*14% Cameroon, Congo & Western Bantu Peoples ——–*9% Mali ——–*6% Ivory Coast & Ghana ——–*4% Senegal *19% European ——–*9% England & NW Europe ——–*5% Ireland ——–*3% Scotland ——–*2% Germanic Europe *1% Asian ——–*1% Southern Philippines
Sources: Genealogies of Whitney Houston – http://www.geni.com https://famouskin.com http://www.findagrave.com
Whitney’s mother speaks of their ancestors – http://www.youtube.com
Whitney’s maternal great-grandparents, John Drinkard, Jr. and Susie/Susan Belle/Bell Fuller, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitney’s maternal grandmother, Adelia/Delia Mae McCaskill, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Whitney’s maternal great-grandparents, Stephen McCaskill and Emma L. Houston, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Whitney’s maternal great-grandfather, Stephen McCaskill, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org