Profile Text
Marley in 2009, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: David Nesta Marley
Place of Birth: Kingston, Jamaica
Date of Birth: 17 October, 1968
Ethnicity: Jamaican [African, some English]
Ziggy Marley is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, musician, producer, voice actor, and philanthropist. He was a member of reggae group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, which consisted of him and his siblings.
Ziggy’s father was reggae singer and songwriter Bob Marley , who was Jamaican. His mother, Rita Marley (born Alpharita Constantia Anderson), was a Cuban-born Jamaican singer. Ziggy’s father had English- and African-Jamaican ancestry. Ziggy’s mother was of African-Jamaican descent.
Ziggy is the brother of reggae singers/musicians Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, and Stephen Marley; and the half-brother of entrepreneur and professional football player Rohan Marley , reggae musician and songwriter Julian Marley, reggae musician Ky-Mani Marley, and musician Damian Marley . He is the uncle of filmmaker, activist, and actress Donisha Prendergast, singer Jo Mersa Marley , and musician Skip Marley ; and the half-uncle of professional football player Nico Marley, model and singer Selah Marley , and singer and songwriter YG Marley .
Ziggy is married to Orly Agai, who is Israeli, and of Iranian Jewish descent. Ziggy has three children, including musician Bambaata Marley , from previous relationships; and four children with Orly.
Ziggy’s paternal grandfather was Norval Sinclair Marley (the son of Albert Thomas “Robert” Marley and Ellen Ann Bloomfield). Norval was born in Clarendon, Jamaica, and had English, and a small amount of African, ancestry. Albert was born in South Weald, Brentwood, Essex, England, the son of Frederick Marley and Hannah Jane Tiltman. Ziggy’s great-grandmother Ellen was born in Jamaica, the daughter of Richard Bloomfield and Ann Elizabeth Alexander, who was of part African descent.
Ziggy’s paternal grandmother was Cedella Editha Malcolm (the daughter of Omeriah/Amariah “Custus” Malcolm and Alberta/Albertha Melida Willoughby/Whilby). Cedella was a black Jamaican, born in Saint Ann’s Bay, Saint Ann. Omeriah was born in Saint Ann, the son of Robert Malcolm and Katherine Bygrave. Ziggy’s great-grandmother Alberta was born in Saint Ann, the daughter of David/Daniel Whilby/Willoughby and Hannah/Anna Downs.
Ziggy’s maternal grandfather was named Leroy Anderson. Leroy was African-Jamaican.
Ziggy’s maternal grandmother was named Cynthia “Beda” Jarrett. Cynthia was African-Jamaican.
There are claims on the internet that Bob Marley had some dgree of Jewish ancestry, sometimes cited as Syrian Jewish, through his father, or, sometimes, his mother. There is no documented evidence that Bob had Jewish ancestry. The Bloomfield family line from which Bob descended, a famous family in Jamaica, is sometimes cited as having been originally Jewish; this is almost certainly false.
Sources: Genealogy of Ziggy Marley (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Ziggy’s father – http://www.wargs.com http://www.wikitree.com https://www.findagrave.com