Betty White

White in 1989, photo credit: Alan Light

Birth Name: Betty Marion White

Date of Birth: January 17, 1922

Place of Birth: Oak Park, Cook, Illinois, United States

Date of Death: December 31, 2021

Place of Death: Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*50% British Isles [English, and some Welsh]
*25% Danish
*25% Greek

Betty White was an American actress, animal rights activist, author, television personality, comedian, singer, and radio host. An early television pioneer, she was known for playing Sue Ann Nivens on the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show; and Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls, as well as on Empty Nest, Nurses, and The Golden Palace. Her films roles include Hard Rain, Lake Placid, The Story of Us, Bringing Down the House, The Proposal, and You Again. She joked that she was often cast as a Norwegian woman from Minnesota. She was known for her role as Blanche Devereaux on the sitcom The Golden Girls. Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan were the other stars of The Golden Girls.

Betty was the daughter of Tess Christine (Cachikis) and Horace Logan White, a lighting company executive. Her father was born in Negaunee Township, Marquette County, Michigan, of half Danish and half English descent. Her mother was born in Chicago, Cook, of half Greek and half English and Welsh ancestry. She was born in Oak Park and later raised in Alhambra, California, and Los Angeles. She was the 4th Mayor of Hollywood, an honorary title.

Betty was married to television personality, emcee, and game show host Allen Ludden, until his death.

Betty’s paternal grandfather was Christopher/Christen/Christian Hans White (the son of Rasmüs Pedersen and Christiane Sofie Christensen). Christopher was born in Stokkemarke, Lolland Kommune, Sjælland, Denmark.

Betty’s paternal grandmother was Etta K. “Ettie” Lundy/Lunde (the daughter of Horace Dean Lundy and Catherine/Katherine Ann Harris). Etta was born in Aurora, York, Ontario, Canada. Horace was born in Whitchurch-Stouffville, York, the son of American-born parents, Enos Lundy, Jr., who had deep roots in Pennsylvania; and Margaret Bostwick. Betty’s great-grandmother Catherine was born in Ontario, the daughter of English parents, Thomas Harris and Ann.

Betty’s maternal grandfather was Nicholas/Nickolas/Nikolas/Nikolaos Cachikis/Kachikis (the son of Petros/Peter Cachikis and Chrisoula/Chrissola Stavros/Stavris). Nicholas was born in Kissamos, Chania, Crete, Greece.

Betty’s maternal grandmother was Margaret “Maggie” Hobbs (the daughter of Thomas Valiant Hobbs and Margaret Hughes). Betty’s grandmother Margaret was born in Wingham, Huron County, Ontario, Canada, to an English father and a Welsh mother. Thomas was from Lambeth, and was the son of James Hobbs and Frances Mary Jones. Betty’s great-grandmother Margaret was the daughter of David Hughes.

Sources: Family history of Betty White – http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Genealogies of Betty White – http://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com
https://www.findagrave.com
https://famouskin.com

Betty’s paternal grandmother, Etta K. “Ettie” Lundy/Lunde, on the 1881 Canada Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of Betty’s maternal grandmother, Margaret “Maggie” Hobbs – https://www.familysearch.org