Pure Bwitish (German+Turk)
Boris Johnson has quite a mixed and diverse ancestry. Here’s a breakdown:
Turkish / Ottoman - His great-grandfather on his father’s side was Ali Kemal, an important figure in the late Ottoman Empire. Through that line, he has Turkish ancestry. There is also Circassian (from the North Caucasus) ancestry: one of his paternal ancestors, Hanifa, was said to be Circassian. On his mother’s side, his grandfather (or great-grandfather) was Elias Avery Lowe, a Russian-Jewish palaeographer who immigrated to the U.S. So he has Russian-Jewish (and more broadly Jewish) heritage. European Ancestry - English, German, French, Swiss-German, Irish, Cornish, Dutch, Belgian, Scottish, and Scots-Irish ancestry are also part of his heritage. He’s distantly related to European royal lines: for example, he has a lineage connection to King George II through a Württemberg line. American / U.S. Ancestry - On his maternal side, he has U.S. ancestry: his maternal grandmother’s parents were American (Pennsylvania).Some of his American forebears come from New England. Summary: Boris Johnson describes himself somewhat as a “melting pot.” His ancestry includes Turkish (Ottoman), Circassian, Jewish (Russian), and various European (German, French, English, etc.) lines.
you made me go look.
This post was edited by ferdia on Nov 22 2025 10:38am