By: Sherman McRae
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in August 2023. Images and visuals have been updated in June 2026 to reflect current FamilyTreeDNA Discover™ data.
Follow the genealogical research that connected the King of Pop’s paternal ancestry to a centuries-old European bloodline rooted in colonial South Carolina.
Michael Jackson captivated the world with his unparalleled talent, charisma, and legendary performances. But beyond the music, the King of Pop left behind a legacy of curiosity — including questions about his paternal ancestry and family origins that researchers have only recently been able to answer.
Because Y-DNA passes unchanged from father to son across generations, it’s possible to trace a male lineage without testing the individual directly. Using a living male descendant of the Jackson family, genealogical researchers were able to map Michael Jackson’s paternal lineage — and the results told a very different story than the family’s oral history suggested.
What is Michael Jackson’s Ancestry?
Michael Jackson’s paternal ancestry traces back to a French Huguenot bloodline in colonial South Carolina, with his patrilineal haplogroup confirmed as R-FT121435 through Y-DNA testing.
The Jackson Family Line Started With a Man Named July “Jack” Gayle
Part of the Jackson Family story begins in Sumpter, S.C., on the Plantation of James Joel Richburg, who was a descendant of the French Huguenot Claude Philippe de Richbourg.
In his will, written in 1804, James Richbourg bequeathed an enslaved man named July to his daughter Mary Gayle. Mary married Josiah Gayle III, and records would later show them living in Amite County, Mississippi.
This information indicates that July went to Mississippi with his enslavers, Mary and Josiah.
July “Jack” Richburg took the Gayle surname, and much of the family history surrounding him suggests Native American origins. It is believed that his mother was an enslaved woman named Rose, who also resided on the Richburg Plantation in South Carolina. July was renowned for his diverse skills, not only as a medicine man but also as a scout for the US Army.
During the era of slavery, legal marriage was denied to enslaved individuals, making it difficult for families to establish official bonds. However, July defied these restrictions and formed a meaningful relationship with a woman named Gina. Together, they had a son named Israel, born in 1838 in Amite, Mississippi.
Israel’s birth in 1838 is a pivotal entry point in the Jackson family tree — connecting the oral history passed down through generations to the documented records and DNA evidence that would emerge nearly two centuries later.
How the “Gayle” Surname Evolved Into “Jackson” Through Patronymics
Most enslaved people didn’t have an attached surname at birth, and they could be sold multiple times to different owners. After emancipation, many of the formerly enslaved individuals would choose a random surname or adopt the name of their last or previous owners to live by.
According to Thomas Jackson III, he first learned in 1971 from his grandfather that they were related to the Jackson 5. He also learned that Jackson wasn’t their original surname; it was Gayle.
Thomas learned that the Jackson surname didn’t always exist. Here’s how it evolved through the family line:
- July — went by the nickname “Jack”
- Israel — July’s son, nicknamed “Nero”
- Simuel — Nero’s son, who noted that people called his father “Jack’s Son”
- Nero — eventually adopted the surname Jackson, which the family carries to this day
How Nero Jackson Built a Life and Legacy After Slavery
Nero was reportedly the father of upwards of 20 children with numerous women. Most of the children were born to a woman named Emmaline, who was believed to be of Choctaw origin. Joe Jackson mentions in his book that Nero was a medicine man and healer, a skill he learned from his parents, Jack and Gina.
It is also noted that he was sold a few times, including to a plantation in Louisiana, due to his defiance towards his enslavers.
Nero led a very industrious and intriguing life. After slavery ended, he managed to purchase multiple lots of land in Mississippi, a testament to his hard work and determination. However, Nero’s fortunes took a downturn when he fell ill and became unable to work the farm. During this challenging time, he had to rely on purchasing supplies on credit.
Unfortunately, according to family history, the account manager used the debt as leverage to obtain the deed to the land. There was so much more to Nero’s life that Joe Jackson put in his book, but he also recommends readers view Nero’s Wikitree page for more information.
How Nero Jackson Connects Michael Jackson to a Living Descendant
Thomas Jackson III, the cousin and contributor to this blog, shares Nero Jackson as a common ancestor with the King of Pop. Thomas descends from Nero and another wife named Angeline through their son Mitchell Jackson (b. 1887-1976.)
Michael Jackson’s line continues through Samuel Joseph Jackson (1893-1993) and then his charismatic father, whom we all know as Joe Jackson.
How Did We Find Michael Jackson’s Y-DNA Haplogroup?
Thomas Jackson mentioned that once he began doing genealogy, he sought to find more information to confirm the Jackson oral history that Jack Gayle had Native American origins.
Thomas mentions that he couldn’t locate his family on any Native American rolls, but he was successful in tracing them back to Sumpter, S.C., to the Richbourgs, as evidenced by records.
He initially tested his autosomal DNA with another testing service, and received the intermediate Y-DNA haplogroup designation of R-L20.
While researching his haplogroup, he discovered a Richburg descendant also on the same branch. After speaking with the Richbourg descendant, he began to believe that July Gayle could be the son of his former owner, James Joel Richbourg.
Thomas Jackson’s Big Y-700 Results Confirm the Richbourg Origin
Thomas was encouraged to do a Big Y-700 test through FamilyTreeDNA to further refine his haplogroup and see if he would show up as a match with the other Richbourg tester.
The Y-DNA results indicated that Thomas and the other Richbourg tester were a match, sharing the terminal SNP of R-FT121435.
The Big Y-700 test results confirm that July “Jack” Gayle was the child of his enslaver, James Joel Richbourg.
Since Michael Jackson and Thomas Jackson III both descend from Nero, this would mean that Michael and Thomas would also share the same haplotype, confirming the haplogroup designation for Michael Jackson as R-FT121435.
How the Jackson Family’s Patrilineal Roots Were Traced to France
The genetic signature for the Jacksons would confirm that July’s patrilineal origins would be French instead of Native American. However, it is still possible that July was part Native American, but if so, it would have to be from his mother’s side, given the newfound connection to the French Huguenot Claude Philippe de Richbourg.
The FamilyTreeDNA Discover Time tree shows Michael Jackson and the Richbourg tester with the French flag sharing a common Ancestor born before 1750.
The Country Frequency Report shows that there is a large presence of this haplogroup in the French population.
What Michael Jackson’s Ancestry Tells Us About Family History and DNA
The Jackson family story didn’t begin with music — it began with an enslaved man named July, a lineage passed down through generations, and a family oral history that turned out to be more complex than anyone knew.
What Thomas Jackson III and I uncovered through genealogical research and Big Y-700 DNA testing isn’t just a celebrity ancestry story. It’s a demonstration of what’s possible when DNA evidence and historical records work together — filling in the gaps that slavery erased and giving families back the history they were denied.
The Jackson family now has answers. Yours might be waiting too.
Frequently Asked Questions About Michael Jackson’s Ancestry
What is Michael Jackson’s ethnicity?
While DNA results reflect genetic ancestry rather than cultural identity, Michael Jackson’s paternal ancestry traces back to a French Huguenot bloodline in colonial South Carolina.
What is Michael Jackson’s Y-DNA haplogroup?
Michael Jackson’s Y-DNA haplogroup is R-FT121435, confirmed through Big Y-700 testing of a living male descendant of the Jackson family.
Was Michael Jackson of French descent?
Yes — Y-DNA testing confirmed Michael Jackson’s patrilineal roots trace back to French Huguenot Claude Philippe de Richbourg in colonial South Carolina.
How was Michael Jackson’s paternal lineage determined?
Michael Jackson’s paternal lineage was determined through Big Y-700 Y-DNA testing of Thomas Jackson III, a living male descendant who shares the same patrilineal line as the King of Pop.
Sources
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- Thomas Jackson III, personal recollection, 23 July 2023.
- Mississippi Wills and Probate Records, probate date 11/17/1828.
- Brimelow, Judith M., South Carolina Will Transcripts, 1782–1868, Probate Place: Sumter, South Carolina.
- WikiTree contributors, “Israel Nero Jackson Sr (1838–1934),” WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Jackson-12129, accessed 25 July 2023.
- FamilyTreeDNA, “Y-DNA Haplogroup R-FT121435 Tree,” FamilyTreeDNA Discover, https://discover.familytreedna.com/y-dna/R-FT121435/tree.
Great research Sherman. Totally enjoyed it.
Very well done
Enjoyed this history lesson on the Jackson’s family heritage. I too have traced my fathers line back to the Huguenots.
As a French myself it makes me so happy to discover that Michael Jackson was one of our people. Not that surprising when when you think about it but very cool