Is Oscar Award Winner Kate Winslet Scandinavian?

Oscar-winning actor Kate Winslet follows a rumour of Scandinavian ancestry on her mother's side of the family and is delighted to find that she has Swedish heritage.

In each episode, one of Britain's best-loved celebrities traces their family tree to reveal the surprising, extraordinary and often moving stories of their ancestors. We publish new videos twice a week with the most memorable moments from the show. Subscribe now and click on the bell 🔔 to get notifications every time we upload a new video!

[petraljungberg]

As a Swede I am very happy to see Kate Winslet so excited realising her relatives came from Sweden 😊 Would have loved to be able to see the whole program and hear more about the story behind!

[erikalulea]

I like Kate Winslet so much and the fact she has Swedish Roots makes me even happier, Greetings from Sweden.

[mokele]

She is my icon, I adore her beauty, her strength, her talent.

[janetslicer]

I am going to love this one. I have so much respect and love for Kate Winslet.

[lottalarsson]

LOL, her style is so typical swedish woman. Down to earth, relaxed yet an elagance about it.

[juneschwierjohn]

My 7th great grandfather emigrated to Prussia from Sweden in 1657. His name was Johann. My last name was Americanized in 1851 when my great grandfather came from Germany to America. His last name was Schwederjohann and it became Schwierjohann. In 1899 my grandfather changed it again to Schwierjohn. Swedish John!!

[theTeknoViking]

Celebrated Christmas in that church in London some years ago. Great service, and an amazing "julbord" buffet as well! Had a lovely time!

[magdalenadacosta]

This fabulous actress is ours! Hello from Sweden 🇸🇪

[matsbluckert]

Being Swedish and interested in family history, there is a pattern in Sweden that most of us start off with a family name ending with son. It is not unusual, in the end of the 19th century, start of the 20th, when people left the countryside and moved to the city (or England), as a sign of moving up in society that they took a new family name.
My guess is that Alfreds father is named Johan and that Alfred is the one choosing to go by the name of Lindman.

[nellies]

Omg as a swede this is so cool! She's one of my favorite actors!

[perle]

Born British I did my DNA test, turns out I'm 90%Scandinavian and 10% scottish 🤣🤣

[lissandrafreljord]

Kate always had this very Germanic beauty about her, almost reminiscent to the recently late supermodel Tatjana Patitz, who was half German and half Estonian, but raised in Sweden.

[rexuz]

Swedish TV will defo do a follow up on this and invite her to Sweden to tell her more about her ancestry. Mark my words.

[petowii]

Oh my gosh she is my absolute favourite actress. I'm so happy she's swedish too!

[mollej]

We love you. So happy for you, as you so happily screamed when you realised ❤

[MediaArchive-zf]

Kate is Swedish and Scarlett is Danish. My grandfather's ancestry originally were Scandinavian vikings.

I always loved Scandinavian women and viking history.

1. Scarlett Johansson

2. Rebecca Ferguson

3. Kate Winslet

4. Ingrid Bergman

5. Greta Garbo

6. Alicia Vikander


All Scandinavian actresses

[katharineamin]

My grandfather’s name was Lundquist. He moved from Sweden to Minnesota and then to Canada,
with his family when he was a teenager. It’s very interesting.

[almasilva]

So excited to see this one. She seems a remarkable person, and I would love to know her history. Who and what made her so wonderful?

[PercivalC]

I am also part Swedish on the otherwise 'English' side of my family. My x3 great grandfather came to Sunderland as a ship builder in the late 19th century, but his son, my great-great grandfather, later migrated to Canada.

[Azoreanislandgirl]

I love it !!! I am so engrossed in my families tree. So much work, but also rewarding with the family name's and feeling such a connection with those name's.