Thurman Family Genealogy & History

Uma Karuna Thurman, born April 29, 1970, is a renowned American actress known for her versatility across genres like romantic comedies, dramas, and action films. She gained international fame with her role as Mia Wallace in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" (1994), earning multiple award nominations. Often considered Tarantino's muse, she starred in "Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2" (2003, 2004), garnering further acclaim. Thurman's diverse filmography includes "Dangerous Liaisons" (1988), "Gattaca" (1997), and "Nymphomaniac" (2013). Her television work includes winning a Golden Globe for "Hysterical Blindness" (2002). She has also made significant contributions to theater with her Broadway debut in "The Parisian Woman" (2017–2018).

Uma Thurman was born in Boston to Robert Thurman, a professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, and Nena von Schlebrügge, a high-fashion model. Her maternal lineage includes a German nobleman and a Swedish model, Birgit Holmquist. Raised with a Buddhist upbringing, she spent two years in India and grew up in Massachusetts and New York. She has three brothers and a half-sister from her father's previous marriage. Thurman's first cousin once removed is Swedish soccer player Max von Schlebrügge.

Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman, born August 3, 1941, is a pioneering American author and academic in Tibetan Buddhism. He was the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West, serving as the Je Tsongkhapa Professor at Columbia University. Thurman co-founded the Tibet House US and translated significant texts like the Vimalakirti Sutra. His contributions earned him the Padma Shri Award in 2020, and he was named one of Time's 25 most influential Americans in 1997. His career highlights include his work in preserving Tibetan culture and his acclaimed translations and interpretations of Buddhist literature.

Born in New York City, Robert Thurman is the son of Elizabeth Dean Farrar, a stage actress, and Beverly Reid Thurman, Jr., an Associated Press editor. He is of English, German, Scottish, and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish descent. His brother, John Thurman, is a concert cellist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Thurman studied at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University, where he pursued advanced studies in Sanskrit.

Keith Fitzgerald Thurman, born November 23, 1988, is a renowned American professional boxer known for his accomplishments in the welterweight division. He is a former unified welterweight world champion, having held the WBA title from 2016 to 2019 and the WBC title from 2017 to 2018. As of July 2022, Thurman ranks as the world's fifth-best active welterweight according to BoxRec. His career highlights include notable victories over Diego Gabriel Chaves and Jesus Soto Karass, showcasing his powerful boxing style and strategic prowess in the ring.

Keith Thurman was born in Clearwater, Florida, to an African-American father and a European-American mother with Polish and Hungarian ancestry. His multicultural heritage contributes to his unique background and personal story.

Howard Washington Thurman was a renowned American author, philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader known for his influential role in social justice movements. As a mentor to civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Thurman’s theology of radical nonviolence left a lasting impact. He served as dean at Howard University and Boston University and co-founded the first major interracial, interdenominational church in the U.S. His global influence extended to interactions with figures like Mahatma Gandhi, contributing to the promotion of nonviolence worldwide.

Howard Thurman was born in 1899 in Daytona Beach, Florida, and was significantly influenced by his maternal grandmother, Nancy Ambrose, a former slave. His father, Saul Thurman, died when Howard was seven. His family, including his mother Alice, were devoted members of their local Baptist church, which deeply shaped his upbringing and beliefs.