Key Takeaways
- Both of Liam’s parents were of British heritage.
- Payne’s family had lived in the Midlands for generations.
- Liam’s heritage was less diverse than some of his bandmates.
Liam Payne, best known for being a member of “One Direction,” had an ethnic background that is deeply rooted in his British heritage.
His ethnicity was identified as white, specifically of English descent.
His family history, especially through his paternal and maternal grandparents, revealed strong connections to the English Midlands, particularly in areas such as Birmingham and Staffordshire.
Genealogical records traced his family lineage back to several generations from these regions, including Birmingham and Warwickshire.
Liam’s patrilineal line could be traced to George Wade Josiah Payne, who was born around 1799 in Lambeth, London.
His paternal grandfather, Kenneth E. Payne, was the son of Thomas William Payne and Rosina Biddulph, and he was born in Birmingham South, Warwickshire, England.
His paternal grandmother, June Lilian Duncan, was the daughter of Albert E. Duncan and Lily E. Norton. She was also born in Birmingham South, Warwickshire, England.
On his mother’s side, his maternal grandfather, Douglas Harris, was the son of Henry (Harry) Harris and Amelia Perry. Douglas was born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England.
His maternal grandmother, Myra Taylor, was the daughter of John Taylor and Florence Bertha Meredith, and she was born in Birmingham North, Warwickshire, England.
Liam’s strong English ancestry is reflected not only in his upbringing in Wolverhampton but also in the fact that many generations of his family had lived in the same region.
In terms of faith, Liam identified as Christian, a religion widely practiced in the UK, which further emphasizes his English identity.
Despite traveling the world and incorporating influences from various cultures throughout his career, Payne remained deeply connected to his British heritage and roots.
Liam Payne: Early Life And Family Background
Born on August 29, 1993, at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, Liam James Payne was the son of Karen and Geoff Payne. Liam had two older sisters, Nicola and Ruth Payne.
His father worked as a fitter at Goodrich Corporation, while his mother was an infant nurse. Both of his parents are of British heritage.
He was born three weeks early and suffered from frequent illnesses. Until the age of four, doctors regularly tested Payne and discovered that one of his kidneys was scarred and dysfunctional.
To manage his condition, he endured sixteen injections in his arm every morning and another sixteen every evening during childhood.
He completed 11 GCSEs at St. Peter’s Collegiate School (now St. Peter’s Collegiate Academy) before studying music technology at the City of Wolverhampton College.
In 2008, Payne debuted as a singer when he auditioned for the British television series “The X Factor.”
Although judges eliminated him that year, he returned in 2010 and united with his future bandmates – Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan – to form the globally successful band “One Direction.”
While Payne’s ethnicity may not have been as diverse as that of some of his former bandmates—such as Zayn Malik, who has a mixed English-Pakistani background—his strong connection to his English roots remained a meaningful part of his identity.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- In December 2019, his first studio album, “LP1,” was officially released.
- In 2017, he competed with singer Jason Derulo in a freestyle rap battle on the TV show Drop the Mic.
- On October 16, 2024, at the age of 31, he passed away following a fall from a third-floor hotel balcony in the Palermo area of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
